In a recent interview on The Breakfast Club, Nigerian singer Rema discussed his approach to philanthropy, emphasizing that he aims to go beyond traditional methods like distributing bags of rice.
He explained, “With the influence we now have as artistes, I feel like we are now at the point where we can tell politicians, ‘Yo, you’re not doing your job!’ If I am seated with the governor, I will whisper in his ear, ‘I don’t think you’re doing this right. Sorry, it’s coming from a 24-year-old.’”
Rema expressed a desire to introduce meaningful policies and invest in sustainable solutions to better the lives of Nigerians. He criticized the common practice of giving rice as charity, pointing out that it doesn’t address long-term needs.
“A lot of times I tell my manager that it’s not about giving rice all the time. You don’t know if some kid has an allergy to rice, and then you leave and the kid has to go to the hospital to sort it out. There is a whole perspective of me giving back; I don’t like to do the basic ‘I gave you food,’ because what about tomorrow? What are they going to eat tomorrow?” he said.
Rema proposed creating platforms that consistently provide education, clothing, or shelter, aiming for long-term impact rather than temporary relief. “I would rather create a platform that would consistently provide, educate, and support people. It could be 200 people or 500 people, but if it’s 1000 people, it’s quite consistent. It’s better than giving 1 million people food today and tomorrow, they’re hungry again. That’s my perspective on giving back; I’d use platforms and policies,” he concluded.