My Mother Sold Akara, Bananas to Train Me — Tinubu’s Aide Defends First Lady

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, has defended First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu over the backlash that followed her recent advice encouraging Nigerians to venture into small-scale businesses such as selling akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli.

Speaking during an interview on Mic On Podcast on Saturday, Dare said the First Lady’s remarks were intended to promote entrepreneurship, self-reliance and the dignity of labour rather than diminish the economic challenges facing Nigerians.

He supported his argument by recounting his personal upbringing, revealing that his mother financed his education through petty trading.

“Look at me. Wherever I am today, my mother sold akara,” Dare said.

“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.”

The controversy began after the First Lady, while addressing beneficiaries of the Renewed Hope Initiative in Abuja on Wednesday, said starting businesses such as frying akara or roasting corn required relatively little capital.

She explained that the initiative was providing grants, rather than loans, to support beneficiaries interested in establishing small businesses.

Her comments, however, triggered criticism on social media, with many Nigerians arguing that soaring inflation, rising food prices and increasing production costs had made even petty trading difficult.

Reacting to the criticism, Dare maintained that Nigeria’s informal sector remains a major pillar of the economy and continues to sustain millions of households.

“When you look at the informal sector of our country, its resilience continues to lift this economy,” he said.

According to him, many successful Nigerians emerged from humble beginnings supported by small businesses operated by their families.

“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 stated.

Dare stressed that the First Lady was encouraging Nigerians to embrace entrepreneurship regardless of the scale of their businesses.

“You must not miss her point. Her point is that whatever it is, try and do something, have some level of entrepreneurial skill.

“The point she is making is, whatever it is, be engaged in some kind of enterprise,” he added.