Akara, Kulikuli Sellers Are Economic Shock Absorbers – Tinubu’s Aide Defends First Lady Remi

The Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, has defended the First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, over her recent empowerment programme for micro-traders.

Naija News reports that Remi Tinubu has faced backlash from many Nigerians following her recent advice that starting small businesses such as akara, roasted corn, and kuli-kuli requires little capital.

Remi, while speaking with journalists in a video that is making rounds online, explained the administration’s support for small businesses through grants rather than loans.

She said, “To start akara business doesn’t take a lot of money. To start roasting corn or kuli-kuli doesn’t take much. We didn’t give them a loan, we gave them a grant. We have encouraged Nigerians as best as we could. I also gave to several others.”

However, the First Lady’s comment angered many netizens, who argued that the remarks were insulting and failed to reflect or address the economic challenges facing many Nigerians.

In a statement on Monday, Olusegun said criticisms of the initiative were driven by ignorance of the First Lady’s record and the importance of Nigeria’s informal economy.

The presidential aide described the backlash over the empowerment of traders, including akara and kulikuli sellers, as a “performative circus of selective amnesia.”

Olusegun said critics had ignored several interventions carried out by the First Lady through the Renewed Hope Initiative in healthcare, women’s empowerment, support for military widows and persons living with disabilities.

According to him, the First Lady’s programmes were not limited to petty traders.

He cited her donation of ₦1 billion to the National Cancer Fund for cervical cancer screening and another ₦1bn for tuberculosis diagnostic equipment in Abuja in 2025.

He also referenced the disbursement of ₦250,000 each to 1,709 widows and orphans of fallen military personnel in 2023, as well as ₦200,000 business grants to persons living with disabilities across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Olusegun further highlighted the Renewed Hope Initiative’s partnership with the Tony Elumelu Foundation, which he said targeted 18,500 women nationwide with ₦50,000 grants.

He added that equipment such as industrial grinding machines, freezers and generators had also been distributed to beneficiaries.

‘People React Without Facts’

Naija News reports that the presidential aide criticised what he described as an “Olodo uprising” on social media, accusing critics of reacting to trends without making efforts to understand the facts.

“This entire controversy perfectly mirrors what is now happening with the broader ‘Olodo uprising’ across our social platforms. We live in an era where people jump on trending hashtags and soundbites without dedicating a single minute to researching context. Memes are manufactured in seconds; accurate history takes time to read.

“When the critics are done making their superficial memes, writing cynical captions, and circulating ignorant narratives, the reality on the ground will remain unchanged. They would be better off advising their constituents to find credible means to key into these ongoing government initiatives,” he stated.

‘Petty Traders Are Economic Shock Absorbers’

Olusegun rejected the claim that empowering small-scale traders amounted to “weaponising poverty.”

He argued that the informal sector remained central to Nigeria’s economy and livelihood structure.

“According to various economic metrics, the informal sector contributes over 50 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP and accounts for over 80 per cent of employment. The akara fryer, the kulikuli processor, and the petty trader are not just marginal actors; they are the literal shock absorbers of our micro-economy.

“When you give a micro-grant or operational tools to an akara seller, you are not validating poverty; you are reducing immediate operational capital friction, securing food chains at the grassroots, and expanding household income. Mocking these initiatives as ‘petty’ shows a deep-seated contempt for the actual working class of Nigeria,” he said.

Olusegun also defended the political value of grassroots empowerment, saying such programmes build trust among beneficiaries.

He cited the TraderMoni and MarketMoni programmes introduced during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, under then Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, as examples of initiatives that directly supported market traders.

“The opposition often wonders why the poorest segments of the population continually familiarise themselves with the All Progressives Congress during elections. The answer is simple: the party meets them at their point of immediate need,” he said.

The presidential aide said the First Lady’s record as a former First Lady of Lagos State, a three-term senator and now First Lady of the Federation showed a consistent commitment to empowerment programmes.

He said she would not be discouraged by criticism from continuing her interventions for vulnerable Nigerians.

“She will not be distracted by digital static from doing what she has mastered over decades: empowering the poorest among us, one structured intervention at a time,” Olusegun said.