Tinubu Aide Defends First Lady's Micro-Trader Support Amidst Online Criticism

Dada Olusegun, Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Social Media, has strongly defended First Lady Oluremi Tinubu's recent initiative to empower micro-traders, including sellers of popular Nigerian snacks like akara and kulikuli. Olusegun dismissed the online backlash as a "performative circus of selective amnesia," arguing that critics are overlooking the First Lady's extensive record of interventions.

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This entire controversy perfectly mirrors what is now happening with the broader ‘Olodo uprising” across our social platforms. We live in an era where people jump on trending hashtags and soundbites without dedicating a single minute to researching context. Memes are manufactured in seconds; accurate history takes time to read.

Olusegun highlighted that the First Lady's Renewed Hope Initiative extends far beyond small-scale traders. He cited substantial donations, including ₦1 billion for cervical cancer screening and another ₦1 billion for tuberculosis diagnostic equipment. Furthermore, the initiative disbursed ₦250,000 each to 1,709 widows and orphans of fallen military personnel and provided ₦200,000 business grants to persons with disabilities across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The aide also pointed to a partnership with the Tony Elumelu Foundation, which provided ₦50,000 grants and essential equipment like industrial grinding machines, freezers, and generators to 18,500 women nationwide. Olusegun criticized the social media trend he termed an "Olodo uprising," where individuals react to trending topics without researching the context, leading to the spread of misinformation and ignorant narratives.

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According to various economic metrics, the informal sector contributes over 50 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP and accounts for over 80 per cent of employment. The akara fryer, the kulikuli processor, and the petty trader are not just marginal actors; they are the literal shock absorbers of our micro-economy.

He stressed the economic importance of the informal sector, which contributes over 50 percent of Nigeria's GDP and accounts for more than 80 percent of employment. "The akara fryer, the kulikuli processor, and the petty trader are not just marginal actors; they are the literal shock absorbers of our micro-economy," Olusegun stated, emphasizing that empowering these micro-entrepreneurs is crucial and should not be misconstrued as "weaponizing poverty."

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When you give a micro-grant or operational tools to an akara seller, you are not val[uable].