The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Tuesday extended the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Social Investment Programme Food Outreach Scheme to Ondo State, with hundreds of vulnerable residents receiving food items as part of efforts to combat hunger and child malnutrition.
The distribution, held at the International Culture and Event Centre (The Dome), Akure, is part of the First Lady’s initiative to establish community food banks and expand access to nutritious food for vulnerable households across the country.
Represented by the wife of the Vice President, Hajia Nana Shettima, Senator Tinubu said the intervention reflects the Renewed Hope Initiative’s commitment to supporting vulnerable Nigerians and ensuring that children have the opportunity to grow in good health.
She explained that the Food Outreach Scheme, launched in March 2024, was designed to provide food items to persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, thereby improving the welfare of their families and communities.
According to her, the programme is sustained through the support of two donors who provide two truckloads of food items to the Renewed Hope Initiative every month, enabling two states to benefit monthly.
She identified one of the donors as the Abdusamad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa), noting that the food items distributed in Ondo State were donated by the organisation.
The First Lady stated that the initiative complements President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by addressing food insecurity and malnutrition while empowering Nigerians to pursue their aspirations regardless of their circumstances.
She commended Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa for his commitment to the welfare and development of the people of Ondo State and also praised the Governor’s wife, Mrs Oluwaseun Esther Aiyedatiwa, for ensuring the successful implementation of Renewed Hope Initiative programmes in the state.
In his remarks, Governor Aiyedatiwa described the outreach as another demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to alleviating poverty and improving the lives of vulnerable Nigerians.
According to him, the programme represents more than the distribution of food items, describing it as a symbol of compassion, solidarity and collective responsibility toward the less privileged.
“This programme is more than the distribution of food items. It is a celebration of compassion, solidarity and our shared commitment to improving the lives of the vulnerable in our society,” the governor said.
Governor Aiyedatiwa commended the Renewed Hope Initiative and President Tinubu’s administration for prioritising social investment programmes aimed at reducing poverty across the country.
He reaffirmed the Ondo State Government’s commitment to supporting Federal Government initiatives, noting that several interventions under the Renewed Hope Agenda have positively impacted residents of the state.
The governor also reiterated the state’s political support for President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
“We have already declared Ondo State for Tinubu 2027 and we remain unwavering in our resolve to deliver en masse in the Sunshine State for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second term,” he declared.
Governor Aiyedatiwa noted that the food outreach aligns with his administration’s OUR EASE Development Agenda, particularly its focus on improving the welfare of women, children and vulnerable families.
He stressed that food security remains fundamental to human dignity and sustainable development, assuring residents that his administration would continue to pursue policies that improve food availability, affordability and access across the state.
In her welcome address, the wife of the governor, Mrs Oluwaseun Esther Aiyedatiwa, represented by the wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs Abosede Adelami, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to the objectives of the Renewed Hope Initiative.
She described the food outreach as an expression of compassionate leadership, saying the intervention was not only about distributing food items but also about restoring dignity and giving hope to vulnerable citizens.
Mrs Aiyedatiwa expressed appreciation to Senator Oluremi Tinubu for her unwavering commitment to supporting women, children, widows, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups across Nigeria.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of the Abdusamad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa), Dr Ubin Udoh, said the organisation was proud to partner with the Renewed Hope Initiative in delivering interventions that restore dignity, strengthen communities and improve the lives of Nigerians.
He explained that ASR Africa, the philanthropic foundation of Alhaji Abdul Samad Rabiu, Chairman of BUA Group, was established in 2021 with an annual commitment of $100 million to support interventions in healthcare, education and social development.
The event attracted top government officials, including the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olayide Adelami; the Chief Judge of Ondo State, Justice Olusegun Odusola; the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Taiwo Fasoranti; wives of the governors of Osun, Ogun and Jigawa States, Titilola Adeleke, Bamidele Abiodun and Hajiya Hadiza Umar Namadi; the wives of the Ministers of Health and Interior; members of the State Executive Council and House of Assembly, traditional rulers, religious leaders and heads of security agencies.