Remi Tinubu calls on ENTERTAINERS to help poor Nigerians

First Lady Remi Tinubu has called on Nigerian ENTERTIAINERS to help the poor

She mentioned music stars such as Davido, Burna Boy and Asake, appealing to them to establish charitable foundations to support the poor.

She made the appeal on Saturday during the launch of the National Community Food Bank Programme in Lokoja, Kogi State.

The First Lady urged successful entertainers to channel part of their wealth into philanthropy, saying they should complement their luxurious lifestyles with efforts to uplift struggling Nigerians.

“I want to appeal to our young ones in the entertainment industry. I have mentioned it before, and I will use Akon, a music icon who does a lot of great charity work. They make the Burna Boys of this world, the Asakes, all of them, Davido, we want to see you with one foundation or the other, helping the poor with your money,” she said.

She added that while there was nothing wrong with owning luxury cars, celebrities should also prioritise giving back to society.

“Good cars are good, a Maybach is good, a Rolls-Royce is good, but still, you can help,” she said.

Tinubu also addressed the criticism that followed her June remarks suggesting women could be empowered through government grants to start businesses such as frying akara, roasting corn and producing kuli-kuli.

The comments had sparked backlash from many Nigerians, including the Yoruba Union, Ìgbìnmọ́ Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá, which argued that they trivialised the economic struggles of women.

Defending the Renewed Hope Initiative’s grassroots empowerment programme, the First Lady maintained that petty traders deserved support and listed pepper sellers, vegetable sellers, okra sellers, melon sellers, akara sellers and kuli-kuli producers among those who could benefit.

“The burden on the government is huge. You can still help. There are pepper sellers, there are vegetable sellers, there are okra sellers, melon sellers, akara sellers. Akara is delicious, I can tell you that,” she said.

Mrs Tinubu also recounted the story of an Abuja graduate who reportedly turned to selling akara after failing to secure a job.

“There was once I read an article about a young graduate who said he didn’t get a job, and he said he sells akara because he couldn’t get a job. He’s in Abuja.

“We approached him, I didn’t put my name to it, and we equipped him more. He now has 12 workers working under him, and he’s doing very, very well,” she claimed.

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