Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, alongside the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, CFR, Ojaja II, on Thursday inaugurated the Senator Oluremi Tinubu Dream Centre and donated 50 buses and 30 tricycles to Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, as part of efforts to enhance digital learning and ease transportation challenges within the institution.
The event, held on the university campus, drew prominent traditional rulers and political figures, including the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Ghandi Olaoye; the Ajero of Ijero-Ekiti, Oba Joseph Adewole; the Osun APC governorship candidate, Mr Bola Oyebamiji; as well as wives of several state governors.
The Dream Centre, an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) hub built by the Ooni of Ife in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), is designed to promote digital learning, artificial intelligence, storytelling and leadership development among young people.
Speaking at the inauguration, Senator Tinubu said she desired to serve as a positive role model for young girls, stressing that many young people today lack figures they can emulate.
“I have always thought that I should be a case study for young girls. We talk about the girl child all the time, but many young people no longer have people to look up to,” she said.
She encouraged young girls to dream positively and believe in their God-given potential, recalling that she once aspired to become a teacher and eventually fulfilled that dream.
According to her, the Dream Centre will also house a storytelling room where her life experiences and lessons will be shared to inspire future generations.
“This centre is not for girls alone; it is also for boys. It is a place of dreams, learning and inspiration for everyone,” the First Lady added.
In his remarks, NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Abdullahi, described the centre as a unique fusion of technology and history, aimed at preserving knowledge and equipping young Nigerians with tools for the future.
The Ooni of Ife described the project as a historic investment in Nigerian youths and a powerful symbol of purposeful leadership, noting that the Dream Centre was conceived as a legacy project that would outlive the present generation.
He said the facility represents values of discipline, resilience, vision and service to humanity, which he noted Senator Tinubu has consistently demonstrated in public life.
“In the last two years, you have been on this campus three times. That shows your genuine commitment to education and youth development,” the Ooni said, adding that the centre would serve as a hub for digital creativity, leadership training and storytelling.
He also urged OAU students to make good use of the facility and the transportation support, stressing that such opportunities come with responsibility.
On the donation of the buses and tricycles, OAU Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Simeon Bamire, described the gesture as unprecedented and a major boost to the university’s transportation system.
“This donation will significantly ease the movement of students, staff and members of the university community,” he said.
Similarly, the President of the OAU Students’ Union, Oluwatodimu David, expressed gratitude, saying the vehicles would help address long-standing transportation challenges on campus.
“We see the First Lady not just as the mother of the nation, but also a mother to the OAU community,” he said.
