Sunday Dare Defends First Lady’s ‘Akara’ Comment, Cites Mother’s Struggles

Presidential spokesperson Sunday Dare has defended First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s recent remarks encouraging Nigerians to embrace small-scale entrepreneurship, saying his personal experience proves that modest businesses can transform lives.

Speaking amid criticism trailing the First Lady’s comments on akara trading, Dare revealed that his mother sold akara, bananas and oranges to support the family and fund his education.

According to him, the First Lady’s message was about encouraging enterprise and self-reliance, regardless of how small the starting point may be.

Dare said he personally hawked bananas in markets in Jos, Plateau State, stressing that there is dignity in small businesses and that many successful ventures begin on a modest scale.

He urged critics to focus on the broader message of entrepreneurship, noting that even some of Nigeria’s biggest business success stories started as small trading ventures.

The debate over the First Lady’s remarks has continued to generate mixed reactions, with many Nigerians questioning whether micro-enterprises can still thrive amid rising inflation and the increasing cost of doing business.

Meanwhile, an akara seller who spoke on the issue said she started her business with ₦12,000 and made a profit of ₦5,000 in one day. She added that additional capital of between ₦20,000 and ₦30,000 would enable her expand the business and increase her earnings.