PNGI Convener Says Senator Remi Tinubu Was Misinterpreted by Gen Z and Opposition

The Progressive Next Generation Initiative, a youth and data-driven platform focused on engaging young Nigerians in politics and governance, has defended the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, against what it calls a wave of misinterpretation from Gen Z critics and opposition politicians.

In a statement released on Friday, June 26, 2026, the Convener of PNGi, Hon. Jeffery Omoh Ozemegwa, appealed to Nigerian youths to view the First Lady’s recent remarks through the lens of maternal counsel rather than political provocation. He said she spoke like a mother, and that is what anyone with a genuine passion for Nigeria’s growth would do.

The controversy began after Senator Tinubu suggested that Nigerian youths, especially young women, should explore unconventional paths to create wealth and break the cycle of poverty.

She specifically recommended making and marketing kulikuli, a popular groundnut snack. She recounted how her own mother used to sell kulikuli in large bags from the North, alongside items like tinko, sun-dried meat, and wosi wosi.

She also noted that she knows people exporting iru, the local condiment, to African shops in the United Kingdom and other countries. She cited the example of the first Indian female millionaire in the UK, who built her fortune trading in Indian spices and condiments.

Ozemegwa, who identified himself as a Millennial, said he vividly remembers growing up and witnessing mothers, aunties, and elder sisters engage in similar trades. He stressed that the First Lady’s remarks were factual and rooted in lived experience, not condescension.

He explained that Nigeria has the largest active youth population in politics, with Gen Z, aged between 15 and 30, being largely consumed by the social media world, a space they use for advocacy, expression, and even content creation for income. He acknowledged that Gen Z are talented and energetic, but he warned that their energy is often directed wrongly.

He further broke down generational demographics, noting that Gen Z, born between 1997 and 2012, are true digital natives shaped by social media and artificial intelligence, while Millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, came of age during major technological and economic shifts.

He emphasized that both groups make up the majority of the global workforce and consumer base.

The PNGi Convener urged the younger generation to look inward and empower themselves, not just by acquiring skills but by using those skills to start small enterprises that would make them self-reliant.

He called on Gen Z to key into the PNGi mission of raising the next generation of political leaders in Nigeria.

He dismissed the backlash against the First Lady as a calculated attempt by opposition politicians to mislead the youth for selfish gains.

He declared, “We stand with Senator Remi Tinubu, the First Lady of Nigeria. Indeed, you are a mother, and a true believer in the next generation leadership of our great country, Nigeria.”