Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has promoted support for businesses by urging wealthy Nigerians to dedicate part of their resources to charitable causes aimed at supporting small businesses and vulnerable members of the society.
She specifically urged prominent entertainers, including Burna Boy, Davido and Asake, to establish foundations and invest in initiatives that improve the lives of the less privileged.
The First Lady made the appeal during the launch of the North Central National Community Food Bank in Lokoja, Kogi State.
She said the scale of social and economic challenges facing vulnerable Nigerians requires support beyond government interventions.
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“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,” Mrs Tinubu said.
Oluremi Tinubu cited examples of international entertainers who combine successful careers with philanthropy and encouraged Nigerian celebrities to embrace similar commitments.
“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 stated.
The First Lady also advised Nigerians against looking down on modest but legitimate means of livelihood.
She recounted the story of a university graduate who turned to street vending after failing to secure formal employment and later expanded the venture to employ about a dozen people after receiving support.
“Our people should never despise small jobs,” the First Lady stressed.
As part of the event, Senator Oluremi Tinubu announced an additional donation of ₦100 million through the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) to the Office of the First Lady of Kogi State to support petty traders.
The intervention will provide ₦50,000 grants to 2,000 traders across the state.
She commended beneficiaries for embracing small-scale businesses, noting that the display of locally traded goods such as pepper, okra and tomatoes reflected the positive impact of empowerment efforts.
Earlier, the First Lady described the National Community Food Bank Programme as a deliberate and sustainable response to food insecurity and malnutrition among vulnerable households.
“It is designed to ensure that vulnerable children under the age of six, pregnant women and lactating mothers have access to nutritious food. This initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly in advancing food security, improving healthcare outcomes and building a stronger and more prosperous Nigeria,” she said.
She explained that the programme is being implemented through a partnership involving the Office of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency and the Bank of Agriculture.
During her visit, Senator Oluremi Tinubu also met with members of the Kogi State Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs, urging them to champion the implementation of the National Community Food Bank Programme and ensure that support reaches vulnerable children and mothers.
She assured Nigerians that the Renewed Hope Initiative would continue to support programmes aimed at improving the welfare of families across the country.
In his remarks, Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo said the various interventions undertaken by the First Lady demonstrate a genuine commitment to improving the lives of ordinary Nigerians.
He also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the economic reforms being implemented by his administration.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a man that took the bullet for an economy that was on the brink of collapse,” Governor Ododo said.
During the one-day visit, the First Lady also commissioned the Oluremi Tinubu Pension and Treasury House, the Lokogoma Primary Healthcare Centre, which serves as a food distribution point, and the new office complex of the Kogi State Health Insurance Agency.
