APC chieftain backs Tinubu’s wife, says critics misread small business advice

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abayomi Nurain Mumuni, has defended the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, over criticisms trailing her recent advice encouraging Nigerians to embrace small-scale businesses as a means of overcoming economic hardship.

Mumuni’s reaction came after widespread criticism of the First Lady for urging citizens, particularly women, to consider engaging in petty businesses such as frying and selling akara and roasted corn to improve their livelihoods.

The remarks generated mixed reactions on social media, with critics describing them as insensitive and disconnected from the realities of rising inflation, the high cost of living, and unemployment in the country.

However, in a statement issued on Saturday and signed by his media aide, Rasheed Abubakar, Mumuni said the First Lady’s comments had been widely misunderstood and taken out of context.

According to him, the First Lady’s message was intended to encourage economic self-sufficiency among Nigerians, especially women and low-income families, through businesses that require little start-up capital.

“I wish to address recent misinterpretations surrounding the First Lady’s advocacy for informal business ventures, particularly in the production and sale of traditional food items such as akara and kulili,” he said.

Mumuni argued that many Nigerians living below the poverty line only require modest financial support to establish small businesses capable of generating sustainable income.

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“The reality is that some poor Nigerians only need a token to start a business and get it right. For some Nigerians, N50,000 or N100,000 is enough to start a business and begin making profits. Those are the category of people the First Lady is referring to. There is no need for unnecessary criticism,” he said.

Mumuni added that beyond encouraging low-capital businesses, the Federal Government had also introduced several programmes to support medium- and large-scale enterprises.

According to him, initiatives such as the Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme, the Presidential Palliative Loan Programme, the Bank of Industry intervention funds and financing windows, as well as support programmes of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), demonstrate the government’s commitment to empowering businesses of different sizes.

He noted that many Nigerians had already benefitted from the interventions, stressing that the various programmes cater to entrepreneurs with different capital needs, from small start-ups to established businesses.

According to him, the First Lady’s statement should not be interpreted as limiting the aspirations of women or dismissing the country’s economic challenges.

“The First Lady’s statement reflects a genuine concern for economic self-sufficiency among Nigerian women and families. Her emphasis on these ventures stems from the practical reality that accessible, low-capital business opportunities can provide immediate income and food security for households.

“This is not a dismissal of women’s capabilities or potential but rather an acknowledgement of viable pathways that have demonstrably helped many families achieve basic sustenance,” he stated.

Mumuni, a renowned security expert, urged Nigerians to distinguish between constructive criticism and what he described as misplaced anger.

He maintained that while citizens were entitled to express differing opinions on government policies, greater attention should be devoted to addressing the country’s pressing security and economic challenges.

“We must distinguish between constructive criticism and misplaced anger. While opinions on policy direction are valid, channelling our collective energy toward addressing the substantive challenges facing our nation, including widespread insecurity, poverty, and hunger, would be more productive. These remain the critical issues requiring urgent national attention and discourse,” he said.

He further urged Nigerians to engage in solution-driven conversations capable of advancing national development rather than creating unnecessary controversies over well-intentioned initiatives.

“As a nation, we benefit when we engage in serious, solution-oriented conversations rather than unnecessary controversy over well-intentioned initiatives. 

“I urge Nigerians to examine statements within their full context and redirect our collective focus toward substantive policy discussions that address our most pressing national concerns,” he added.

Mumuni said his intervention was aimed at promoting national unity, encouraging constructive public discourse, and ensuring that public conversations remained focused on practical solutions to Nigeria’s economic and security challenges.