My mother trained me selling akara, bananas – Presidential aide, Sunday Dare defends Remi Tinubu’s akara business idea to poor Nigerians

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, has defended First Lady, Remi Tinubu,  who Nigerians have been dragging online recently following her advice to poor Nigerians to venture into low-capital businesses like selling akara, roasting corn, and making ‘kuli-kuli’.

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The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, has defended First Lady Oluremi Tinubu following online criticism over her recent economic advice to low-income Nigerians. 

Mrs. Tinubu faced backlash after suggesting that citizens engage in micro-enterprises, such as selling akara (bean cakes), roasting corn, and producing kuli-kuli (peanut cakes), to navigate current financial hardships. 

Speaking on a recent podcast, Dare argued that public critics missed the core intent of the First Lady’s message. He stated that her comments were grounded in the concepts of self-reliance, micro-enterprise, and the fundamental dignity of labour. Dare emphasized that the informal economy serves as the vital backbone of Nigeria’s economic resilience.

“When you look at the informal sector of our country, its resilience continues to lift this economy… You find it predominantly everywhere, and also in the North, they’re also significant.”

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To support his argument, Dare shared a personal anecdote, noting that his own mother was a petty trader. He revealed that proceeds from her small-scale business successfully funded his education.

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

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 said