A 62 year old retired from Borno State, Mrs Veronica Kidafa Mabaya has won the #Every Home A Garden competition, organized by the Renewed Hope Initiative, a pet project of Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu.
The winner, who was revealed at a ceremony held on Wednesday at the conference center of the State House Abuja, carted home the prize money of N20 million.
In her address, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu commended all women who participated in the competition saying they are not just winners in their own right but are contributors to ensuring food security in Nigeria.
The First Lady, who noted the immense contributions of women to nation building, added that they have a vital role to play in the agricultural sector and food revolution drive of the President Bola Tinubu led administration.
“I am glad to see that this competition has created a positive awareness in home gardening for women across the country. I commend our first time women farmers for their passion and dedication to ensuring food security for their families and neighbors. I say well done,” she said.
Mrs Tinubu noted that this passion by the women made it a hard task to get a winner out of the 20 entries submitted from 19 States and the FCT to the office of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI).
“In reviewing the entries, members of the RHI Governing Board sat down to thoroughly select the best 3 entries. Delegations headed by the wife of the Speaker, House of Representatives, wife of the Deputy Senate President and wife of the Chief of Staff to the President travelled to Borno, FCT and Sokoto to inspect the gardens before selecting the overall winner, as we have just seen in the documentary. We were all very impresses with quality of entries, making it hard to choose a winner. And I know you are all waiting to know who the winner is.
“Finally, after careful deliberations, with gratitude to God, I am happy to announce that the winner of the Renewed Hope Initiative #Every Home a Garden” Competition is Mrs Veronica Kidafa Mabaya from Borno State. Congratulations to our winner,” said the First Lady.
Annual Event
Earlier, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sabi Abdullahi said going forward, the ministry would be adopting the competition under its National Agricultural Urban Program to be an annual event.
Also, the National Agricultural Development Fund, NADFUND through its Executive Secretary, Mohammed Ibrahim, announced its support for the women farmers with training opportunities and additional cash rewards for the winner and finalists.
The winner, Veronica Kidafa Mbaya, a 62 year old retiree who resides in Borno state went home with N20m from the RHI, N5m from NADFUND and N1m from the Borno State Government.
The other 19 finalists got N1m from the RHI, N1m each from their State Governments and N500,000 each from NADFUND.
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