First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, on Saturday urged prominent musicians including Burna Boy, Davido and Asake to channel part of their wealth into charitable foundations to help the country’s most vulnerable.
The First Lady said the burden on government alone is ‘huge’.
Speaking at the launch of a national community food bank in Lokoja, Mrs. Tinubu appealed to wealthy Nigerians—particularly figures in the entertainment industry—to back sustained philanthropic efforts.
“We have a lot of wealthy people. But our priorities are different. And I think it’s high time we started helping those who need help in the country,” she said.
Mrs. Tinubu cited international examples of entertainers who combine careers with charity work and called for similar commitments at home.
“The Burna Boys of this world, Asake, all of them, Davido. We want to see you with one foundation or the other, helping the poor with your money,” she said, adding that personal comforts such as luxury cars need not preclude giving.
The First Lady also discouraged social stigma against modest, lawful livelihoods.
She recounted a case of a University graduate who turned to street vending after failing to find formal employment; after assistance, the vendor now employs a dozen people.
“Our people should never despise jobs,” she said.
Announcing further support, Mrs. Tinubu said the Renewed Hope Initiative had donated ₦100 million to the First Lady of Kogi State to provide ₦50,000 each to 2,000 petty traders.
She praised beneficiaries for embracing small-scale enterprise, noting the simple food trays they brought to welcome her as evidence the message had resonated.
NewsQuest reports that the First Lady’s remarks come as the country grapples with rising cost-of-living pressures and persistent unemployment, conditions that have intensified calls for private-sector and celebrity-led interventions alongside government programmes.
