Controversy trails sharing of Remi Tinubu’s women empowerment grants in Osun

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has accused the state’s First Lady, Mrs. Titilayo Adeleke, of marginalizing its women leaders in the allocation of business grants facilitated by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

The grants, provided under Mrs. Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Initiative in partnership with the Tony Elumelu Foundation, were designed to empower grassroots women nationwide.

Speaking during the presentation of the grants at the Tinubu/Shettima Campaign Office in Osogbo, the APC State Women Leader, Mrs. Kudiratu Fakokunde, alleged that the slots allocated to APC women were deliberately reduced despite earlier assurances.

According to her, “When I went to meet the First Lady of Osun State at Government House, she initially offered us 100 slots instead of the 300 due to us. After objections, the number was increased to 200, but even then, we were still shortchanged. That is not fair.”

No fewer than 200 businesswomen, selected from the state’s 332 wards, received N50,000 each under the scheme to support their businesses. Fakokunde nonetheless commended the initiative, describing it as a significant boost for women striving to support their families.

Also speaking, Mrs. Folake Olaniyan, a former aide to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu and the First Lady for the empowerment programme but faulted the distribution process in the state.

However, the Chief Press Secretary to the Osun First Lady, Mr. Adeleke Adewale, dismissed the allegations. He insisted that APC women were duly accommodated, noting that the empowerment programme targeted 500 beneficiaries.

“They were never shortchanged. The empowerment is for 500 people and they were given 200 slots. We always carry them along in every grant or intervention from the Federal Government,” he stated.