Nigerian First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, has raised the alarm over the inherent dangers in neglecting youth education. This is as she warned that handing over the future of Nigeria to an uneducated generation would be disastrous.
The First Lady expressed this concern while speaking in Abuja on Wednesday during a courtesy visit by the Merck Foundation, a German non-governmental philanthropic Organization.
Tinubu reiterated that education remains a central pillar of national development. And a key focus of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), her flagship intervention platform.
She said, “I believe once you have an educated population, the country will grow in bounds.”
“It will be such a disaster to hand over the future to an uneducated generation.”
In a statement by her media aide, Busola Kukoyi, the First Lady commended the Merck Foundation for its contributions to Nigeria’s health and education sectors Especially its scholarship schemes in reproductive and fertility medicine.
Tinubu, however, emphasized the need to intensify efforts in girl-child education and healthcare support. She stated that infertility and its associated stigma remain major challenges in many African communities.
The First Lady highlighted her initiative’s ongoing work through the Renewed Hope Initiative. She stated that the initiative is actively working to increase scholarship platforms for Nigerian youths in a bid to open up greater educational opportunities.
In recognition of the First Lady’s efforts to empower women and girls, the Merck Foundation announced Senator Oluremi Tinubu as the new “More Than A Mother” Campaign Ambassador.
Merck is a global movement aimed at breaking infertility stigma and promoting gender equality through education and advocacy.
In his remark, the Chairman of Merck Foundation, Prof. Frank Strangenberg-Haverkamp, praised the First Lady’s leadership. He noted that Nigeria remains a strategic partner for the Foundation’s mission to transform lives across Africa.
In his statement, the CEO of the Foundation, Dr. Rasha Kelej also expressed the organization’s interest in establishing a formal partnership with the Renewed Hope Initiative. Focusing on women’s empowerment, medical outreach, and scholarship opportunities for underprivileged girls.
He said, “Nigeria is very important to us. In you, the Foundation finds a worthy partner, willing and able to expand the frontiers of a shared cause.”
The Merck Foundation, established in 2012, provides educational and medical support to underserved communities across Africa. It has made significant contributions to building local capacity in healthcare through scholarship and training programmes.
The visit ended with a renewed commitment by both parties to deepen collaboration and accelerate progress on shared development goals.
source: Leadership