The First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has called on traditional rulers and key stakeholders to join hands in eliminating Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), HIV/AIDS, syphilis, and hepatitis from Nigerian communities.
Speaking in Ibadan during a meeting with the Oyo State Council of Traditional Rulers, Senator Tinubu emphasized the crucial role monarchs play in influencing cultural norms and driving public health campaigns. Her visit preceded the inauguration of a new Community ICT Centre built under the Renewed Hope Initiative, in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
Expressing concern over the persistent prevalence of FGM in South-West Nigeria, the First Lady described the harmful practice as a cultural tradition that can and must be abolished through sustained advocacy and royal intervention.
“The cooperation of our traditional leaders is vital to ending these dangerous practices. We must also scale up awareness, particularly among our youth, to combat the ignorance surrounding diseases like HIV/AIDS,” she said.
Later in the day, Senator Tinubu commissioned the Community ICT Centre located at the Oladipo Alayande School of Science, Oke Bola, Ibadan. The project, developed through a partnership between NITDA and the Renewed Hope Initiative, aims to expand digital access for women and youth in underserved communities.
“This centre reflects President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to bridging the digital divide and promoting economic diversification through digitalisation. Equipping women and girls with ICT skills empowers them to overcome traditional limitations, access global opportunities, and support their families,” the First Lady noted.
According to her, the Ibadan centre is the third of its kind, with another in Benue State nearing completion. Fully equipped digital economy centres have already been established in six locations: Cross River, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Niger, Oyo, and the FCT. Ten more are set to launch soon across additional states.
Senator Tinubu praised NITDA for its efforts in democratizing digital access nationwide. She was joined at the inauguration by Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, who commended the initiative as timely, especially in the face of declining oil revenues and growing demand for digital skills and artificial intelligence.
Also speaking at the event, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, urged beneficiaries to make the most of the new facility, positioning themselves to thrive in the global digital economy.
Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, revealed that the agency is integrating ICT skill acquisition into school curricula to help close Nigeria’s digital gap in line with the President’s mandate.
