From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The National Women Development Center has been officially renamed the Maryam Babangida National Center for Women Development by the First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu, during a ceremony held on Tuesday.
In an official statement released by her Media Aide, Bukola Kukoyi, the First Lady noted the sterling contributions of the former First Lady, Mrs Maryam Babangida to the lives of the ordinary Nigerian especially at the grassroots, through her pet programme, Better Life for Rural Dwellers.
Mrs Tinubu described Mrs. Babangida as an icon who redefined the scope of women’s participation in national development through the National Center for Women Development (NCWD).
During the renaming ceremony of the center, Mrs. Tinubu reflected on her previous involvement in the process. She expressed a sense of nostalgia, recalling that she had been present as a representative in the Ninth National Assembly when the bill for renaming the center was passed and later signed into law. She said now, as the First Lady, it is an honour for her to officially rename the center.
The First Lady commended the Director General of the Center, Asabe Bashir and her managent staff for taking the bold step for the renaming of the center and also all the female National Assembly members, who played leading roles in the legislative struggle for the renaming of the center.
In his remarks at the event, representative of the Babangida Family, Mohammed Babangida and his brother, Aminu Babangida thanked the First Lady Mrs. Tinubu for the honour done their late mother.
The family spokesperson, Mohammed extended the appreciation to all the women who were contributory to the actualization of the renaming of the center.
The portrait of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu was also unveiled at the Hall of fame.
She had earlier been inducted into the hall of Fame in 2019 as the First female legislator to have been elected into the Senate for three consecutive terms.
Also with the First Lady was the wife of the Vice President, Hajia Nana Shettima and wives of State Governors amongst others.