First Lady urges governors’ wives to drive grassroots programmes on youth, nutrition

First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, has urged wives of state governors to take more proactive roles in addressing social and economic challenges across their states through targeted grassroots initiatives.

Speaking at the first quarterly meeting of governors’ wives on Thursday in Abuja, the First Lady encouraged them to lead programmes focused on youth empowerment, women’s skills development and community-based interventions tailored to the needs of their states.

Mrs Tinubu said the programmes should complement government efforts while promoting self-reliance at the state level.

Drawing from her experience as former First Lady of Lagos State, she cited initiatives such as a spelling bee competition that encouraged children to remain in public schools, as well as projects like a musical fiesta and a leadership academy for girls.

According to her, such programmes began on a small scale but eventually expanded to make a wider impact.

“It’s like giving birth to a baby — the teething stage and learning how to walk. After a while, the baby is supposed to walk unaided, and that is what I want to see,” she said.

The First Lady also highlighted examples of state-level economic initiatives, including the adire fabric hub in Ekiti State, and encouraged other states to identify sectors where they have comparative advantages, such as large-scale cassava production or smoked fish processing in riverine communities.

She further called for mentoring programmes for boys, similar to initiatives already running in Lagos, aimed at shaping positive attitudes among young men.