…as Mrs. Tinubu Empowers 500 Women
Tension marred an empowerment event hosted under the Renewed Hope Initiative in Port Harcourt on Friday, as hundreds of Rivers women walked out in protest after the wife of the state’s Sole Administrator, Dr. Theresa Ibas, was introduced to represent Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
The women, dressed uniformly in white polo shirts bearing the First Lady’s image and red George wrappers, erupted in chants of “We Want Sim! We Want Sim!” rejecting Dr. Ibas’ introduction as the “mother of the state.”
Their reaction appeared to be a pointed rejection of the ongoing political situation in Rivers, where Governor Siminalayi Fubara was suspended by President Bola Tinubu on March 18 following a protracted political crisis.
The incident occurred at the EUI Event Centre, the venue of the empowerment programme, where Senator Tinubu was scheduled to distribute business tools to 500 women across the state. When the Master of Ceremonies invited Dr. Ibas to speak on behalf of the First Lady, the women got up en masse, chanting slogans and walking out of the hall.
“All we are saying: We want Valerie Sim-Fubara or Remi Tinubu; not the wife of the Administrator!” many shouted as they exited, some calling Mrs. Ibas a “stranger” and “impostor.”
Despite the walkout, the event proceeded, with Dr. Ibas and other officials distributing items such as deep freezers, gas cookers, grinding machines, and generators to selected beneficiaries. The empowerment scheme is part of a broader national programme targeting 18,500 women across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
Senator Tinubu, represented by Dr. Ibas, emphasized that the initiative aligns with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG-5 (Gender Equality) and SDG-8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). She called on Rivers women to use the tools to uplift their families and communities.
Dr. Ibas, in her remarks, called for peace in Rivers State, asserting that her husband’s appointment was aimed at restoring stability and ensuring development.
However, the dramatic protest highlighted the deep political divisions in the state, particularly resentment over the removal of Governor Fubara and the legitimacy of the Sole Administrator’s leadership.
Meanwhile, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, the President’s SSA on SDGs, and Mrs. Tonye Oniyinde-Briggs, RHI Coordinator in Rivers, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to women’s empowerment and called on the beneficiaries to make good use of the business tools provided.
The incident underscores the ongoing tensions in Rivers State, where many residents continue to voice support for the embattled former governor and his wife.
