Senator Oluremi Tinubu has said her husband, President Bola Tinubu, should not be blamed for Nigeria’s current economic hardship.
Nigerians have been suffering economic hardship since the removal of the fuel subsidy, which pushed the pump price of petrol from N198 to N1,030.
Tinubu announced an end to subsidy during his inaugural address on May 29, 2023, saying the policy was hindering Nigeria’s progress.
However, while speaking at the Palace of Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, yesterday, the First Lady said the Tinubu administration is still very young.
The wife of the President was in Ife to inaugurate a hostel and a 2.7-kilometer road donated to Ọbafẹmi Awolọwọ University (OAU), Ile Ife, by the Ooni of Ife and named after her.
She said, “We are just 18 months into our administration; we are not the cause of the current situation; we are trying to fix it and secure the future.
“We know that subsidy has been removed, but with God on our side, in the next two years, Nigeria will be greater than this. Those who attempted to remove the subsidy before could not see it through. But with your prayers in the next two years, we will build a nation for the future.”
The president’s wife added that her husband is not greedy, thanking God for making him emerge as Nigeria’s number one citizen.
“We give glory to God for our status, myself and my husband. We are not greedy but thank God for what God has done for us. It is not common for rich people to get to this seat, but I am grateful to God; we cannot disappoint Nigeria, and with the help of God, we are getting to the promised land in no distant time,” she said.
The First Lady, who disclosed that she graduated from OAU 41 years ago, donated N1 billion to the university for its development and advancement.
While speaking, the Ooni of Ife lauded the Wife of the President for serving as a role model to young people since her days as the First Lady of Lagos State.
The traditional ruler said, “I have been a keen admirer of Senator Oluremi Tinubu as a young man earning a living in Lagos. One of my major attractions was the New Era Initiative, especially concerning the One Day Governor in Lagos. It is detribalised and provides opportunities to young secondary school boys and girls to become Governor in Lagos State. This has been a milestone and major inspiration for the younger ones to aspire and succeed.”
Meanwhile, the first lady donated N1 billion to Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife to beautify the ivory tower.
In her address at the commissioning of a 2.7-kilometre road and unveiling of a grand pavilion donated to the institution by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and named after her, Senator Tinubu lamented the deteriorating beauty of the institution widely acknowledged for its beauty and splendour.
She said, “I will donate N1 billion to restore the OAU horticultural landscape. The campus used to be beautiful while I was here. Ife is crying out for help. It used to be a beautiful campus, and the beauty must be restored.’’
Mrs Tinubu noted that the Bola Tinubu administration is focused on education and youth development to ensure that the youth have unhindered access to education, irrespective of their financial status.
According to her, this commitment informed the introduction of the National Students Loan Scheme, which urges all youth across the country to avail themselves of the opportunity presented by the scheme.
Her words: “To further support the efforts of Mr. President, the Renewed Hope Initiative, RHI, which I chair, also commenced the National Scholarship Programme (NASP) for Tertiary Education where we provide N1 million annually and brand-new laptops each to forty-seven (47) disadvantaged students across the nation for the duration of their course of study.
“I have also adopted education as the focus of the #We Are Equal Campaign by the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) in Nigeria”.
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