Rivers Women Stage Protest During First Lady’s Empowerment Programme in Port Harcourt

A group of aggrieved women disrupted the Renewed Hope Initiative empowerment programme in Port Harcourt on Friday, staging a dramatic walkout just as Mrs. Theresa Ibas, wife of the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, was about to address the audience on behalf of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

The protest unfolded at the Rivers State capital during the South-South phase of the nationwide empowerment initiative targeted at supporting women entrepreneurs. Mrs. Ibas, who is the wife of retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas—appointed by the federal government as Sole Administrator of the state—was present as the First Lady’s official representative.

However, tensions quickly escalated when a section of the women in attendance began chanting slogans such as “Bring Back Sim” and “We want Valerie Fubara,” in reference to the suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and his wife, Valerie.

The women, who stormed out of the event in protest, refused to recognise Mrs. Ibas as a legitimate authority in the state and demanded that only Senator Oluremi Tinubu or Mrs. Valerie Fubara be allowed to address them.

“We don’t know Ibas. Tinubu is our President, and our governor is Sim Fubara,” some of the women shouted as they walked out of the venue. The protest continued outside the premises, with placards and chants echoing throughout the area.

Despite the disruption, the programme went ahead indoors. Mrs. Ibas delivered her speech uninterrupted, reiterating the First Lady’s commitment to women’s economic empowerment under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

According to Senator Tinubu, the empowerment initiative—coordinated through the Renewed Hope Initiative—is designed to reach 18,500 women across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. She noted that similar events had already been successfully completed in the North-Central region, and the Port Harcourt programme marked the concluding segment of the South-South rollout.

The initiative distributed economic tools such as deep freezers, gas cookers with ovens, grinding machines, and power generators. These items, the First Lady stated, are aimed at enabling Nigerian women to establish or expand micro and small-scale enterprises in their communities.

“This program reflects the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which prioritizes inclusivity, economic growth, and sustainable development, particularly for women,” Mrs. Ibas said on behalf of the First Lady.

While the empowerment items were distributed to selected beneficiaries at the event, the political undertones surrounding the protest could not be ignored. The disruption comes amid ongoing political tension in Rivers State following the controversial suspension of Governor Fubara by the federal government earlier this year—a move that has sparked outrage among many residents and supporters.

Analysts view the protest as a reflection of the deepening division between federal authorities and grassroots stakeholders in the state. “What you’re seeing is not just a protest against a speaker—it’s a symbolic rejection of federal overreach in Rivers politics,” said Dr. Christabel Jumbo, a political analyst based in Port Harcourt. “The women’s chants were clearly political, and they send a message that a section of the populace does not recognise the new administrative structure imposed on the state.”

Efforts to reach local government officials and coordinators of the Renewed Hope Initiative for comment on the protest were unsuccessful as of press time.

Meanwhile, security operatives maintained order at the venue, ensuring that the programme concluded without further incident.

Despite the setback, organisers of the initiative described the turnout—prior to the walkout—as encouraging and reaffirmed their resolve to continue implementing women-focused economic programmes across the country.

However, the walkout serves as a potent reminder that in Nigeria’s often volatile political climate, even well-intentioned social initiatives may become flashpoints for expressing dissent and local grievances.