How Senator Oluremi Tinubu Shocked Roadside Hawker

December 10, 2019 is a day that a young woman who ekes a living by the roadside of Lugard Avenue, Ikoyi will not forget in a hurry.

That day, Tuesday 10 December 2019 to be precise, she was at the spot where she normally sells roasted plantain, a Politician of class came calling.

It was no other than Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who happened to be passing through Thompson by Lugard Avenue, only to take notice of the lady at the spot, beside her makeshift ramshackle oven, tending plantain on the fire.

Senator Tinubu packed her jeep and beckoned on the lady to come.

And that was how the story began.

An eyewitness told The Eagle that after a chat, the politician encouraged the lady to register her voter’s card, later sending her driver to the hawker with some undisclosed amount of money,

She was reportedly advised to use the money to support her business.

Our correspondent ANSELEM MARTIN later traced the 27 year old lady to her business spot and had a chat with her. Below are excerpts:

Could you please introduce yourself to our readers?

My name is Esther Simon Abuo; I am from Ogoja in Cross River State.

What level of education do you have?

I have not been able to finish secondary school.  Since I don’t have anyone to sponsor me in school, I had to drop out.

And to survive, I sell roasted yam, roasted plantain and sometimes Indomie noodles.

 Some other ladies would prefer to make more money by following men or something like that; but you humbled yourself and took up a business like this, why?

When I found out that I don’t have anybody, i decided to put my head down to do this business, and I use it to manage myself.

Esther Simon Abuo

How did you meet Senator (Mrs) Tinubu?

It was on Tuesday the 10th day of December 2019 at about 4pm when she came.

I thought she was a customer so I rushed to attend to her not knowing she is Asiwaju Tinubu’s wife.

She asked me if I had voters card and I said no. She said I was supposed to have a voter’s card, that my president needed someone like me that was struggling, She also asked me why I was doing that kind of business.

Also, she told me that she liked it that I was a hardworking type. She asked me to go and register at my constituency office and that I should inform them there that she was the one that asked me to come and see them.

How did you feel that you were the one that she came to?

I was very surprised because I am not the only one that sells in Lugard Avenue Ikoyi. I was surprised when she sent her driver to me. The driver came back to my business place, called me and gave me an envelope, so I asked what it was and he asked me if I remembered the woman that was talking to me some moment ago and I said yes.

He also asked me if I knew who she is, and I said no. It was then he told me it was Tinubu’s wife and that she asked him to give me this N10,000  to support my business.

Would you support her if she wants to contest elections in the future, may be as president of Nigeria?

Yes I will support her because she gave me money. She is good woman, a mother with a difference. She has a good heart, look at the way she was encouraging me, her simplicity, nobody would ever believe she is Tinubu’s wife our amiable senator.

She is very rich but she is down to earth. Those are the kind of people we need to make Nigeria work again. All along she was talking to me, I never knew who she was until her driver brought the money to me.

What word do you have for her?

My word of appreciation is, thank you my able Senator. I am grateful. Nobody has ever given me a dime since I started selling in Thompson Avenue. That day I was not happy but she put a smile on my face.

Mrs Tinubu, you touched my life that day.  God will continue to bless you and your household as you are going about doing good to people. Thank you.