By Ogungbayi Adeyemi S. | adeyemi@ddnewsonline.com
Editor, DDNews |
The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has come under heavy criticism on social media after encouraging Nigerians to venture into small-scale businesses such as selling akara, roasted corn, and kuli-kuli, saying they require little capital to start.
Senator Tinubu made the remarks on Wednesday while addressing State House Correspondents after the Renewed Hope Initiative’s second-quarter meeting with wives of state governors at the State House, Abuja.
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Highlighting the efforts of the Renewed Hope Initiative to support vulnerable Nigerians through grants, the First Lady said beneficiaries were given grants rather than loans to start small businesses.
“We’re trying to give hope, and to start Akara business doesn’t take a lot of money. To start roasting corn, or somebody even said kuli kuli doesn’t take much. We didn’t give them a loan; we gave it to them as a grant,” she said.
She added that the initiative has also made significant interventions in healthcare, agriculture, education, and social investment, disclosing that she donated ₦2 billion to tackle tuberculosis, ₦1 billion for breast cancer, and ₦500 million to address malnutrition.
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Senator Tinubu urged Nigerians not to lose hope despite current economic challenges, saying the Renewed Hope Agenda is designed to renew the confidence of citizens.
The remarks, however, triggered swift and widespread backlash on social media, with many accusing the First Lady of being disconnected from the harsh economic realities facing ordinary Nigerians.
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One user, @ADCVanguard_, said the statement showed “exactly how disconnected Nigeria’s ruling class has become from the reality of ordinary citizens.”
Another user, @ireteeh, contrasted the suggestion with private sector initiatives, while @firstladyship wrote: “Nigerians are in big trouble. There is fire on the mountain but the people are tired of running.”
However, some users defended the First Lady, arguing that there is dignity in labour and that such small businesses have helped many families in the past.
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A user, @Akikanju1568901, noted that “akara is one of the most lucrative businesses in Nigeria” with high profit margins, while another said the criticism was not about the businesses but the timing and perception of the message amid widespread hardship.
The development has sparked intense debate online about the expectations of citizens from government and the role of small-scale enterprises in addressing current economic difficulties.
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By Ogungbayi Adeyemi S. (Beedee)
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