Remi Tinubu Donates 140,000 Girl-Child Development Books to Public Schools Nationwide

Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has donated 140,000 copies of seven storybooks on girl-child development to the Federal Ministry of Education for distribution to public school libraries across the country.

The books, published by the Merck Foundation and reproduced by the Office of the First Lady, are aimed at promoting education, confidence, empathy, healthy living and social responsibility among children, particularly girls.

Speaking during the handover ceremony on Thursday, Senator Tinubu reaffirmed her commitment to empowering young girls through education and creating opportunities that would enable them to realise their full potential.

She said the books, for which she wrote the foreword, would benefit both boys and girls by instilling positive values and helping them navigate challenges associated with growing up.

“It gladdens my heart that I am able to partner with the Merck Foundation on this. Though the number of books is small compared to our population, the foundation has been working with other African countries and remains committed to improving healthcare, education and social development across the continent,” she said.

The First Lady also highlighted the broader impact of her collaboration with the foundation, noting that it had already produced 91 medical scholarships aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare sector.

She explained that the donation formed part of the initiatives under her office’s partnership with the Merck Foundation to advance girl-child education and provide young people with the tools needed to succeed through functional education.

Presenting the books to the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, Senator Tinubu expressed confidence that the ministry would ensure their effective distribution to public school libraries across the country.

“I am confident that the ministry will facilitate the effective distribution of the books to public school libraries across the country, ensuring that children from diverse backgrounds can benefit from their lessons,” she said.

Receiving the books, Alausa commended the First Lady for her continued support for education and social development, describing the initiative as a valuable contribution to addressing issues affecting the girl child.

According to the minister, the books address important themes such as gender discrimination, sexual violence and values-based education, while encouraging girls to build confidence and resilience.

He also praised Senator Tinubu for inspiring initiatives aimed at promoting children’s participation and leadership, noting that the ministry’s “One Day Minister” programme was inspired by a similar initiative she introduced while serving as the wife of the Governor of Lagos State in 2007.

“I promise you that we will use these books and distribute them across the country,” the minister said.

With the official handover completed, the Federal Ministry of Education has commenced the nationwide distribution of the books to public school libraries.