11 YEARS OF NON-STOP IMPACT: SEN. OLUREMI TINUBU AND HER GREAT LEGACY OF EMPOWERMENT; DG CRIN ADEBOLA, ESHINLOKUN, EDUN, OTHERS HAIL HER DRIVE
By Oki Samson, Trek Africa Newspaper
L-R: Leader, All Progressive Congress (APC), Lagos Central Senatorial District, Prince Tajudeen Oluyole Olusi; Senator, Representing Lagos Central Senatorial District, Senator Oluremi Tinubu and Deputy Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Wasiu Eshinlokun Sanni during the closing ceremony of Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s 4-Days Skills Empowerment programme for 250 youths and women in Lagos Central Senatorial District.
Arguably her greatest legacy as a Senator, women and youth empowerment is a common denominator of Sen. Oluremi Tinubu’s almost 12 years of providing responsible representation for the good people of Lagos Central Senatorial District.
For a Chairman who is a little over 1 year old in office to count 7 times that the empowerment programmes was conducted in his local council, you can imagine how many would have been completed in the 13 LGAs/LCDAs under the Lagos Central Senatorial District in the years past.
The most recent empowerment programme organized by Sen. Oluremi Tinubu with collaboration of Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) had 250 beneficiaries from Lagos Island East LCDA. Trek Africa Newspaper can report that the 250 learned any of three different skills – photography, cosmetology, and confectionery – in 4 days.
L-R: Chairman, Lagos Island East LCDA, Hon. Mubi Folawiyo; Leader, All Progressive Congress (APC), Lagos Central Senatorial District, Prince Tajudeen Oluyole Olusi; Senator, Representing Lagos Central Senatorial District, Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Deputy Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Wasiu Eshinlokun Sanni and Hon. Akeem Adeniyi Adeyemi, Member of Federal House of Representatives, representing Afijio, Oyo East, Oyo West and Atiba Federal Constituency, Oyo State during the closing ceremony of Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s 4-Days Skills Empowerment programme for 250 youths and women in Lagos Central Senatorial District.
L-R: Leader, All Progressive Congress (APC), Lagos Central Senatorial District, Prince Tajudeen Oluyole Olusi; Senator, Representing Lagos Central Senatorial District, Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Deputy Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Wasiu Eshinlokun Sanni; Hon. Akeem Adeniyi Adeyemi, Member of Federal House of Representatives, representing Afijio, Oyo East, Oyo West and Atiba Federal Constituency, Oyo State and Director-General, Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Dr. Patrick Adebola during the closing ceremony of Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s 4-Days Skills Empowerment programme for 250 youths and women in Lagos Central Senatorial District.
At the graduation ceremony, each of them also received a seed grant of N100,000 each to kickstart their businesses. Thus, it is not a case of ‘I have learned a skill but there is no capital’, where do I go from here?
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, the brain behind the empowerment schemes, Sen. Oluremi Shade Tinubu OON shared: ‘I am so glad to congratulate our 250 graduate who have learned cosmetology, photography, and confectionery. I pray that the business will grow tremendously from this point on. It is my wish that there will be a time when all our youths and women are economically empowered.
Empowerment makes a huge difference. Youth empowerment is particularly good in combating social vices and crimes.’
L-R: Senator Oluremi Tinubu; A Beneficiary of Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s 4-Days Empowerment Programme, Chinwe Bukola Okoye and Director-General, Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Dr. Patrick Adebola during the presentation of One Hundred Thousand Naira (N100,000) seed grant to Chinwe Bukola Okoye by Senator Tinubu to kickstart her business.
‘Many of our previous beneficiaries have built successful businesses due to the skill training and the seed grant which we provided them. I therefore urge you to be shining examples to other women and youths in this district by being committed to your skill and nurture your business. I know that for those of you who learned photography, your equipment are expensive but start small, God will prosper it.
I also urge you to take advantage of LASHMA via the Ilera Eko Health plan which will grant you healthcare without further strain on your income. It is not much, just about N8500, you will really enjoy it’, she advised the new beneficiaries.’
‘I thank Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) for the collaboration on this empowerment programme. I thank the President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR whose administration has supported us lawmakers to deliver dividends of democracy to our constituents.
L-R: Senator Oluremi Tinubu; A Beneficiary of Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s 4-Days Empowerment Programme, Babatunde Ojewole and Director-General, Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Dr. Patrick Adebola during the presentation of One Hundred Thousand Naira (N100,000) seed grant to Babatunde Ojewole by Senator Tinubu to kickstart his business.
I remain fully committed to the wellbeing of our people. I want to thank Baba Tajudeen Olusi who has stood by me for 12 years that I have been a senator of Lagos Central senatorial district.’
The Director-General of Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Dr. Patrick Adebola said: ‘This is a laudable programme. It shows the passion of Senator Oluremi Tinubu to empower Lagos Central. We are happy to be partner with Senator Oluremi Tinubu to bring the programme to reality. It will go a long way to empower the 250. I congratulate the beneficiaries. We hope to see them next year doing well in their business.’
L-R: Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Deputy Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Wasiu Eshinlokun Sanni; Hon. Akeem Adeniyi Adeyemi, Member of Federal House of Representatives, representing Afijio, Oyo East, Oyo West and Atiba Federal Constituency, Oyo State and Director-General, Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Dr. Patrick Adebola.
Hailing the empowerment initiative of the former First Lady of Lagos state, Hon. Wale Edun, former Commissioner for Finance in Lagos remarked: ‘This is her greatest legacy. We have to empower people to play their own part. This is what she has done over and over again. Make sure you make the best use of it, use it wisely, that is how you can pay her back.’
On his part, the APC Deputy chairman in Lagos, Moshood Maiyegun noted: ‘Our mother deserves a big round of applause for all she has done for 11 years. We believe that our brother, Rt. Hon. Eshinlokun Sanni will fit into her shoes. What she has done for us is an opportunity for us to know that even when you are educated, you should get a skill. Senator Oluremi Tinubu didn’t give you food but teach you how to make your own food. I say thank you to her. Come 2023 I assure you that Nigeria has never had it this good that we will have President and First Lady who understand the nitty-gritty of our economy. Let’s ensure that we tell everyone that someone who can do this will do much more. Insha Allah, they will get there.’
L-R: Immediate Past Executive Chairman, Surulere Local Government, Hon. Tajudeen Ajide; Executive Chairman, Iru/Victoria Island LCDA, Hon. Princess Rashidat Abiodun Adu and Executive Chairman, Apapa-Iganmu LCDA, Hon. Funmilayo Akande-Mohammed.
The Deputy Speaker of Lagos House of Assembly and Lagos Central senatorial candidate for APC in 2023, Hon. Wasiu Eshinlokun Sanni affirmed: ‘Whatever we are in this party is due to that household led by our father, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and loving wife, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu OON. They provided the shelter under which we are able to hide. Whatever you are given today, utilize it and God will multiply it for you. What Sen. Tinubu has done in the past 11, 12 years is massive. I wonder how I can cope as incoming senator.’
The Chairman of Lagos Island East LCDA, Hon. Mubi Folawiyo said: ‘I am just 1 year old and 1 month as Chairman and this is the second time that Mama has done this her talkless of other LGAs/LCDAs. We are still expecting more. She is so passionate about empowerment. Human capital is her watchword. God will preserve her. The only way we can repay her is to pick our PVC and campaign with what she has done.’
Some of the beneficiaries of Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s Empowerment programme presenting a self made Birthday Cake to Senator Tinubu to Mark her 62nd Birthday during the event.
The Former Chairman of Yoruba Tennis Club addressing the beneficiaries said: ‘Before now, all of you didn’t know how to do this. It is our prayers that you will put this skill into good use. Don’t sit back home with it but use it to serve your community.’
‘The person who can do this, imagine if we now have the whole country in our hands. We start with Asiwaju as President then to the Governor, Senators, and House of Reps’, he urged Nigerians.
Some of the beneficiaries of Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s Empowerment programme presenting self made beauty product items to Senator Oluremi Tinubu during the event.
On her part, the Executive Chairman of Iru/VI LCDA, Hon. Rashidat Abiodun Adu thanked Senator Oluremi Tinubu, ‘on behalf of the beneficiaries, I want to appreciate our mummy. I want to thank her for this project, there is no break, she doesn’t stop. I want to tell Nigerians that if she is given the opportunity to be the First Lady of Nigeria, a lot of things will be transformed and the downtrodden will see changes’.
One of the beneficiaries, Chinwe Bukola Okoye said: ‘I chose confectionery and pastries because baking is something I have been wanting to do. I am privileged to get this training. My message is let us vote APC come 2023.’
A trainer at the programme, Ifeoluwa Adisa said: ‘I impacted a lot of knowledge on the beneficiaries. I am happy that they are tolerant and faithful. I want to say thank you to Mama Oluremi Tinubu.’
Dignitaries present at the grand finale of the empowerment programme include Hon. Akeem Adeyemi, member of Federal House of Representatives from Oyo State; Hon. Kayode Moshood Akiolu, member of Federal House of Representatives, representing Lagos Island Federal Constituency II; Hon. Tajudeen Ajide, former Surulere LGA Executive Chairman; Hon. Funmilayo Akande-Mohammed, Executive Chairman of Apapa-Iganmu LCDA; Hon. Kamal Bashua, immediate past Executive Chairman of Lagos Island East LCDA; Chief Mrs. Fadekemi Otitonaiye, immediate past Women Leader in Lagos Central Senatorial District; Hon. Olawale Matti Eshinlokun, Youth Leader, APC Lagos Central Senatorial District among others.
