The sterling performance of Oluremi Tinubu and Nonye Soludo in national development

A few weeks ago, the National Coordinator of Nigeria First Project, Jonah Bonet, asked the National Assembly to introduce a bill that would constitutionally acknowledge the office of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, First Ladies of States and Local Government Councils. Jonah Bonet argued that by doing this ‘’First Ladies would be better positioned to fulfill their primary roles, which should focus on the wellbeing and advancement of women, children, and the overall development of their respective communities’’.

This proposal was met with all kinds of arguments for and against it. While some Nigerians applauded it, citing the role Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt played in the 1930s in America and the tremendous support she gave her husband, some vehemently opposed it, especially because of the fear of the unknown and abuse. Though this column thinks that the arguments for and against this proposal is a topic for another day, it believes that First Ladies in Nigeria play a significant role in Nigeria’s polity. In the late 80’s, Maryam Babangida used her “Better Life for Rural Women” to touch the lives of millions of women. Stella Obasanjo’s Child Care Trust and her advocacy against female genital mutilation was also very impactful and the same also goes for Hon. Justice Fati Lami Abubakar’s Health Care Trust. Turai YarAdua’s initiative of uplifting women and children was also very impactful. Dame Patience Goodluck Jonathan’s Women for Change Initiative aimed at ensuring greater women participation in politics and Aisha Buhari’s Future Assured Project and her advocacy for the health and well-being of women and children were also extremely impactful. At the state level, significant progress was made by some former First Ladies. For example, the wife of the former Edo State Governor, Mrs. Eki Igbinedion introduced Idia Renaissance which was aimed at discouraging young girls from going to Europe to prostitute. This program was greatly applauded by the international community.

There is no doubt that First Ladies in Nigeria have impacted the lives of Nigerians through their pet projects and advocacy. One of Nigeria’s Central Bank’s Report highlighted the significant impact Maryam Babangida’s Better Life Program (BLP) had on food prices and rural development in the 90’s. Interestingly, those who argue against granting a constitutional role for the office of the First Lady – probably out of fear of the unknown and abuse – agree that some Nigerian First Ladies have been very impactful but argue that some of the role they play can be played by the ministries of health, humanitarian and women affairs. But this argument falls flat when you consider that some of the pet programs of former First Ladies have been impactful because of the status of the persons championing them – i.e. the status of the respective First Lady driving an individual programme.

Today, the wife of the president, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and the wife of the governor of Anambra State, Madam Nonye Soludo, have used their social status to significantly advance the well-being of women, children and the overall development of society.

In Anambra, through the relentless personal effort of Madam Nonye Soludo, many can now see the massive role an individual could play in addressing the menace of child malnutrition in Nigeria. Madam Soludo’s efforts serve as a model and an example for other women who have the capacity to support malnourished children. Malnutrition among children is a serious issue in Nigeria. As per Dataphyte, in 2023, 35 million children under five years of age suffered from malnourishment in Nigeria- 12 million children out of this number had stunted growth and 23.5 million were anaemic. Last August, using her personal resources, Madam Soludo decided to fight this scourge head on with the lauch of Healthy Living Pap – a natural and well-package nutritious meal – which is delivered to malnourished children and women in the 21 local government councils in Anambra. The Healthy Living Pap is available in Primary Health Care Centers across the state. The Healthy Living Pap is made of three ingredients: groundnut, corn, and soya bean. It is rich in vitamins B1, B2, B3 and Iron. Over the years, Madam Soludo spent significant time researching on nutrition and she has developed many food supplements which she uses herself.

Madam Soludo shows clearly that a First Lady can play a very pivotal role in terms of value reorientation and shaping the mentality of society.

Today, through Madam Soludo’s home gardens she has been able to show that there is pride in farming – no matter your status in the society – and that any Nigerian who has some space can plant something and reduce the pressure on food prices. Madam Nonye Soludo’s Healthy Living Garden in the governor’s residence basically provides significant amount of the vegetables her family and visitors to the first family use.

In terms of lifestyle, while Madam Soludo might not consider herself as a fitness influencer, she has influenced thousands of residents of Anambra through her exercise and fitness routines. Today, the number of women who are seen jogging and exercising in the streets of Awka every morning has significantly increased. There is no doubt that the impact of this lifestyle and change in mentality as it regards physical exercises would have significant impact on the health of residents of Anambra in the coming years.

In terms of impact, the case is similar with Nigeria’s first lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu. As a former wife of a state governor and a former senator, she comes with a lot of experience.

Very recently, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, through the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Economic Empowerment Program unveiled a N1.85 billion recapitalization grant for 37,000 beneficiaries nationwide in order to empower women to be self-sufficient and independent. In the international scene, Madam Tinubu has also added her voice to stress the importance of the relationship between school enrolment and climate-friendly school feeding programs. She has used her position to fight against climate-related issues such as desertification and flooding. Madam Tinubu has also advocated for food security and the provision of nutritious meal to communities through her ‘’Every Home a Garden Competition’’. She is adding tremendous value to the President Tinubu-led administration.

First Ladies in Nigeria play significant roles: the case of Nonye Soludo and Oluremi Tinubu are perfect examples of the significant roles First Ladies play. Those who argue against granting First Ladies constitutional roles make both weak and strong arguments but this column believes that there ought to be a national framework to institutionalize some of the beautiful programs initiated by some of Nigeria’s performing First Ladies. How this can be done is left for Nigerians to decide!

Nwankwo is the special adviser on special projects to Soludo and the opinions in this article are purely personal.