My mother trained me selling akara, bananas, Tinubu’s aide backs First Lady’s remarks

Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, defended First Lady Oluremi Tinubu's recent comments suggesting Nigerians start low-capital businesses like selling akara or roasting corn. The First Lady's remarks at a Renewed Hope Initiative meeting drew criticism online, with many labeling them "out-of-touch" amid rising inflation and costs of living. Dare argued on the Mic On Podcast that critics are missing the core message, which emphasizes micro-enterprise, self-reliance, and the dignity of labor. He drew upon his personal experience, revealing that his mother sold akara and bananas, and through these ventures, she was able to train him. He carried bananas in a tray on his head to markets in Jos, Plateau State, highlighting his upbringing in the informal sector. "Look at me. Wherever I am today, my mother sold akara," Dare stated. "Wherever I am today, my mother sold bananas." He questioned why an economic survival model that proved effective for previous generations should be dismissed by the current youth. Dare emphasized that these small-scale trades have historically been a pathway out of poverty for many Nigerian families. He concluded by clarifying that the First Lady's intention was not to confine youths to petty trading indefinitely but to foster an entrepreneurial spirit. "You must not miss her point, her point is that whatever it is, try and do something, have some level of entrepreneurial skill," Dare said. He stressed the importance of engagement in some form of enterprise, regardless of its scale.

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Look at me. Wherever I am today, my mother sold akara. Wherever I am today, my mother sold bananas.