First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has appealed to top Nigerian entertainers, including Davido, Burna Boy and Asake, to set up charitable foundations for the less privileged, while defending her stance on empowering women through small-scale businesses.
She made the remarks on Saturday at the launch of the National Community Food Bank Programme in Lokoja, Kogi State.
Addressing the country’s entertainment stars, Tinubu encouraged them to use their wealth to support vulnerable Nigerians, citing Senegalese-American singer Akon as an example of a celebrity known for his humanitarian efforts.
“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 noted that owning luxury cars was not a problem but insisted that giving back to society was equally important.
“Good cars are good, a Maybach is good, a Rolls-Royce is good, but still, you can help,” she added.
The First Lady also defended her earlier comments on empowering women through petty trading, which sparked criticism after she suggested in June that government grants could help women start businesses such as frying akara, roasting corn and producing kuli-kuli.
She maintained that the Renewed Hope Initiative’s grassroots empowerment programme was designed to support ordinary Nigerians and listed pepper sellers, vegetable sellers, okra sellers, melon sellers, akara sellers and kuli-kuli producers among those who deserve assistance.
“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.
Tinubu further shared the story of a graduate in Abuja who reportedly ventured into selling akara after struggling to find employment.
“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 said.
First Lady Remi Tinubu sends a message to Burna Boy, Asake, Davido and the rest.
“Start Foundations to Help Pepper, Vegetable, Okra, Melon & Akara Sellers: "The Burna Boys of this world, the Asakes, all of them, Davido we want to see you with one foundation or the other,… pic.twitter.com/qmEQfTAcIN
— Oyindamola🙄 (@dammiedammie35) July 11, 2026
