First Lady Pledges To Continue Improving Nigerians’ Lives, Donates 140,000 Girl-Child Books To Schools

First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has reaffirmed her commitment to improving the welfare of Nigerians, stating that she will continue to do all within her capacity to enhance the quality of life for citizens, with renewed focus on advancing girl-child education across the country.

She made the remarks on Thursday while officially presenting 140,000 copies of seven girl-child development storybooks to the Federal Ministry of Education for distribution to public school libraries nationwide.

The books, published by the Merck Foundation and featuring a foreword written by the First Lady, were reproduced through her office under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen education and social development.

According to a statement issued by her Senior Special Assistant on Media, Busola Kukoyi, the First Lady explained that the books were designed to build confidence, instill values, and support young girls in achieving their aspirations, while also encouraging boys to embrace empathy, fairness, and social responsibility.

She emphasized that quality education remains central to empowering girls and securing a better future for the country, adding that sustained support is necessary to help them overcome developmental and societal challenges.

Mrs Tinubu described the project as one of the key outcomes of her collaboration with the Merck Foundation, noting that the partnership continues to support initiatives in education, healthcare, and social development across Africa. She added that although the intervention may appear modest relative to Nigeria’s population, it remains a meaningful contribution to national progress.

The First Lady also highlighted that the collaboration has already yielded notable results, including the provision of 91 medical scholarships aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system.

She expressed confidence that the Federal Ministry of Education would ensure the effective distribution of the books to public school libraries nationwide, so that children from diverse backgrounds can benefit from their lessons and values.

Receiving the materials on behalf of the ministry, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, commended the initiative, describing it as a significant contribution to the education sector. He noted that the books address critical issues affecting the girl child, including gender discrimination and sexual violence, while also promoting resilience, confidence, and moral values.

Alausa further praised the First Lady’s continued support for education and innovation, stating that several of her ideas have positively influenced ministry initiatives over the years. He also assured that the books would be widely distributed across the country for maximum impact.