When a regular person becomes a celebrity, it attracts a lot of attention, respect, fame, and of course, lots of cash. While some celebrities prefer to enjoy their wealth alone and with their families, others do not mind sharing it with the poor who need assistance to survive.
The fact is that not every celebrity who is rich and famous will believe in the idea of being charitable, but Nigeria is lucky to have a few who love helping the needy every now and then. These stars do not just part with their hard-earned cash to put a smile on teary faces, they have made it their duty to even go as far as establishing foundations to make the poor very comfortable throughout their lives. Check out these selfless celebs in our list of Nollywood Stars Who Do The Most Charity Work (2022).
1. Tonto Dikeh:
Tonto has to be the most popular Nigerian celebrity who does a lot of charity work in the country. The stunning and controversial movie star has never been known to shy away from associating herself with the needy, and her fans have always loved her for that.
Via her foundation, The Tonto Dikeh Foundation, the actress has dished out a lot of goodies to the less privileged, plus she regularly visits orphanages to not just donate hefty sums to the kids with no parents, but also spend quality time with them.
Her latest charity work has to be her popular visit to the Persons living with disability in the Karanmajiji Disable Colony in Abuja to celebrate the United Nations International World Disability Day. During the visit, Tonto shared lots of gifts to those housed in the colony and also had lots of fun with them.
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2. Empress Njamah:
This is another Nollywood actress who loves to engage in charity work and her nationwide charity events and projects are proof that she had to make this list. Empress owns a foundation that caters to the needs of Nigerian kids in several states, and she has hosted more than 2,000 children at various charity programmes. The movie star regularly supplies costly souvenirs, dresses, food items, toiletries, and mosquito nets just to improve their standard of living too.
Speaking on her foundation recently, Empress revealed that God is the reason it is still active now. She said the idea was actually inspired by the overwhelming consequence of child neglect she battled with years ago, so she just had to do something for others.
According to her, giving back means she can least give hope to other kids to become something in life irrespective of their poor backgrounds or rough circumstances. Njamah added that it has not been an easy journey at all but she has always chosen to see the opportunities in her charity deeds, not the challenges.
The Nollywood actress said she will not stop providing the basic and educational needs of the less privileged and she will even take it a step further by organizing programmes while inviting music artists and some of her Nollywood colleagues to entertain the children.
3. Zubby Michael:
This Anambra-born actor is definitely one of the most benevolent Nigerian celebrities around. Charity is one of the habits the movie star is known for because he is so generous that he never gets tired of giving. According to reliable sources close to Zubby, he has gifted out one thing or the other to several Nigerians that they have lost count.
The veteran Nollywood star goes as far as sharing money on the streets from time to time and he is known to be a man who just wants everyone to be happy. His reputation for helping the poor is so intact that people have said it is very rare to get disappointed after asking him for any kind of assistance.
Zubby Michael absolutely believes in charity that he even helps while he is on set shooting movies. According to reports, one particular day, while he was shooting with his colleagues, a woman walked up to him alongside a young boy who was blind to ask for money for his eyes to be operated on. Zubby did not hesitate to grant her request and he was shocked to see the boy who was no longer blind doing amazing as a child actor a few years later.
The Nollywood legend’s life has to be a lesson for us all. Even if life is a jungle where most of us have to focus on bettering our own lives, it does not hurt to lend a helping hand to a fellow human once in a while, especially if we can afford to.
4. Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde:
This Nollywood household name also had to make this list because she champions her social cause via her NGO named Omotola Ekeinde Youth Empowerment Initiative. This NGO focuses on organizing empowerment lectures and programmes for the youth and several Nigerians have benefited from it over the years.
If you are not aware, the list of people who are living better lives via her Omotola Youth Empowerment programme includes Nigerian youths and young women who are stepping into a very delicate period of their lives.
In 2019, as part of efforts towards assisting widows and the less privileged in Nigeria, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde in partnership with her foundation, Give and Let’s Give, started a home makeover for widows residing in Redemption Camp, Mowe axis of Ogun State.
And according to the actress, the mission of the foundation is to add value and improve the lives of the less privileged, especially widows in the country. Omotola added that she learnt to give back to widows from her mum because she also lost her husband before she passed on.
5. Iyabo Ojo:
This Nollywood screen goddess also owns a foundation that was formerly named Sexy Pinky Ladies in 2011 but later got renamed after insinuations that female members of the body were lesbians. It is now called Pinkies Foundation and its aim is to bring women together irrespective of age or social class.
According to Iyabo Ojo, these women are gathered together to support each other while sharing their different ideas on business, health and family values.
6. Uchemba Williams:
Another Nollywood actor who deserves a spot on this list is the recently married Uchemba Williams. This guy really does not get enough praise for his benevolent acts and clear willingness to help make Nigeria a better place for the less privileged.
This popular actor, comedian and brand influencer has actually adopted more than 3-4 less privileged kids in recent years just to get them off the streets. Uchemba has gone as far as giving them scholarships, footing their bills and making himself available as a father figure in their lives.
He also helped a 67-widowed woman to build her uncompleted house where she has lived for 17years in a 1-room apartment recently, and Nigerians hailed him specially for it. The house is presently a furnished, completed 3-bedroom apartment that the elderly woman can be proud of, and it is all thanks to the kindness in Uchemba Williams’ heart.
7. Rahama Sadau:
6 years ago, this Nollywood actress who has featured in a lot of Hausa movies established the Ray of Hope Foundation, a non-profit organisation that delivers help to the less fortunate. The foundation’s activities were centred around frequent trips to IDP camps and orphanages. They also take care of almajirais, physically challenged people and focus on poverty reduction.
In 2022, Rahama herself revealed that she recently donated all her earnings from a movie to the foundation. According to popular Nigerian newspaper company, Daily Trust, the actress donated all the cash garnered in her newly released movie titled “Nadeeya” to this amazing foundation.
The humanitarian gesture was well appreciated by the beneficiaries and those in charge of the running of the foundation vowed to ensure the resources are put to good use. They added that the movie star will continue to be an inspiration to other Nigerians with her kind heart and good deeds.
8. Mansura Isah:
This is another Nollywood actress who regularly features in Hausa movies, and she also earned a spot on this list for being a cheerful giver. Mansura started her NGO named Today Life Foundation in 2010 to help the needy, and it is currently responsible for providing foodstuff and clothes to kids in orphanage homes.
Her foundation has even gone as far as partnering with famous philanthropists who have donated money and foodstuffs to be shared among less privileged kids. Its aim is to get rid of poverty and hunger, and it has recorded more than 500 child beneficiaries whose school fees are being paid from time to time. The foundation has also empowered the needy with several entrepreneurial skills.
9. Stephanie Okereke Linus:
Nollywood actress, Stephanie founded the Extended Hands Foundation after finding out that Vesico vaginal Fistula (VVF) is a deadly sickness that is really killing the female gender. She has since been part of several campaigns to raise awareness about the illness while raising funds for surgeries.
This beautiful movie star also keeps lending a helping hand to Nigerian youths who chase careers in the film industry through the Del York International programme, which she co-founded with the New York Film Academy.
10. Hadiza Aliyu:
Hadiza is a Nollywood and Kannywood actress/filmmaker who is very popular for her generosity and simple nature. In 2016, she set up the Hadiza Aliyu Gabon Foundation, (HAG Foundation) which is a philanthropic organisation established with the main purpose of enhancing the lives of ordinary citizens by helping them with their education, healthcare and food security.
