Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has appealed to some of the country’s biggest music stars, including Burna Boy, Davido and Asake, to establish charitable foundations aimed at supporting vulnerable Nigerians.
She made the appeal on Saturday in Lokoja, Kogi State, during the launch of the National Community Food Bank, where she stressed that wealthy Nigerians have an important role to play in reducing hardship across the country.
According to the First Lady, while the government is implementing programmes to assist citizens, the scale of the country’s economic challenges requires support from successful individuals in the private sector and entertainment industry. She urged affluent Nigerians to use part of their resources to improve the lives of those struggling to meet basic needs.
Mrs. Tinubu said successful entertainers could make a lasting impact by investing in charitable initiatives that provide assistance to low-income families and small business owners. She noted that luxury lifestyles and philanthropy can coexist, encouraging celebrities to channel some of their wealth into social causes.
She also urged Nigerians to value honest work, regardless of the nature of the job. Recounting the story of a university graduate who turned to selling local snacks after failing to secure formal employment, she said the individual later received support that enabled him to expand his business and employ several people.
The First Lady said the example demonstrates that self-employment and small businesses can become successful ventures when given the right support and should not be looked down upon.
As part of her visit to Kogi State, Mrs. Tinubu announced a ₦100 million intervention through the Renewed Hope Initiative to support 2,000 petty traders. Under the programme, each beneficiary will receive ₦50,000 to strengthen their existing businesses.
She commended the traders for embracing the empowerment initiative and expressed optimism that the programme would improve livelihoods and encourage entrepreneurship among women and other small-scale business owners.
