Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu has urged voluntary organisations to help reshape the mindset of young people by engaging them in humanitarian service from an early age, saying the culture of helping others must be nurtured in childhood.
Mrs Tinubu made the call after she was decorated as the Grand Matron of the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS) during a ceremony at the State House in Abuja.
Speaking at the event, she described the honour as a call to greater service and pledged to contribute her quota to advancing the humanitarian mission of the Society.
“If they learn to help from an early age, it would not be hard for them to do it when they are old,” she said, urging Nigerians with the means to support those in need to do so.
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Commendation
The First Lady also commended the Nigerian Red Cross Society for its humanitarian interventions across the country and expressed confidence that the nation’s current challenges would be overcome.
Mrs Tinubu said as the Grand Matron of the NRCS, which she takes as a call to greater service is an opportunity for her to add her quota to the Society.
“I encourage people, if you have the capacity to help a neighbor in whatever way you can, do so,” she said.
The First Lady, who acknowledged the enormous role being played by the Red Cross in Humanitarian efforts in the country, expressed optimism that various challenges confronting the nation would be surmounted.
She said; “There is no challenge that is unsurmountable if we have the right will, and we have strong political will, to do right by the nation.
“Our assignment is a daily call to duty and we have to rise everyday to do the work.”
Mrs Tinubu explained that her office has initiated the National Food Bank Program across the six Geo-political zones of the country which is expected to eliminate or reduce to the barest minimum, child malnutrition in the country.
The NRCS National President, Oluyemisi Adeaga who led the team, thanked the First Lady for continually rendering humanitarian services to the citizens through her Renewed Hope Initiative.
He said the Society recognises her strong dedication to the welfare of women, children, families and vulnerable Nigerians in general.
Mr Adeaga said that Mrs Tinubu’s commitment reflects the deep-rooted principle which the Society was founded upon.
He said; “With over 1.5 million volunteers, the Society was established under an Act in 1960 as the sole public humanitarian services provider for Nigerians.
”Today is far more than an investiture, it is a celebration of compassion, service and humility, it is a reaffirmation that, in times of uncertainty, hope is sustained by men and women who chose to serve others.”
