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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Widows, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups in Osun State are to benefit from the food assistance scheme of Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, as the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) extends its outreach to the state, bringing its coverage to 31 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The food intervention, designed to provide direct nutritional support to vulnerable Nigerians, was formally presented to the wife of Osun State Governor and state coordinator of RHI, Titilola Adeleke, by the wife of the Vice President, Nana Shettima, who represented the First Lady at the event.
The scheme, launched in March 2024, is part of the First Lady’s social intervention efforts to support Nigerians facing economic and social vulnerabilities, with Ogun and Akwa Ibom states named as the next beneficiaries.
Mrs Tinubu said the initiative was designed to complement President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by ensuring that vulnerable citizens received assistance regardless of their social status or circumstances.
“The initiative was designed to complement the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by ensuring that vulnerable citizens receive the support they need irrespective of their status or circumstances,” she said.
The First Lady disclosed that the programme’s sustained implementation depended on the generosity of two donors, who provide two truckloads of food items to RHI every month, enabling the initiative to support two states monthly.
She identified the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa) as one of the donors, while the other has chosen to remain anonymous.
According to her, the food items delivered to Osun were provided entirely by the anonymous donor.
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“This particular supply we are distributing today in Osun is entirely from our anonymous donor. I thank both partners for their deep generosity and sustained commitment to supporting vulnerable populations in Nigeria,” Mrs Tinubu said.
The initiative’s expansion to Osun brings its reach to 31 states and the FCT, with the First Lady announcing Ogun and Akwa Ibom as the next destinations for the food outreach.
The Osun State Government welcomed the intervention, describing food assistance as a humanitarian measure that addresses the needs of less privileged citizens.
Governor Ademola Adeleke, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Teslim Igbalaye, commended the First Lady for the initiative, adding that food banks and support systems were models that should be emulated at all levels of government.
He said the food outreach complemented other people-oriented programmes introduced by Mrs Tinubu since 2023 and assured that the state government would support its sustenance.
In her remarks, Mrs Adeleke expressed gratitude to the First Lady for extending the intervention to Osun, describing it as another significant chapter in the state’s history.
She said other RHI programmes had supported vulnerable elderly citizens, provided grants to petty traders, strengthened agriculture and food security, and offered educational and healthcare assistance.
The Food Outreach Scheme forms part of RHI’s broader commitment to humanitarian assistance and social inclusion, particularly for Nigerians in vulnerable circumstances.
With Ogun and Akwa Ibom scheduled to benefit next, the initiative is set to extend its food support to more communities across the country.
