The Nigeria’s First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has tasked Nigerian famous musicians which include Davido, Akon, Burna Boy, Asake and host of others to establish charitable foundations for the poor in the country.
Penpushing reports that Tinubu made the appeal to Nigeria’s entertainment industry while speaking at the launch of the National Community Food Bank Programme on Saturday in Lokoja, Kogi State.
“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.
Penpushing further reports that the wife of the President who used the occasion to defend her Akara comment, pointed out that luxury cars were not a problem, but entertainers should also give back.
The first lady emphasized that good cars are good, a Maybach is good, a Rolls-Royce is good, but still, the musician can help, with establishment of foundation to support government renewed hope agenda
Penpushing also reports that it would be recalled that Tinubu had, in June, suggested that women could be empowered through government grants to start businesses such as frying akara, roasting corn and processing kuli-kuli.
The viral comment on empowering women through petty trading, however, drew criticism from Nigerians, including the Yoruba Union, Ìgbìnmọ́ Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá, who said the suggestion trivialised the struggles of Nigerian women.
Penpushing reports that Tinubu while making clarification at the Saturday events declared that she stood by the Renewed Hope Initiative’s grassroots empowerment scheme, and listed pepper, vegetable, okra and melon sellers, alongside akara and kuli-kuli traders, as beneficiaries of her empowerment scheme.
The first lady insisted that petty traders, including pepper and vegetable sellers, deserved support, pointing out that the burden on the government is huge
“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.
Penpushing further reports that she narrated the story of an Abuja graduate who turned to selling akara after failing to secure a job, explaining that she thereafter, equipped him more, adding that he now has 12 workers working under him and doing well
“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.
Penpushing also reports that it would be recalled that following her remarks on Akara, which trailed for weeks, her husband” at the Presidential Press Corps Dinner in Abuja, jokingly referred to her as “Iya Alakara”
Meanwhile, the first lady has extended N50,000 grants to 2,000 petty traders during her visit to Jigawa State in June, insisting the criticism would not stop the programme.
FOOTNOTE: You want to share story with us? You want to advertise with us? You need publicity for product, or service, or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348073463653 or email penpushing@yahoo.com
