The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has expressed confidence that Nigeria will overcome its security challenges through continued efforts by the Federal Government, the support of security agencies, and cooperation from international partners.
During her first official visit to Ekiti State on Saturday, she met with members of the Ekiti State Traditional Rulers’ Council at the Government House in Ado Ekiti. She stated that Nigeria is too significant and resilient to be threatened by non-state actors.
According to a statement issued by her media aide, Busola Kukoyi, the First Lady said President Bola Tinubu remains fully committed to addressing insecurity across the country. While acknowledging the seriousness of the situation, she maintained that ongoing interventions were yielding positive results.
Senator Tinubu noted that several countries, including the United States, France, and other developed nations, are providing support to Nigeria in tackling insecurity. She suggested that many of those responsible for the unrest are foreign nationals, although she acknowledged that security challenges also exist within Nigeria. She added that some details could not be disclosed because they involve sensitive and classified information.
She further described Nigeria as a richly endowed nation whose vast potential and natural beauty, including that of Ekiti State, demonstrate why the country cannot be subdued by criminal elements. She expressed optimism that security concerns would soon be brought under control and encouraged Nigerians, especially women, to remain prayerful and hopeful.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Ekiti State Traditional Rulers’ Council, Oba Adu Adejimi Alagbado, the Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti, praised President Bola Tinubu for policies aimed at improving the welfare of citizens. He also called for urgent action to tackle kidnapping and other security challenges affecting Ekiti State and the wider country.
As part of the visit, Senator Tinubu distributed a ₦100 million Business Recapitalisation Grant to 2,000 women petty traders in Ekiti State, with each beneficiary receiving ₦50,000. She explained that the initiative was intended to strengthen small businesses, improve household incomes, and stimulate economic growth.
The First Lady, accompanied by the Wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima; APC National Women Leader, Dr Mary Alile Idele; and the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, also appealed for support for Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s re-election campaign.
The governor’s wife, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, alongside other governors’ wives and political leaders, similarly urged residents to back Governor Oyebanji in the forthcoming election and support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
Senator Tinubu also highlighted several programmes implemented under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), including scholarships, educational assistance schemes, and empowerment projects nationwide. These efforts include the distribution of 10,000 exercise books to public schools in Ekiti in June 2024, 100 bursary slots allocated to Ekiti students under a nationwide scheme benefiting 5,100 students, and 40 scholarship slots for Ekiti students from 200 level to PhD level as part of a 1,500-student scholarship programme in 2025.
Other initiatives include the establishment of an Environment Club in Ekiti in November 2025 and the distribution of 10,000 packs of sanitary pads to schoolgirls through the Flow with Confidence programme.
During the visit, the First Lady also commissioned a TETFund-sponsored ICT Experience Centre at Ekiti State University and announced cash rewards totaling ₦200 million for the institution’s two best graduating students.
