Presidential Aide Defends First Lady's Akara Advice, Cites Personal Trading Roots (Video)

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, has come to the defence of First Lady Oluremi Tinubu amid mounting online criticism over her recent economic advice urging low-income Nigerians to embrace small-scale trading.

Mrs. Tinubu had drawn backlash after suggesting that struggling citizens could turn to micro-businesses such as frying akara, roasting corn, and making kuli-kuli as practical, low-capital pathways out of financial hardship.

Speaking on a recent podcast, Dare pushed back against the wave of criticism, insisting that many critics had misunderstood the substance of the First Lady's message. According to him, her comments were rooted in principles of self-reliance, micro-enterprise development, and the dignity of labour, rather than any intent to belittle Nigerians' struggles.

The presidential aide further stressed that Nigeria's informal economy remains a critical pillar sustaining the nation's financial resilience, noting its widespread presence across the country, including the North.

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"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,"

Dare said.

To buttress his point, Dare drew from his own upbringing, recalling that his mother was a petty trader whose modest earnings ultimately financed his education. He recounted personally hawking bananas and oranges in markets around Jos, Plateau State, as his mother sold akara to make ends meet.

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

he said, questioning why a path that worked decades ago should now be dismissed.

He added that the size of one's starting capital should not determine the legitimacy of a business venture, noting that all small enterprises begin from modest beginnings before growing over time.

Watch video below..

“My mother sold akara and bananas. I carried bananas on my head to the market in Jos” — presidential aide Sunday Dare on recent remarks by First Lady Remi Tinubu pic.twitter.com/byPvo5EVDN

— Instablog9ja (@instablog9ja) June 28, 2026