First Lady splashes N50m on 1,000 traders in Ile-Ife

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has disbursed a total of N50 million to 1,000 petty traders in Ile-Ife, Osun State, under her flagship Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI).

The event hosted by the RHI was hosted on Wednesday at Kensington Hall inside the palace of the Ooni of Ife in Ile-Ife, Osun State.

The empowerment programme provided N50,000 each to the beneficiaries to support and expand their businesses.

Represented by Alhaja Kudirat Fakokunde, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Women Leader in Osun, the First Lady urged the beneficiaries to invest the grant wisely.

Tinubu noted that the intervention was designed to improve their economic well-being and family welfare.

Speaking, Dr Sekinat Oyebamiji, wife of the APC governorship candidate in Osun, encouraged beneficiaries to use the N50,000 to grow their businesses.

Kafayat Oyetola, wife of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, appealed to residents of Ile-Ife to support the APC governorship candidate for the August 15 election, and President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, applauded the First Lady for empowering petty traders, describing the initiative as timely and capable of improving livelihoods across communities.

The traditional ruler said the Renewed Hope Initiative reflected the administration’s commitment to uplifting the less privileged, adding that genuine empowerment should target the needy.

The Ooni said that all verified beneficiaries would receive the grant, urging recipients to use the fund productively to strengthen their businesses.