Nigeria's First Lady and Senator Oluremi Tinubu urged the nation's youth to embrace contentment and avoid a beggarly mindset [1].
The call for a shift in attitude comes as the administration seeks to discourage a culture of entitlement and dependence among the younger generation. By promoting diligence and hard work, the First Lady aimed to steer youth toward sustainable personal achievement rather than reliance on handouts [1], [2].
Tinubu said this during the handover of leadership for the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Youth Wing [3]. The event took place at the State House in Abuja [3]. During her address, she said that pursuing a life of diligence is the only viable path to success, a message intended to reshape how young Nigerians approach their careers and civic duties [1].
She said that youth should be content with their achievements while continuing to strive for growth. This perspective is presented as a countermeasure to the growing trend of dependence that the First Lady believes hinders the professional and personal development of the youth [2].
The First Lady's remarks focused on the necessity of hard work to ensure long-term stability. She said that the mindset of begging is a barrier to the progress of the individual and the nation at large [1].
By addressing the APC National Youth Wing, Tinubu targeted the political vanguard of the younger generation. Her guidance suggests that leadership within the party and the country requires a foundation of self-reliance and a rejection of the expectation of easy gains [3].
“Learn contentment, don’t be beggarly”
This address reflects a strategic effort by the Nigerian leadership to pivot the youth narrative from one of state-dependency to one of individual entrepreneurship and meritocracy. By framing 'begging' as a psychological barrier, the administration is signaling a move away from patronage-based support systems toward a model of economic self-sufficiency.
