•As she commissions Legacy Projects in Kwara

By Demola Akinyemi, Ilorin

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, two weeks ago, had one of his best moments since he assumed office in 2019 as Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu commended him for a job well done during her three-day visit to the state where she commissioned a number of completed legacy projects.

Senator Oluremi Tinubu touched down at the General Tunde Idiagbon International Airport at 10:45 a.m on Tuesday and headed straight to the Kwara State University of Education where she inaugurated the ICT Community Centre built by the NITDA in collaboration with the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), a foundation of the First Lady. She later inaugurated an ultra modern Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Dr. Amuda Aluko Ward, two major projects of Governor Abdulrazaq that were lined up for formal unveiling on the day.

Mrs Tinubu then headed to the Kwara State University of Education, where she inaugurated the ICT Community Centre built by her Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) in partnership with NITDA, Intensive Care Unit, and Dr. Amuda Aluko Ward, among others.

The First Lady also paid homage to the Emir of Ilorin and Chairman of the Kwara State Council of Chiefs Dr. Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari. At the palace, the Emir prayed for the President, the First Lady, and Governor AbdulRazaq whom he called a great supporter of the President and a fine achiever across all sectors. Senator Tinubu also thanked the Emir for his support for the President over the years and his support for the Governor. Mrs Tinubu thereafter led the distribution of food support for the vulnerable under her RHI, among other activities slated for the day.

Later on Tuesday, the First Lady and her entourage attended a state dinner organised in her honour by the state government at the Flower Garden — now a lush-green recreational facility that Governor Abdulrazaq had recently resuscitated after decades of being a hideout of criminal activities.

On Wednesday, the wife of the President among other things, inaugurated the newly constructed Unity Flyover, which Governor Abdulrazaq named in honour of the Emir of Ilorin for supporting his administration, his peaceful reign, his fatherly role in the Emirate and beyond, and his support for development. Later the PGF Chairman Hope Uzodinma conducted the official groundbreaking ceremony for the Oluremi Tinubu Hospital, a multi-storey building being constructed on the ashes of the old civil service clinic,along Iloffa GRA, Ilorin. Senator Oluremi Tinubu also commissioned a few other iconic projects of the Governor such as the Innovation Hub; Visual Arts Centre; and the Garment Factory, which were all reputed to be the best of their kinds in the country.

Speaking at the inauguration of the ICT project, Senator Tinubu hailed Governor AbdulRazaq and his wife for their dedication to the success of the ICT Centre that she noted would greatly benefit youth and women.

She said, “I have been informed that these centres have greatly benefited our youth, especially women and girls, by providing invaluable opportunities for growth and empowerment. I am glad to hear about the success stories and the opportunities these centres afford members of these various communities that have benefitted from this intervention.

“The knowledge of ICT serves as a significant tool to empower communities, especially women, to break traditional barriers and access new opportunities by equipping themselves with ICT skills. So far, NITDA has constructed four (4) Community ICT Centres. This centre we are commissioning is the second, while Benue and Oyo centres are ready to be commissioned soon. Other Digital Economy Centres have also been fully equipped with computers and other ICT materials in five (5) states, namely Jigawa, Ebonyi, Cross River, Oyo, Niger, and the Federal Capital Territory.

“Ten (10) additional Digital Economy Centres in Abia, Edo, Delta, Ondo, Kano, Katsina, Lagos, Nasarawa, Yobe, and Zamfara are also being fully equipped with ICT materials and will be ready for commissioning soon”.

Governor AbdulRazaq, on his part, appreciated President Tinubu and the First Lady for what he called an impactful initiative. He said the ICT project was not just an investment in infrastructure but a powerful statement about the essential role of technology in our survival and progress in the digital era.

“Technology is here to stay, and the only path forward is to aggressively invest in the skills and infrastructure that will secure a prosperous future for our people. As we commission this ICT Community Centre, I extend our heartfelt appreciation to Her Excellency and the Renewed Hope Initiative for this remarkable investment in our community and youth”, the Governor said.

The governor also commended the unwavering support of the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, and Director General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi towards realizing the set objectives.

Mrs AbdulRazaq, in her remarks, said “the new edifice speaks to the many engagements and partnerships of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to adequately support Nigerians while pursuing their goals and seeking to improve their means of livelihood”.

She enjoined the host school and users alike to protect the facility and take full advantage of its services towards developing themselves and promoting positive causes.

“While this milestone will continue to up the status of women, youths and other users of the facility, it is also creating pathways into making Nigeria a digitally empowered Nation as well as fostering a technology enabled equitable future for all Nigerians,” she said. DG NITDA, Inuwa, said the project further attests to the President’s commitment to harnessing the potentials of digital innovation to drive national prosperity and inclusivity.

Another activity of Senator Oluremi Tinubu during the visit was the distribution of 10,000 professional kits to midwives in the North Central region and the distribution of food support for the vulnerable under the Renewed Hope Initiative and ASR Initiative — an action the Governor commended as a huge intervention for which he expressed gratitude to the First Lady.

Speaking at the distribution of professional kits for midwives, Senator Tinubu commended the Governor and his wife for the top-quality hospitality accorded to her and her entourage. “This is the standard we want to see in other states. This is truly amazing. Everything we have seen is of very good quality. Despite the short notice, the hospitality is amazing, and I want other First Ladies to copy this as a template,” she said.

Speaking on the kits presented to midwives, she said: “This is to complement the ongoing federal government’s retraining exercise of 120,000 frontline health workers nationwide. I have been informed that the 54,346,000 health workers have already completed their training, and that is why the Renewed Hope Initiatives (RHI) procured 60,000 branded scrubs and 60,000 crocs as incentives to encourage and support the tireless dedication of our midwives. All the six geopolitical zones will be receiving 10,000 crocs and 10,000 scrubs to be shared among the states in the region. We will be visiting other states for the allocation of these items. These dedicated men and women deserve our full support, and this gesture by Her Excellency is a clear reflection of the commitment to their welfare and safety.” she stressed. Governor Abdulrazaq also commended the First Lady for the humanitarian gestures, saying: “The kits will not only ensure that our health workers are well-equipped to perform their duties but also send a strong message of solidarity and hope to those who are devoted to protecting the health of our mothers and children”.

Mrs AbdulRazaq, in her remarks, said the initiative by the First Lady exemplifies her commitment to the welfare and professionalism of midwives across the nation, and praised her for her service to humanity. “We are confident that these kits will significantly enhance the quality of maternal and child healthcare services in our zone,” she said.

Senator Oluremi Tinubu also commissioned the Sugar Factory Film Studio, another legacy project of the Abdulrazaq administration, wrapping up the day’s activities. In her remarks, She said “Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is an outstanding leader and an amazing achiever who has done exceptionally well for his people”.

Senator Tinubu ended her three-day working visit to Kwara on Thursday with a tour of the Garment Factory, another signature project of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and the biggest of its kind in the country.

She interacted with workers of the factory, telling them to make the most of the foresight of the Governor by working hard. “What your Governor has done is to create opportunities for enterprise and productive engagement of youths and women. I want you to work hard and become successful. I’m here purposely to encourage you to make this a huge success for yourself and for your state,” she said in Yoruba language. Senator Oluremi Tinubu later gave the hundreds of workers a stipend of N20,000 each for their lunch.

Speaking on the visit of Nigeria’s First Lady and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq legacy projects, a chieftain of a Socio cultural group, Kwara By Consensus (KBC)‘ Mallam Nurudeen Imam AbdulRaheem said that the current administration had changed the paradigm of governance in the state for good.

He said, “even if anyone is blind, the ambiance you feel when you enter the state capital would tell you that something positive has happened here. Whatever that is good would definitely come at a cost, particularly when you consider the kind of environment we have been used to. Nothing good come cheap, so whatever negative comment the urban renewal had attracted is expected, but in decades to come after the exit of the current administration, people would commend him for these great feats.’’

Mallam Nurudeen added that, “with the two Flyovers now fully in use, there’s no more congestion we were used to during festive periods which would come in full glare in the next Ramadan and Christmas. This is apart from other impactful projects of the government. The current administration is doing its best in terms of changing the face of governance for good and stepping up infrastructure development.”