Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has urged popular Nigerian musicians, including Asake, Burna Boy and Davido, to channel part of their wealth into charitable causes, saying they should establish foundations and support vulnerable Nigerians instead of focusing only on luxury lifestyles.
Mrs Tinubu made the appeal on Saturday during the launch of the National Community Food Bank in Kogi State, where she encouraged entertainers and other wealthy Nigerians to complement government efforts to reduce poverty through philanthropy.
She cited Senegalese-American singer Akon as an example of a celebrity known for charitable work and called on Nigerian artistes to emulate him by establishing foundations or expanding their humanitarian efforts.
According to the First Lady, although there is nothing wrong with owning luxury vehicles, affluent Nigerians should also use part of their wealth to support struggling citizens because the burden on the government remains enormous.
“I want to appeal to our young ones in the entertainment industry. I’ve mentioned it before, and I will use Akon, a music icon who does a lot of great charity work, as an example. Asake, Burna Boy, Davido, we want to see you with one foundation or the other, helping the poor with your money. Good cars are good. A Maybach is good, Rolls Royce is good, but still, you can help. The burden on the government is huge. There are pepper sellers, vegetable sellers, there are okro sellers, melon sellers, akara sellers, kuli-kuli sellers.”
Mrs Tinubu also highlighted small-scale businesses as viable means of earning a living, citing the example of people who sell pepper, vegetables, okra, melon, akara and kuli-kuli.
She recalled reading about a graduate in Abuja who turned to selling akara after being unable to secure a job and said support was later provided to help expand the business.
According to her, the entrepreneur now employs 12 workers and is doing well.
She said, “Akara is delicious. I can tell you that. There was once I read an article about a young graduate who said he didn’t get a job. He said he sells akara because he couldn’t get a job. And he is in Abuja. We approached him, but I didn’t put my name to it. We equipped him more, and now he has 12 workers working under him, and he’s doing very well.”
The First Lady’s latest remarks come weeks after she advised Nigerian women to embrace small businesses such as selling akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli under the Renewed Hope Initiative’s economic empowerment programme.
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