First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has defended her controversial advice encouraging women to embrace small-scale businesses such as frying akara, roasting corn and producing kuli-kuli, insisting that there is dignity in honest labour regardless of its scale.
Speaking at the launch of the National Community Food Bank Programme in Lokoja, Kogi State, the first lady said petty trading has helped many Nigerians build sustainable livelihoods and should not be looked down upon.
She also called on some of Nigeria’s biggest music stars, including Davido, Burna Boy and Asake, to establish charitable foundations dedicated to supporting poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
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According to her, there is nothing wrong with celebrities acquiring luxury vehicles such as Maybachs and Rolls-Royces, but she urged them to use part of their wealth to improve the lives of less privileged citizens through structured philanthropy.
To reinforce her argument, the First Lady recounted the story of an unemployed graduate in Abuja who turned to selling akara after years of unsuccessful job searches.
She said her initiative supported the young entrepreneur, whose business has since expanded to the point of employing 12 workers.
The first lady maintained that her empowerment programme would continue to encourage and support small-scale entrepreneurs, including sellers of peppers, vegetables, melon, okra and akara, despite criticism that greeted her earlier remarks.
Her comments come amid continuing public debate over youth unemployment, entrepreneurship and the role of government and private citizens in addressing poverty and creating economic opportunities across Nigeria.
