If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man’s life, sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility —Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24,1882)

By Jide Babalola

SEnator Oluremi Tinubu represents Lagos Central Senatorial District on the platform of the All Progressives Congress ,APC. An educationist, administrator, philanthropist and Officer of the Order of the Niger,OFR.

She was the exemplary First Lady of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007. During that period she founded the New Era Foundation—a non-profit organisation, dedicated to youth development, girl-child education, women empowerment and inspiring young persons to excellence.

Over the years, this forthright role model has made tremendous impact in the lives of several people and institutions within and outside Nigeria.

Main achievements: Some of her achievements include: Annual Spelling Bee Competition to raise educational standards,   annual One-Day Governor programme, which has produced many first class university graduates, alternative High School for Girls to help young ladies who dropped out of school due to early pregnancy, to complete their high school education, endowment funds in four universities.

Endowment fund for universities

Oluremi Tinubu

Others are; School building constructed at the Oluremi Tinubu Elementary and Junior High School, Johnsonville, Mount Serrador County, Liberia, Science Block for Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, considerable donation towards the building of the National Sickle Cell Centre and donation of her entire 50th birthday monetary gifts to social causes.

As a senator, she hosts a quarterly Town Hall Meeting with her constituents. To date, she has sponsored three bills to provide social security for elderly citizens; seek the amendment of the Labour Act to enhance employment opportunities for women, and a bill to provide special economic assistance to Lagos State in view of its status as a former capital city and the commercial capital of Nigeria.

Constituency development

initiatives: Her constituency development initiatives include:

lPost-Secondary School Scholarship Scheme [PSSS] –Annual disbursement of N100, 000 to 26 beneficiaries for four years, and 624 students of tertiary institutions receive N10, 000 as book bursaries.

lPetty Traders’ Empowerment Capital Scheme: Provided grants to help 650 beneficiaries within her constituency to re-capitalize their businesses.

lProvision of maintenance grants to alleviate the plight of the elderly (Elderly Citizen Assistance Scheme).

lSponsorship of Youth Empowerment and Skills Acquisition Scheme (YESAS) to enable more youth in her constituency to become economically productive and self-employed.

lHer Good Boys and Girls’ Empowerment Scheme (GBGES) is taking off young people from the streets and turning them into economically productive, self-reliant individuals.

lDistribution of free GCE forms

lWidows’ Economic Empowerment Scheme (WEES) to help 650 widows finance their business.

As a Senator, this passionate educationist helped secure from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFUND, funding for various institutions, such as N160 million Special Intervention Fund for the development of Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, N109 million Special Intervention Fund to enable the Sir Michael Otedola College of Primary Education ,MOCPED, construct its school of Primary and Early Child Care Education; N108 million Special Intervention Fund to support the Lagos State University ,LASU, in addressing some needs in the area of teaching and learning facilities, another sum of N41.6 million Special Intervention Fund from TETFUND to enable the Michael Otedola College of Primary Education ,MOCPED, procure a power generating set, computers, multi-media kits and other e-Library materials.

In August this year, she facilitated the release of another N50 million TETFUND Special intervention to Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Ijanikin, Lagos State, for the construction of additional lecture rooms.

Through the Senate Committee on Education, she obtained federal support for the rehabilitation of Jibowu Junior High School, Yaba, Banjo Primary School, Otumara-Ilogbo, Ebute-Metta as well as N15 million each for Teslim Elias Primary School, Ansar Ud-Deen Primary School, Oke-Popo and Ire-Akari Primary School, Orile-Iganmu. Under the Universal Service Provision Fund, she facilitated delivery and installation of information and communication technology ,ICT, tools to Aje Comprehensive High School in Yaba.

Through the Senate Committee on Millennium Development Goals of which she is a member, she facilitated various projects in her constituency, including a N43.2 million Community Building/MDG Skill Acquisition Centre in Gedegede, conventional street lighting estimated at N25 million, construction and furnishing of a N38 million Library at Ansar Ud Deen Primary School in Victoria Island, and construction of three classrooms with VIP toilets at both Christ Cathedral Church Primary School, CMS, and Holy Cross Cathedral Primary School.

Between 2011 when she became a Senator and now, she has also facilitated the on-going construction of a N223 million ultra-modern market in Oke-Ira towards enhancing socio-economic empowerment of the rural populace, on-going construction of a N222.3 million Drug Rehabilitation and Counselling Centre in Gedegede, construction and furnishing of three classroom blocks with VIP toilets at the State Nursery & Primary School, Organ Barracks Point Road, Apapa, Lagos, and another N25.5 million project for the construction and furnishing of three classroom blocks with VIP toilets and one hand pump borehole at Imam Shuaib Primary School in Surulere.

Among the latest projects that she has attracted for the educational development of her people is her 2014 Constituency Intervention Project through the Federal Ministry of Education for the construction of one model primary school at Takwa Bay in Iru Local Community Development Area of Lagos State. There are also additional MDG projects totalling N61.5 million under the 2014 national budget, for the provision of a set of one block of three classrooms and VIP toilets, five sets of computers, UPS and printers in four schools.

The beneficiaries include; Iponri Primary School, Iponri in Ebute Metta, St. Clementina Primary School at Mosalasi Bus Stop in Surulere, State Nursery/Primary School, Arakan Barracks, Apapa, and Union Baptist Primary School, Oja-Oba, Isale Eko.

Musical youth fiesta

Under 2014 MDGs Special Intervention, she facilitated the construction of N80 million Obstetrics and Gynaecology Unit at Badore in Eti-Osa LCDA to further curb infant and maternal mortality while providing care for expectant mothers.

She is also the Convener of the annual Musical Youth Fiesta Initiative to promote Godly lifestyle among the youths.

Senator Tinubu also co-sponsors the Muniru Muse Under-15 football competition for boys and girls. She has written a number of publications including an auto-biography, The Journey of Grace — My Faith Walk and delivered informed presentations at various fora at home and abroad.

In recognition of her achievements and contributions to societal upliftment, Tinubu has been honoured locally and internationally.

Among these are the National award of the Officer of the Order of the Niger ,OON, Fellowship of both Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo and College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti; Member, Board of Trustees of Kings’ University, Ode-Omu; Ghana Noble International Award for Leadership, Gambian Diamond Award for immense contribution to the emancipation of people from poverty, many citations and chieftaincy titles.

On April 5, 2014, the Association of Nigerian Academics in the United Kingdom ,ANAUK, honoured Tinbu with its first ever award of Outstanding Contribution to Education and Empowerment. In appreciation of her contributions as a role model, the ,Association Des Femmes De L’Afrique De L’Ouest/West African Women Association, AFAO/WAWA, named the Oluremi Tinubu Women Training Centre in Gorom, Senegal after her. She is happily married with children to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, immediate past governor of Lagos State.