By Joshua Ogbologugo

A mild drama played out on Friday at the venue of the Renewed Hope Initiative empowerment programme in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, as a group of women staged a walkout while the event was ongoing.

The women insisted that the wife of the suspended governor should address them rather than the wife of the state’s administrator.

The event, held at the instance of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, was aimed at distributing empowerment items to 500 women across the state in partnership with the office of the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Sustainable Development Goals.

But the ceremony was briefly disrupted when the Wife of the Rivers State Administrator, Theresa Ibas, was invited to deliver a speech.

A group of women, chanting, “Bring back Fubara, we don’t know Ibas,” staged a walkout, demanding the reinstatement of suspended governor, Siminalayi Fubara, so that his wife, Valerie, could address them.

While the protest continued outside the venue, the programme proceeded peacefully indoors, with the administrator’s wife delivering the speech on behalf of the Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

According to Mrs. Tinubu, the scheme has already been completed in the North Central zone, with the Rivers State event marking its conclusion in the South-South region.

She stated that the initiative was part of a broader national programme targeting 18,500 women across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

The items distributed included freezers, gas cookers with ovens, grinding machines, and generators.

“These tools are designed to help our women establish and grow successful businesses, contributing to the nation’s prosperity.

“This program reflects the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which prioritizes inclusivity, economic growth, and sustainable development—particularly for women,” she said.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, emphasised the need for women to engage in productive ventures amid current economic challenges.

She stated that the programme was designed to drive inclusive growth through strategic partnerships while addressing poverty and hunger.

On her part, the state Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Tonye Oniyinde-Briggs, explained that the 500 beneficiaries were selected from all 23 local government areas of the state.

She encouraged them to use the items effectively—whether to launch new businesses or expand existing ones—to maximise the programme’s impact.