Presidential spokesperson Sunday Dare has defended First Lady Oluremi Tinubu following the backlash that greeted her recent advice encouraging low income Nigerians to venture into small businesses such as frying akara, roasting corn and producing kuli-kuli.
Mrs Tinubu came under heavy criticism after a viral video showed her urging Nigerians to embrace low capital businesses as a way of earning a living amid the country’s economic challenges.
Reacting during a recent podcast, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication said many Nigerians misunderstood the First Lady’s message.
According to him, her remarks were centred on self reliance, entrepreneurship and the dignity of honest labour rather than an attempt to downplay the country’s economic realities.
Dare argued that Nigeria’s informal sector remains one of the strongest drivers of the economy and has continued to sustain millions of families across the country.
“When you look at the informal sector of our country, its resilience continues to lift this economy. You find it predominantly everywhere, and also in the North, they’re also significant,” he said.
The presidential aide also shared his personal story, revealing that his mother was a petty trader whose business paid for his education and contributed to his success in life.
“Look at me. Wherever I am today, my mother sold akara. Wherever I am today, my mother sold bananas. I carried bananas in a tray on my head to markets in Jos, Plateau State.
“My mother sold oranges, and through that, they were able to train me.
“What is wrong with that? If that was right 60 years ago, what is wrong with that now? Because it’s about what capital you have. When you grow these small businesses, you start small,” he said.
The First Lady’s original comments have continued to generate nationwide debate, with critics arguing that her advice does not address the broader economic hardship facing Nigerians, while supporters maintain that there is dignity in legitimate small businesses and entrepreneurship.
