Natives applauds Tinubu family over massive investment in education as students rally behind President

The Supreme Leader of renowned non-governmental group, the Natives, Olalekan Edwards, has applauded President Bola Tinubu and First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu for their commitment to advancing education in Nigeria, predicting that students will reward them with overwhelming support in the 2027 elections.

The Natives, described as a coalition of diverse ethnic groups and communities across the country, highlighted two recent initiatives—the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) launched under President Tinubu and Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s decision to raise funds for the completion of the National Library during her birthday.

Edwards made the remarks in Abuja on Tuesday during the unveiling of Iconic Magazine in his honour and an award presentation by the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

He noted that if previous administrations had invested in education with similar commitment, many Nigerians who dropped out of school due to financial hardship would have had better opportunities.

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According to him, the First Family has demonstrated a genuine resolve to uplift young people and build a lasting legacy.

He said: “It has now dawned on us. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not a joker. He is a man interested in our future. We fought so that education can be given to us. It’s now given to us freely.

“We see a country that is heading up to be one of the best countries in the world. I am a businessman. I travel around the world. I’m beginning to see light everywhere. People are ready to do business with our country. People are ready to bring in their investments.

“The oil sector is receiving a boom. Everything is turning the corner. The export numbers are different. We used to import. Now we are catching on. So agriculture, the president is involved. The environment, look at just what happened.

“The Ogoni University. This man is serious. Look at what he has just done. The Ogoni report. Recognizing souls that have been damaged for years. I mean the president is serious.

“So if we want to talk to the youth, what we’ll be saying to them is light is now coming at the end of the tunnel. It is time to cooperate with the government, understand the policies of government. Those are the critical things. And see how it works for you and your organization.”

On the political impact of these gestures, Edwards declared: “For that, you can already know there’s no controversy, Bola Ahmed Tinubu should get the students vote massively in 2027.

“The husband has opened up a policy and the policy is changing lives and giving students the opportunity to go to school. And the wife has decided to set up a library to give and add more to education.

“That’s why on behalf of our organization, we have decided that I donate six million Naira to the library project through the Nigerian students body.”

He further emphasized that education remains a powerful tool of hope and empowerment: “All over the world, they say you can deny people education so that you can impoverish them. If that is their only form of hope, then hope is being renewed. So I assure you, the time will come for us, when as Natives, we will give a vote of confidence on the President and the parliament led by Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio and Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.”

Speaking on behalf of NANS, its National Secretary, Comrade Anzaku Shedrack Ovye, explained that the recognition was to honour Edwards for his significant contributions to youth empowerment. He recalled the recent support extended to over 1,500 young Nigerians by the Natives, who provided start-up capital of N250,000 each for various businesses and vocational pursuits.