First Lady named “More Than A Mother” ambassador, vows education boost

Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has reaffirmed her commitment to education as vital for national development, pledging to expand scholarship opportunities for Nigerian youth.

Speaking during a visit from the Merck Foundation, a German philanthropic organisation, she emphasised education’s transformative power, stating, “I appreciate your impact in Africa, and I feel honoured by your visit. I believe once you have an educated population, the country will grow in bounds. It would be such a disaster to hand over the future to an uneducated generation.”

Through her Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), Mrs Tinubu highlighted education’s role in Nigeria’s progress and praised the Merck Foundation’s medical scholarships, particularly in reproductive and fertility health, noting, “Infertility and stigmatisation are still a huge problem in Africa.” In recognition of her advocacy for women’s empowerment, education, and health, the Foundation named her ambassador for its “More Than A Mother” campaign, which combats infertility stigma.

Merck Foundation Chairman Frank Strangenberg-Haverkamp said, “Nigeria is a very important country to us. We see in the First Lady a worthy partner to expand our shared vision focused on women’s empowerment and overcoming stigma related to infertility.”

CEO Rasha Kelej expressed enthusiasm for partnering with RHI to advance scholarships, medical outreach, and girls’ education, stating, “We emphasise the importance of girls’ education, women empowerment, and ending child marriage at all levels.”

The Foundation’s scholarships target African nationals in underserved communities, leveraging partnerships with leaders like Mrs Tinubu to amplify impact.