Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has reaffirmed her commitment to empowering young girls through education, saying every girl deserves the opportunity to build a future that reflects her dreams and aspirations.
Speaking during the handover of 140,000 copies of seven storybooks on girl-child development to the Federal Ministry of Education, the First Lady said the initiative was aimed at equipping children with values and life skills that would help them become responsible members of society.
The books, published by the Merck Foundation, feature stories on issues affecting girls and promote lessons on confidence, empathy, healthy living, equity and social responsibility. Senator Tinubu wrote the foreword to the publications, which were reproduced by her office for nationwide distribution.
She noted that although the number of books may appear small compared to Nigeria’s population, the partnership with the Merck Foundation represents a significant step towards improving the lives of children across the country.
“It gladdens my heart that I am able to partner with the Merck Foundation on this. They have been working with other African countries, and we now engage them as international partners under the Renewed Hope Initiative,” she said.
According to the First Lady, the foundation has also contributed to strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare sector by providing 91 medical scholarships through its collaboration with her office.
Presenting the books to the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, for distribution to public school libraries nationwide, Senator Tinubu stressed the importance of providing the right support and educational opportunities to help girls overcome challenges associated with their development.
She expressed confidence that the ministry would ensure the books reach children in public schools across the country, enabling them to benefit from the lessons contained in the publications regardless of their backgrounds.
The acquisition of the books forms part of the First Lady’s broader partnership with the Merck Foundation to promote girl-child education and social development in Nigeria.
Responding, Alausa described the publications as valuable educational resources that address critical issues confronting girls, including gender discrimination and sexual violence, while promoting positive values and character development.
The minister commended the First Lady for her sustained investment in education and her support for Nigerians, saying the initiative would have a lasting impact on young learners.
He also revealed that the ministry’s “One Day Minister” programme, introduced during this year’s Children’s Day celebration, was inspired by a similar initiative launched by Senator Tinubu in 2007 when she served as the wife of the Governor of Lagos State.
“I promise you that we will use these books and disseminate them across the country,” the minister said.
With the official handover completed, the distribution of the books to public school libraries across Nigeria has commenced.
