First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has defended her popular statement about empowering women via petty trade.
She spoke on Saturday at the National Community Food Bank Programme’s opening in Lokoja, Kogi State.
In June, the First Lady proposed that women be empowered with government funds to create companies such as frying akara, roasting maize, and processing kuli-kuli.
Nigerians, especially the Yoruba Union (Ìgbìnmọ́ Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá), criticised the comment, claiming it trivialised Nigerian women’s hardships.
Tinubu defended the Renewed Hope Initiative’s grassroots empowerment initiative during his clarification on Saturday.
The First Lady directed her plea to Nigeria’s entertainment sector, encouraging young stars to set up philanthropic organisations for the underprivileged.
“I want to appeal to our young ones in the entertainment industry. I have mentioned it before, and I will use Akon, a music icon who does a lot of great charity work.
“They make the Burna Boys of this world, the Asakes, all of them, and Davido; we want to see you with one foundation or the other, helping the poor with your money,” she said.
She stated that luxury cars were not a problem, but entertainers should also give back.
“Good cars are good; a Maybach is good, and a Rolls-Royce is good, but still, you can help,” she said.
Tinubu listed pepper, vegetable, okra and melon sellers, alongside akara and kuli-kuli traders, as beneficiaries of her empowerment scheme.
She stated that petty traders, including pepper and vegetable sellers, deserved support.
“The burden on the government is huge. You can still help. There are pepper sellers, there are vegetable sellers, there are okra sellers, melon sellers, and akara sellers. Akara is delicious, I can tell you that,” she said.
She gave the story of an Abuja graduate who turned to selling akara after failing to secure a job.
“There was once I read an article about a young graduate who said he didn’t get a job, and he said he sells akara because he couldn’t get a job. He’s in Abuja.
“We approached him, I didn’t put my name to it, and we equipped him more. He now has 12 workers working under him, and he’s doing very, very well,” she claimed.
The First Lady’s comment had trailed her for weeks, with President Bola Tinubu playfully referring to her as “Iya Alakara” at the Presidential Press Corps Dinner in Abuja.
She had also gave N50,000 grants to 2,000 petty traders during a visit to Jigawa State in June, insisting the criticism would not stop the programme.
