Presidential spokesperson Sunday Dare has come to the defence of First Lady Oluremi Tinubu following the wave of criticism that greeted her recent advice urging struggling Nigerians to consider starting small businesses such as selling akara, roasting corn, and producing kuli-kuli.
Mrs Tinubu’s comments, which were intended to encourage self-employment amid the country’s economic challenges, sparked widespread debate on social media, with many Nigerians arguing that the suggestions failed to reflect the realities of the current economy.
Speaking during a recent podcast, Dare said many critics had misunderstood the First Lady’s message. According to him, her remarks were centred on the values of self-reliance, entrepreneurship, and the dignity of honest work.
He stressed that Nigeria’s informal sector remains one of the country’s strongest economic pillars, helping millions of households survive despite difficult conditions.
“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.”
To reinforce his point, Dare recounted his own upbringing, revealing that his mother’s small-scale trading financed his education and laid the foundation for his success.
“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.
