An All Progressives Congress (APC) youth leader has defended First Lady Oluremi Tinubu’s recent remarks encouraging Nigerians to engage in small-scale businesses, insisting that there is dignity in labour and that petty trading should not be looked down upon.
The youth leader made the remarks during a press conference held at Imo House in Abuja while addressing issues surrounding the alleged replacement of Adamu Tanko in Gurara Federal Constituency of Niger State.
Responding to criticism that followed the First Lady’s advice encouraging women to consider businesses such as selling akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli, he argued that engaging in legitimate business was more honourable than participating in criminal or immoral activities.
According to him, it is better for individuals to be known for honest means of livelihood than to be associated with crime or other socially unacceptable activities.
He stressed that there was nothing degrading about selling akara or kuli-kuli, noting that many successful Nigerians came from humble backgrounds and were raised by parents involved in petty trading.
The APC youth leader further maintained that critics had taken the First Lady’s comments out of context, explaining that her remarks were intended to encourage entrepreneurship and self-reliance among women, particularly those seeking financial support to grow their businesses.
He pointed out that the First Lady’s intervention programmes extend beyond grants for petty traders and include support for healthcare, women’s empowerment and vulnerable groups across the country.
According to him, the Renewed Hope Initiative has provided assistance in several sectors, including funding for healthcare programmes targeting tuberculosis, malnutrition, cancer and hypertension.
He argued that focusing solely on the akara comment ignores broader empowerment efforts being implemented through the initiative.
The youth leader also disclosed that beneficiaries of the First Lady’s empowerment programme were not compelled to invest in any particular business, adding that recipients were free to use the support funds for ventures of their choice.
The controversy began after Oluremi Tinubu suggested that small businesses such as akara frying, roasted corn sales and kuli-kuli production could provide income opportunities for women and families.
The comments generated mixed reactions on social media, with some Nigerians describing them as insensitive to prevailing economic realities, while others defended the message as an encouragement towards self-employment and entrepreneurship.
In the wake of the criticism, the First Lady clarified that the empowerment initiative was designed to support various categories of small-scale traders and entrepreneurs, not just akara sellers.
Presidential aides, including Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, have also defended the remarks, insisting that the message promotes self-reliance, dignity of labour and grassroots economic empowerment.
The debate continues to generate reactions across social and political circles as discussions on economic hardship and empowerment programmes remain prominent in public discourse.
