Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Chief Sunday Dare, has defended First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s recent remarks encouraging Nigerians to embrace small-scale businesses, saying his own mother financed his education through the sale of akara, bananas and oranges.
The First Lady had come under criticism after suggesting that businesses such as akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli require little capital and could serve as viable sources of income for many Nigerians. She also explained that the Federal Government’s empowerment programmes are focused on providing grants rather than loans to support small-scale entrepreneurs.
Her comments sparked widespread reactions on social media, with many critics arguing that the remarks were insensitive to the prevailing economic hardship and rising cost of living.
Reacting during an interview on the Mic On podcast hosted by Seun Okinbaloye, Dare recounted his personal experience, revealing that his mother sustained the family and trained him in school through petty trading.
“My mother sold akara and bananas. I carried bananas on trays on my head to the market in Jos. My mother sold oranges, and through this, they were able to train me,” he said.
Dare said his experience reflected the resilience of millions of Nigerians whose livelihoods have been built on small-scale enterprises. According to him, the First Lady’s comments were intended to encourage entrepreneurship and self-reliance rather than diminish the country’s economic realities.
He maintained that there is dignity in honest labour and that small businesses continue to play a significant role in supporting families and contributing to Nigeria’s economy.
The presidential aide stressed that the First Lady’s message was simply an appeal for Nigerians to acquire entrepreneurial skills and make productive use of available opportunities instead of remaining idle, insisting there was nothing wrong with her position given the success stories of many Nigerians who started with modest businesses.
