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“We Don Do Reforms, Na Prosperity We Dey Now” — First Lady, Sen. Remi Tinubu Tells Nigerians, Announces Empowerment for 750 Igbo Women
“We Don Do Reforms, Na Prosperity We Dey Now” — First Lady, Sen. Remi Tinubu Tells Nigerians, Announces Empowerment for 750 Igbo Women
Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has declared that the period of economic reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is giving way to what she described as an era of prosperity, assuring Nigerians that the country is moving towards better economic fortunes after years of difficult adjustments.
Mrs Tinubu made the declaration on Saturday in Enugu State during the South-East Women Mega Empowerment Rally organised by the All Progressives Congress (APC) Women Mobilisation Directorate in support of President Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Addressing a large gathering of women and political supporters, the First Lady said her husband had specifically asked her to convey a message to Nigerians that the country had passed through the difficult phase of economic reforms and was now entering a period when the benefits of those reforms were expected to become more visible.
Speaking in a mixture of Nigerian Pidgin and English, she told the crowd:
Every second brings Nigerians closer to exercising their democratic right and shaping the future of our nation.
Exercise your democratic right responsibly, peacefully and lawfully.
“Na broken English I wan speak. Mr president say make I greet everybody. You know why. He say make I tell una say we don do reforms, na prosperity we dey now,” she said.
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Her declaration became one of the central messages of the rally, as she sought to reassure Nigerians about the direction of the economy and encourage them to remain hopeful about the country’s future.
Mrs Tinubu acknowledged that economic reforms could bring uncertainty and hardship, likening the experience to pregnancy, when an expectant mother waits anxiously for the arrival of her child.
“You know that when a woman is pregnant, e go dey wonder when the pikin go come. You know that we are pushing into prosperity,” she stated.
The First Lady’s remarks come amid continuing national conversations about the impact of economic reforms, including the removal of petrol subsidies, foreign exchange policy changes and the rising cost of living. While the government has maintained that its policies are intended to stabilise the economy and create a foundation for sustainable growth, many households and businesses continue to grapple with financial pressures.
Against this backdrop, Mrs Tinubu used the Enugu gathering to project confidence in the administration’s economic direction, insisting that Nigerians should look forward to prosperity after the period of adjustment.
Beyond the economic message, the First Lady also sought to distinguish the APC administration through its empowerment initiatives, challenging the audience to consider whether other presidential candidates had combined political rallies with programmes designed to provide direct support to beneficiaries.
She said the APC’s approach went beyond campaign speeches, pointing to the empowerment activities taking place alongside the political gathering as evidence of what the party represented.
“So you are now seeing what APC government is all about. We know they talk, talk, talk and talk alone. I hear una say, talk and do. And you know say e dey pain dem o but e dey sweet us,” Mrs Tinubu noted.
Her remarks framed the rally as both a political mobilisation exercise and an opportunity to showcase the administration’s women-focused empowerment agenda ahead of the next general election.
The First Lady also emphasised her connection with the South-East, noting that she had visited Igboland several times since President Tinubu assumed office and had continued to monitor developments in the region.
She assured women in the area that they would remain part of her empowerment programmes, promising that additional interventions would be extended to beneficiaries across the Igbo-speaking states.
“You women, I dey see una o, una no go suffer. As I dey here, I dey una back and una go see all the programmes I dey do. Come December 3rd, we go give all of una senatorial candidates money to empower on World Disability Day.”
One of the major announcements at the rally was a planned financial empowerment initiative for 250 women, with each beneficiary expected to receive ₦200,000 to establish or expand a business.
The proposed intervention is intended to help women develop income-generating activities, strengthen their financial independence and contribute to the economic wellbeing of their families.
Mrs Tinubu also spoke about plans to extend support to elderly women, announcing another empowerment programme scheduled for December 17.
“And then for our mama as our elderly, for December 17th, we are also empowering 250. So 750 in the entire Igbo states. So all una candidates, make Una charge them.
“They must do that programmes for our mama. You know, me self I don turn to elderly. I don’t know but God go settle me because it’s from 65 and above,” she stated.
According to the First Lady, the planned interventions would cover a total of 750 beneficiaries across the Igbo states, with the programmes expected to involve women and elderly beneficiaries.
The announcements placed economic empowerment and social inclusion at the centre of her message, particularly as women across the country continue to seek opportunities to support their households, establish small businesses and improve their standard of living.
Mrs Tinubu expressed gratitude to God for giving her the strength to continue with her public engagements and empowerment activities. She also appealed to the gathering to support her husband’s re-election bid, linking the administration’s future plans to the need for continuity in government.
She said the past four years had provided an opportunity for the administration to engage with Nigerians across different parts of the country and pledged that such engagements would continue.
The First Lady further urged the women to extend their support beyond the presidential contest by voting for APC candidates seeking election into other public offices at both state and federal levels.
“Make una vote my husband and others for January 16. Like my sister said, from top to where? Bottom.
“Una go vote for una senators, house of reps, and governors too. And una house of assembly.And by the grace of God, we no go talk too much because we wan dance and then we go commission this empowerment,” Mrs Tinubu said.
Her appeal underscored the APC’s strategy of seeking support across all levels of government, from the presidency to the National Assembly, governorships and state legislatures.
By encouraging voters to support candidates from the same political party across the electoral hierarchy, she sought to present the party as a united political platform capable of pursuing its programmes at different levels of government.
Mrs Tinubu concluded her political appeal by challenging the gathering to identify comparable empowerment programmes organised by other presidential candidates, using the question to reinforce her argument that the APC was combining political mobilisation with direct assistance to targeted groups.
The rally therefore served multiple purposes for the ruling party: strengthening its engagement with women in the South-East, promoting the First Lady’s empowerment initiatives and mobilising support for President Tinubu and other APC candidates ahead of the next general election.
However, the First Lady’s declaration that Nigeria was moving from economic reforms to prosperity is likely to remain a subject of public debate, particularly among Nigerians who are still waiting for improvements in purchasing power, food affordability, employment opportunities and the cost of doing business.
For the administration, the challenge will be to translate its promise of prosperity into measurable improvements in the daily lives of citizens. For the women who attended the rally, the proposed financial interventions represent an additional promise of support, with the impact ultimately depending on the implementation, reach and sustainability of the programmes announced.
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