The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu on Tuesday paid a visit to Osun State for official turning of sod of the Alternative High School for Girls.

Tinubu arrived at the Government House, Oke-Fia, Osogbo around 12:30 pm on Tuesday, April 23, in the company of the wives of the vice president of Nigeria, Nana Shettima, and the Chief of Staff of the President, Salamatu Gbajabiamila.

She was received by wives of governors led by the wife of Osun state governor, Titilola Adeleke.

Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, Timi of Ede, Oba Munirudeen Lawal, Aragbiji of Iragbiji Oba Abdulrosheed Olabomi, Orangun of Oke-Ila, Oba Adedokun Abolarin among other prominent traditional rulers were also on ground.

There had been awareness of the First Lady’s visitation by the state government with the billboards of the Osun State Governor welcoming Nigeria first lady.

Alas, our Correspondent observed that no single poster or billboard was mounted by the opposition All Progressives Congress to welcome the wife of president in the state.

Meanwhile, during the introduction of the signatories at the government house before they proceeded to Oka Dio where the turning of the sod exercise took place, Senator Remi Tinubu, questioned why APC Chairman was not present at the venue.

Questioning the Master of Ceremony jokingly, after the introduction of Hon Sunday Bisi, Osun PDP Chairman, Nigeria first lady said “Where is APC Chairman?”.

Speaking, after the turning of sod, Tinubu said the ceremony marks the beginning of an opportunity for a new chapter and chance of a promising future for the exceptional young girls and women who would walk through the doors of the school.

She recalled how the idea for the establishment of an Alternative High School for Girls was conceived

According to the wife of the president, “My motivation as an educationist and life long teacher stemmed from the desire to see young girls and women who dropped out of school due to unplanned pregnancies, cultural barriers, economic or financial reasons and many more, have a second chance to complete high school, acquire higher education and valuable life skills, to enable them reach their full potential in life.

“His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, values education and has introduced the National Student Loan Scheme which is now in effect for our youth to have unhindered access to education, knowing that education is the bedrock of national development and the cornerstone upon which dreams are built, skills acquired and aspirations generally realized.

“In a world where every girl deserves the opportunity to thrive and reach her fullest potential, it is a sad thing to witness the barriers that stand in the way of their education. No doubt, without education, girls would lack necessary skills to support themselves and access information to make informed decisions about their health and future.

“The alarming rate of school dropouts among girls are a stark reminder of the need for alternative solutions in their educational pursuits. The consequences of this challenge are profound, affecting not only their individual lives, but also has attendant socio-economic implications for our Nation.

“We cannot afford to squander the potential and talents of half of our population. Ensuring access to inclusive and equitable quality education that fosters lifelong learning opportunities for everyone is essential, in accordance with Sustainable Development Goal 4 which is to “Ensure Inclusive and Equitable, Quality Education and Promote Lifelong Learning Opportunities for All”.

Speaking, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke noted that his administration is also committed to supporting girl child education, saying his administration also focus on stopping the crisis of sexual violence against women.

Adeleke stressed that “as your colleague in the Senate In those days, I can affirm your deep love for Nigeria, your commitment to national human development and your particular interest in the welfare of under-privilegded Nigerians.”

He commended the first lady for her passion for the growth of the nation and for focusing on fairness and justice.

He remarked that the present administration will follow up and provide needed support to ensure a robust operation upon completion of the school.

Adeleke said “Our administration is also committed to supporting girl child education. We have introduced a series of programmes which strengthen the capacity of families to provide basic needs. Hence we emphasize workers welfare as a critical first line item in our five point agenda.”

“We also focus on stopping the crisis of sexual violence against women. To that end, Osun is the first state to implement the resolution of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum on Action Against sexual violence. We have met the Ministry of Women Affairs and resolved to set up mobile courts to try domestic sexual violence matters.

Additionally, we are compiling a list of unfairly jailed girls and women to get them released. This is in addition to an agenda of empowering the womenfolk through the Cooperative lawn scheme.”