The Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) has extended its food relief programme to Osun State, bringing its reach to 30 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with Ogun and Akwa Ibom next in line.
The initiative, spearheaded by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, distributes food items to persons with disabilities, widows and other vulnerable Nigerians, with two truckloads supplied monthly by its partners to support two states.
The First Lady, represented by the wife of the Vice President, Nana Shettima, disclosed that the food items delivered to Osun were donated entirely by an anonymous benefactor, while the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa) is the programme’s other major partner.
Speaking at the presentation, Tinubu said the intervention was designed to complement President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by ensuring that vulnerable citizens received assistance irrespective of their circumstances.
She said: “The initiative was designed to complement the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by ensuring that vulnerable citizens receive the support they need irrespective of their status or circumstances.”
According to her, the programme had been sustained through monthly donations from two partners, who provide two truckloads of food items to enable the initiative to support two states each month.
The partners are the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa) and an anonymous donor. Tinubu said the food items presented to Osun State were provided entirely by the anonymous donor.
“This particular supply we are distributing today in Osun is entirely from our anonymous donor. I thank both partners for their deep generosity and sustained commitment to supporting vulnerable populations in Nigeria,” she said.
The First Lady announced that Ogun and Akwa Ibom states would be the next beneficiaries of the scheme, which was launched in March 2024 to provide direct nutritional support to vulnerable Nigerians and improve family welfare.
She also commended Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, for the reception accorded the delegation and praised his wife for her commitment to implementing RHI programmes in the state.
Adeleke who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Teslim Igbalaye, described the food intervention as a humanitarian effort to address the needs of disadvantaged citizens.
He said food banks and support systems were models that should be emulated at all levels of government, adding that the state government would support the sustainability of the initiative.
Igbalaye also commended the First Lady for introducing programmes aimed at improving the welfare of vulnerable Nigerians.
Earlier the wife of the Osun State Governor and RHI Coordinator, Mrs Titilola Adeleke said the intervention marked another significant chapter in the history of Osun State, expressing gratitude to the First Lady for extending the programme to the state.
She said RHI interventions had brought relief to vulnerable elderly citizens, supported petty traders through grants, strengthened agriculture and food security, and provided educational and healthcare assistance.
The Food Outreach Scheme forms part of the Renewed Hope Initiative’s broader social intervention efforts to promote social inclusion and provide humanitarian support to Nigerians facing economic and social vulnerabilities.