A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abayomi Nurain Mumuni, has defended First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu over criticisms trailing her recent remarks encouraging Nigerians to embrace small-scale businesses as a means of economic survival.
The First Lady had advised women and low-income Nigerians to consider modest ventures such as frying akara, roasting corn and selling kuli kuli as pathways to self-reliance and financial sustainability. Her comments, however, sparked widespread reactions, with critics describing the advice as disconnected from the current economic realities facing many Nigerians.
Reacting to the backlash, Mumuni argued that the First Lady’s comments had been misinterpreted. According to him, Senator Tinubu was merely encouraging entrepreneurship and resilience, not suggesting that small businesses alone could solve Nigeria’s economic challenges. He maintained that many successful enterprises started on a modest scale and gradually expanded into thriving ventures.
The APC stalwart also highlighted the achievements of the First Lady’s Renewed Hope Initiative, which he said has provided financial support and empowerment programmes for women and vulnerable groups across the country. He urged Nigerians to view the comments within the broader context of promoting self-sufficiency and encouraging individuals to take advantage of available economic opportunities.
The controversy has reignited debates over the state of Nigeria’s economy and the responsibilities of government in addressing rising poverty and unemployment. While supporters of the First Lady insist that entrepreneurship remains an important tool for economic empowerment, critics continue to call for broader policy measures to improve living conditions and create sustainable jobs for citizens.
