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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
First Lady of Nigeria Oluremi Tinubu kicked off the new year with visits to new mothers at the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, describing 2026 as a period of “peace in abundance” and “prosperity in abundance” for the country.
Accompanied by the wife of the Vice President, Nana Shettima; Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulieman-Ibrahim; and Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Mariya Mahmoud, among other dignitaries, Mrs Tinubu welcomed the “First Baby of the Year,” a girl born at midnight to 26-year-old first-time mother Adakole Patience. She also celebrated Blessing Oragwu, who gave birth to triplets—two boys and a girl—after 13 years of marriage, presenting the family with gifts.
In all, the First Lady welcomed five babies during her tour, including another baby boy.
Speaking to journalists after the visit, she said she welcomed five in total: “the baby of the year, a girl and then the triplets—the mother has waited for 13 years which is wonderful—and another baby boy.”
Reflecting on the significance of the births amid national challenges, Mrs Tinubu expressed gratitude for many Nigerians who made it into the new year. “You know, in Yoruba land, they will say, when you have them, they come with ease. So we believe that this year is going to be a great deal for us as a nation, peace in abundance, prosperity in abundance,” she stated. “I’m excited because last year was something else. It’s like all of us that made it to the New Year, we should be thankful… We thank God.”
She noted parallel visits by other leaders, including Mrs Kashim Shettima, wife of the Vice President, to another hospital for the “baby of the year,” and the Minister of Women Affairs to the National Hospital. “Our hands are full with babies, and we pray that these babies will be a blessing to this nation,” Mrs Tinubu added.
The First Lady urged Nigerian women to embrace opportunities with faith and generosity in the new year. “Nigerian women are blessed. We are blessed… Nigerian women are very hard-working… Whatever they want to do that they feel God has laid in their hearts, they should do it. Never feel that I don’t have money to do business. Just go and do what you feel. Start small, and you will be amazed.”
Emphasising sowing seeds of kindness, she advised: “This year, I tell people, if you want money, you have to sow money to the lives of the less privileged… Be generous. It is a year of generosity. Giving should be intentional.” She directed listeners to her podcast, *Daughters of Zulufia*, for a fuller message.
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The first-time mother, Mrs Adakole, elated after the First Lady’s visit, shared her emotions despite the trials of her first pregnancy. “I feel really happy… the journey of pregnancy was not quite easy. It was really difficult, especially as it is my first time—challenging, difficult, sometimes fear—but to the glory of God, I had my baby,” she said.
On meeting the First Lady, Patience described it as a highlight. “I really feel it’s an opportunity and a privilege to meet with the First Lady, and so my heart is overjoyed; it makes me forget the pains, the trauma.”
Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Aminu Yusuf, stressed the critical role of immediate birth registration during interactions with journalists, linking it to ongoing census reforms.
Highlighting its benefits, he said: “The importance of it is that it becomes a legal something to the child… an important document… that the child will be proud of by the time he grows. It becomes… legal identity for the child, and that could… make him have access to education, health, and whatever you can think of.”
On expanding coverage into 2026, he outlined strategies to replicate such events nationwide. “The registration of New Year child has been at the national level, but I want to make sure that by next year, similar things should be replicated in all the states… I know first ladies normally go to hospitals in their various states, but I don’t think they carry along with our staff, like our commissioners, federal commissioners and directors of states. So that’s what I’m trying to emphasise.”
Yusuf stated that the event’s message is for transparency: “We want to have an accurate census; whatever we are doing is going to be very accurate. There are reforms now in terms of the census we are trying to conduct so that it will be transparent and acceptable.”
Addressing Nigeria’s population growth concerns, NPC Director-General Osifo Ogunde clarified the commission’s role. “We are talking about measures to actually trim down or reduce the population growth rate, to manage it. National Population Commission does not directly manage population. We manage the data that gives you information about how other ministries or stakeholders are managing the population.”
He cited examples: “Take, for example, the Federal Ministry of Health. They have a lot of programmes channelled towards the utilisation of family planning methods that allow women to recover before they give birth to the next child… Education has a role to play. So all we do is to provide the necessary information, which is called data, in order to manage this population.”
