MARGARET CHIDERA
The First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, yesterday performed the official renaming of the National Women Development Centre to the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development.
In her address, the First lady noted the sterling contributions of the former First Lady, Dr. Maryam Babangida to the lives of the ordinary Nigerian especially at the grassroots, through her pet programme, “Better Life for Rural dwellers”.
Oluremi Tinubu described the late Maryam Babangida as an icon who redefined the scope of women’s participation in national development through the National Centre for Women Development (NCWD).
She expressed nostalgia at the fact that she was at the Ninth National Assembly when the bill for the renaming of the centre was passed and assented into law and she is performing the actual renaming as the First Lady of the Federation.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu, commended the Director General of the Centre, Hajia Asabe Bashir and her management staff for taking the bold step for the renaming of the centre and also all the female National Assembly members, who played leading roles in the legislative struggle for the renaming of the centre.
In his remarks at the event, representative of the Babangida’s family, Mohammed Babangida and his brother, Aminu Babangida thanked the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Senator Oluremi Tinubu for the honour done their late mother.
The family spokesperson at the event, Mohammed extended the appreciation to all the women who were contributory to the actualisation of the renaming of the centre.
The portrait of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, was also unveiled at the Hall of Fame.
She had earlier been inducted into the hall of Fame in 2019 as the first female legislator to have been elected into the Senate for three consecutive terms.
Also with the First Lady was the wife of the Vice President, Hajia Nana Shettima and wives of State Governors, amongst others.
