First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has presented cheques worth over N427 million to widows and orphans of fallen heroes of the Armed Forces across the nation.
Tinubu, while speaking at the presentation ceremony on Tuesday in Abuja, said it was part of the Social Investment Programme under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI).
The first lady, who is also the national chairman of RHI, said the presentation was not only to remember and honour the fallen heroes for their sacrifices but to also empower their wives and children who had endured so much.
According to her, no fewer than 1,709 widows and orphans will be empowered with the sum of N250,000 each.
She said: “This will enable you to capitalise on an existing business or start a new business of your choice to enable you to care for your family.
“We recognise widows are not victims; they are survivors; you have shown extraordinary courage in the face of adversity and we are here to offer a helping hand as you charged a new path.
“Some of you have been widows for some time, while others have just been widowed and we hope that the older widows will give emotional support to the younger ones.
“Today, we make donations of N427,250,000 to Defence and Police Officers Wives Association (DEPOWA), which is the sum total of the individual draft cheques.”
She noted that the path of the military wife was not an easy one, as the journey was filled with uncertainty, sacrifice, and the ever-present awareness of the inherent risk.
Tinubu applauded the women who had stood by their husbands through their unwavering support and love and had felt the immense pain of losing loved ones in the line of duty.
“I salute your strength, resilience, and the sacrifices that you too have made for our dear country,” she said.
