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Nigeria's First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu
The wife of President Bola Tinubu, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Friday, said skewed messages projected by some movies, social media and religious organisations are fueling the get-rich-quick syndrome which is also driving Nigeria’s high rate of trafficking in persons.
Tinubu also pledged her support to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons in the agency’s ongoing fight against human trafficking.
She stated this when the Director-General of the agency, Binta Bello, led the top management of NAPTIP to her office at the State House, Abuja.
Senior Special Assistant to the First Lady on Media, Busola Kukoyi, revealed this in a statement signed on Friday titled ‘First Lady reiterates call for re-orientation for hard work and patience.’
The First Lady, who was briefed on the activities of the Agency, particularly the recent raid on a baby factory in Abuja, where 19 pregnant young girls were rescued, called on youths to stop making themselves easy targets for traffickers and other criminally minded people by embracing the virtues of patience and hard work.
She said, “The get rich quick syndrome is not helping matters. Even our religious institutions are doing prosperity preaching and even the bible talks about work. Social media is also not helping. Nollywood as well.
She pledged her support to the agency, starting with interfacing with wives of State Governors to assist in enhancing awareness and advocacy about its activities.
Earlier, the Director General of the Agency solicited the First Lady’s support for NAPTIP’s renewed campaign against human trafficking and GBV.
Bello explained that it is top of the agenda of the agency, as the trend of trafficking is getting alarming.
“Trafficking in persons is the second largest transnational organised crime in the world after drug trafficking.
“It is also a huge menace in Nigeria and it requires the buy-in and active engagement of critical stakeholders to fight it,” she stated.
She pointed out that despite the agency’s string of successes including the recent rescue of 21 young victims taken from Niger State, en route Republic of Niger, gaps in resources mobilisation and legal frameworks are some of the challenges confronting the operations of the agency.
She highlighted skills acquisition, awareness advocacy, provision of adequate shelter and safe homes, and legislative and policy support as some of the areas of intervention needed from the First Lady.
The First Lady also gave an audience to the new national executives of the National Council for Women Societies of Nigeria, led by its new National President, Princess Edna Azura.
The delegation was in her office to thank her for her motherly support to the council, especially after the passing of its immediate past National President, Lami Lau.
While commending them for working together in unity, the First Lady encouraged the council to do more for their members by taking advantage of the Renewed Hope Initiative, RHI programs at the subnational levels.
Tinubu reiterated her commitment to building better families through the Renewed Hope initiative.
