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Politics of Saturday, 27 May 2023

Source: www.mynigeria.com

Nigeria's first lady: Who is Oluremi Tinubu?

Oluremi Tinubu Oluremi Tinubu

As Nigeria sets to witness the dawn of new democratically elected leaders to be inaugurated on May 29, 2023, Nigerian women will be welcoming a new First Lady, Oluremi Bola Tinubu.

Some of her promises and spotlight on what her office holds for Nigerians, especially women and children.

Though the constitution does not provide for the position, roles and duties of a First Lady, the subtle acceptance of the office cannot be unrelated to the distinct contributions occupants of the office offered to the development and wellbeing of women and children over the years.

At a time when the global lens is focused on how to tackle women- centric issues, there might be little disapproval or no question for the legitimacy of quotas offering to join the bandwagon of achieving gender parity.

Though the debate for a constitutional backing for the office of “First Lady” has popped up, it is yet to reach a potent stage of consideration.

Like her predecessors, Oluremi Ahmed Bola Tinubu is expected to either maintain the tempo of that office or beat the set records with more interventions for women and girls in the country.

Tinubu is coming at a time when Nigeria is struggling to achieve gender parity at so many levels, with intensifying advocacies for a legal document to consolidate on the National Gender Policy, 2006, 35 per cent affirmative action for women.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in a 2022 report it released, estimated the number of out-of-school girls in Nigeria to be at six million.

Meanwhile, the scorching effects of poverty, early child marriage, maternal and infant mortality, gender-based violence, female genital mutilation, among other problems peculiar to women and girls in Nigeria, are factors for consideration.

Oluremi Bola Tinubu

Oluremi Bola Ahmed Tinubu, wife of the president-elect, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, is currently a senator representing Lagos Central in the National Assembly.

Born on September 21, 1960, the native of Ogun State is the youngest of 12 children in her family.

She began her educational career at Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, Ijebu-Ode, where she got her West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Exam (WASSCE) in 1979. She later obtained a postgraduate diploma from The Redeemed Christian Bible College in 2010.

Oluremi received a B.S in Education from the University of Ife and a National Certificate in Education in Botany and Zoology from the Adeyemi College of Education.

From 1999 to 2007, Oluremi became the First Lady of Lagos State when her husband was governor.

Promises she made to Nigerian women

Although the Office of the First Lady seems to independently execute projects and initiatives, its contributions are in tandem with the policies and programmes of the government in office.

Daily Trust Saturday reports that in the Tinubu/Stettima “Action Plan for a Better Nigeria” document, the incoming administration presented plans and programmes for women development, which include Social Inclusion and Political Empowerment, Economic Empowerment, Fighting Domestic Violence and Abuse, as well as Achieving Education Parity.

In the document, the incoming government promises women a 35 per cent of all governmental positions.

“Equity and fairness to women will be a top priority of a Tinubu government. Greater equality and the economic empowerment of women shall be at the heart of our national agenda.

“Working with the National Assembly, we will aim to pass legislation promoting female employment in all government offices, ministries and agencies.

“The goal will be to increase women’s participation in government to at least 35 per cent of all governmental positions. This legislation shall also mandate the federal executive, particularly the cabinet and core senior advisers, to reserve a minimum number of senior positions for women. Private institutions shall be strongly encouraged to do likewise,” the document stated.

The promises contained in this document were reiterated by the wife of the president-elect at campaign rallies and women group meetings prior to elections. She promised to prioritise girl-child education, women empowerment and restore peace to conflict-ridden communities in the North West and North East.

Speaking about what Nigerian women should expect from Oluremi Tinubu, the All Progresives Congress (APC) national leader, Dr Betta Edu, said, “Remember that she is not a First Lady for the first time, she served in that capacity in Lagos State. She also has a track record of being the only woman to have been in the Senate three times in a row, so she has the experience. She is a wonderful woman.

“She said she was committed to women and their development, as well as helping the poor and vulnerable and those who need medical help.”

Reacting to the concerns of Nigerians about the statement of the president-elect during his acceptance speech, describing the First Lady as “my house wife” and making reference to “the other room,” Dr Edu assured that the incoming First Lady would carry out her duties as promised.

“She will remind her husband about issues that concern women, the vulnerable, less privileged and children when the noise is not there,” she said.

Professor Hauwau Evelyn Yusuf, the director, Centre for Gender Studies at the Kaduna State University, who spoke about the implications of the unconstitutionality of the office of the First Lady said, “The Nigerian constitution does not have provision for that office and once something is not constitutional, it doesn’t resonate well with the larger populace.”

She added that a First Lady’s office is assumed by the virtue of somebody’s husband being the president of the country. She said, “Now, the question is: How have they used the position to better the lot of women in the country? If the answer is yes, then why not? But once the answer is no, then of what importance is it?

“In polygamous societies like Nigeria where some men have mny wives, who will be the First Lady? Would we have four first ladies?

“I guess this is one of the reasons it is not constitutional. Some first ladies have bettered the lives of Nigerian women and children while some have not done anything for them,” she added.

Meanwhile, Maryam Ibrahim Hali, a lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Kano State Collage of Education, told Daily Trust Saturday that Nigerian women should be optimistic about the office of the First Lady.

On the 35 per cent affirmative action, Maryam said Nigeria had never fulfilled this promise, adding, however, “But then we are not sure, we can’t really tell until after the appointments.”




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