Nigeria’s First Lady and National Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has called on farmers in Rivers State to take full advantage of the agricultural empowerment support programme by growing their seedlings, nurturing livestock, and producing high yields to help build a food-secured Nigeria.

Represented by the wife of the Rivers State Governor, Lady Valerie Siminalayi Fubara, Senator Tinubu made the call during the distribution of agricultural support materials to 800 pre-selected farmers at the Government House Field in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

The event was organised by the Renewed Hope Initiative in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the Rivers State Government, and the Young Farmers’ Club of Nigeria.

Delivering the First Lady’s message, Lady Valerie Fubara urged beneficiaries to take responsibility for their farms and contribute to national food production.

“Grow these seedlings, nurture these livestock, and turn them into good yields,” she said. “As you do that, you will also reawaken the entrepreneurial spirit that we are known for.”

Lady Valerie Fubara described the initiative as a practical effort to revive Nigeria’s agricultural potential, drawing lessons from past government programmes such as Operation Feed the Nation and the Green Revolution.

She noted that with the commitment to empowering Nigerians, the initiative reflects genuine love and dedication to the nation’s progress.

“This support programme is not just assistance, it is an investment that will lead to food surplus and help combat scarcity,” she added.

She also emphasised that the Rivers State Government, under Governor Siminalayi Fubara, is complementing the initiative with additional support for 400 farmers, which include 100 young and 300 older farmers, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to 800.

“The First Lady of Nigeria is trusting you to make the best use of this opportunity,” Lady Valerie Fubara said. “The Rivers State Government believes in your ability, do not let us down,” she added.

Rivers State Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Odu, praised the programme as a platform that promotes inclusivity and bridges socio-economic gaps.

“This initiative embodies the Federal Government’s commitment to improving lives through sustainable and inclusive development,” she said.

She also commended Lady Valerie Fubara for her leadership and passion in localising the Renewed Hope Initiative in the state.

“Beyond the immediate benefits,” she added, “this programme lays the foundation for a more prosperous and self-reliant Rivers State,” she said.

The Head of the Rivers State Civil Service, Dr. Inyingi Brown, described the programme as timely and impactful. She urged the beneficiaries to become catalysts for sustaining the initiative, and appealed for future inclusion of civil servants.

“You are the first set of beneficiaries, please, show example so that the programme will be replicated. Let it not die in your hands,” she said.

The Supervising Commissioner for Agriculture, Engr. Victor Kii, commended the First Lady’s vision, describing the initiative as a key step toward food security, job creation, and inclusive economic growth.

He praised Lady Valerie Fubara for her role in ensuring the programme’s success in Rivers State, noting that it “uplifts women, creates jobs, and secures a sustainable economic future.”

In her welcome remarks, Rivers State Coordinator of RHI, Mrs. Tonye Briggs Oniyide, said that RHI pre-selected 400 farmers drawn from across the three senatorial districts, including members of the Female Farmers’ Association, the Young Farmers’ Club, and non-indigenes.

The beneficiaries received farm implements, seedlings, fingerlings, livestock, and starter packs, all aimed at boosting food production and encouraging youth participation in agriculture.