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Convener of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Ideological Group, Bamidele Atoyebi, has challenged governors and local government chairmen to stop waiting for Abuja and develop grassroots programmes that would complement Federal Government interventions and deliver tangible benefits to communities.
Atoyebi said initiatives by the Federal Government and the Office of the First Lady would have greater impact if states and councils developed complementary schemes tailored to the needs of residents.
He made the call in an article titled, “Progressive Governors, LG Chairmen Should Complement First Lady’s Drive,” in which he argued that sub-national governments must take greater responsibility for translating interventions into improvements in livelihoods.
He cited the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), launched in 2023 by First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, which has undertaken programmes in agriculture, economic empowerment, social investment, health and education.
According to him, the interventions include grants, agricultural inputs and healthcare support as well as assistance to women, persons with disabilities and elderly Nigerians.
Atoyebi pointed to the RHI-Tony Elumelu Foundation women empowerment programme, which targeted 18,500 women across the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory, with each beneficiary receiving N50,000 to support an existing business.
“If women receive N50,000 to restart a business, what stops a state or local government from creating an additional business-support scheme?” he asked.
He said states and councils could similarly complement the distribution of agricultural inputs with equipment, access roads, storage facilities and grants to farmers.
Atoyebi cited Imo State as an example, saying the state expanded the number of women benefiting from the empowerment programme from the 500 initially allocated to each state to 2,500, with additional assistance.
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He also pointed to the renovated Alternative High School for Girls in Agboju, Lagos, commissioned in August 2026, as another example of state-level intervention complementing broader government programmes.
According to him, governors and council chairmen should identify peculiar needs in their jurisdictions instead of waiting for interventions from the centre.
“A governor does not need to wait for Abuja before renovating a primary healthcare centre, equipping a rural school, providing learning materials or supporting children from poor households,” he said.
Atoyebi called for stronger grassroots interventions in healthcare, education, roads, water, electricity and economic empowerment, particularly for women traders, farmers, artisans and young entrepreneurs.
He argued that the impact of governance should not be measured only by projects commissioned in state capitals, saying rural residents should also experience improvements in healthcare, education, roads, access to business capital and other basic services.
He identified the National Community Food Bank as an example of collaboration among different levels of government and private organisations, saying the programme involved federal institutions, private foundations and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF).
According to him, the First Lady contributed N500 million to the initiative, while the NGF pledged N17 billion under its announced funding structure.
“The Federal Government cannot do everything alone,” Atoyebi said, urging local government chairmen in particular to identify pressing community needs and design measurable interventions to address them.
He maintained that stronger coordination among the three tiers of government would enable Nigerians to experience the impact of government programmes directly in their communities rather than merely hear about them through official announcements.
