Remi Tinubu sparks debate after urging Nigerians to start akara, corn businesses

First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has come under fire on social media after encouraging Nigerians to consider small-scale ventures such as selling akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli, saying the businesses require little capital to begin.

Tinubu made the remarks while speaking with correspondents following the second-quarter meeting of the Renewed Hope Initiative with wives of state governors at the State House in Abuja on Wednesday.

A video of her comments, shared by News Channel 247 on Friday, quickly generated widespread reactions online.

Speaking on the activities of the Renewed Hope Initiative, the First Lady said the programme had been providing grants, rather than loans, to vulnerable Nigerians to help them start businesses and improve their livelihoods.

“We’re trying to give hope, and to start Akara business doesn’t take a lot of money. To start roasting corn, or somebody even said kuli kuli doesn’t take much. We didn’t give them a loan; we gave it to them as a grant.

“So we’ve encouraged Nigerians as best as we could. What is within our hands, I have given, and I keep giving,” she said.

Tinubu also highlighted the initiative’s interventions in healthcare, education, agriculture and social investment, noting that she had personally supported several causes with substantial donations.

“I remember giving for TB. When I heard there were so many TB cases, I gave N2 billion. To breast cancer, I gave a billion. For food malnutrition, I gave half a billion.

“So those are the things we’ve been doing and making sure we can make sure that whatever this government is trying to do, it will see the light of day,” she stated.

According to the First Lady, the initiative has also provided scholarships, ICT training opportunities and support for agricultural and social investment programmes.

She urged Nigerians to remain hopeful despite the prevailing economic difficulties.

“The narrative has really changed, has changed to challenge the average man, whereas the average man is supposed to have hope. So I like the idea that Mr President say this is the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“We have to renew our hope, and that’s how we renew our hope, you know, and that’s what I have to tell Nigerians,” she said.

However, her comments on small-scale businesses triggered swift criticism, with many social media users accusing her of downplaying the severity of the country’s economic challenges.

An X user, @ADCVanguard_, said the video demonstrated “exactly how disconnected Nigeria’s ruling class has become from the reality of ordinary citizens.”

Another user, @ireteeh, compared the initiative’s interventions with private-sector efforts, writing: “The First Lady is empowering people with akara, corn, and kuli-kuli, while an ordinary citizen with limited resources is equipping people to build thriving careers in cybersecurity.”

A user identified as Nefertiti (@firstladyship) also criticised the remarks, saying, “Nigerians are in big trouble. There is fire on the mountain but the people are tired of running.”

Despite the backlash, some Nigerians defended the First Lady, arguing that there was nothing wrong with encouraging people to engage in small businesses.

One X user, @Akikanju1568901, described akara as “one of the most lucrative businesses in Nigeria,” noting that the trade has enabled many families to train their children in universities and acquire houses and cars.

Another user, @PemiOladapo, wrote: “There’s dignity in labour… these are our local snacks! People should start it and scale it!”

Meanwhile, another commentator, @TossynBankz_, argued that the issue was not the nature of the businesses but the broader economic context.

“Nobody is mocking akara, roasted corn, or kuli-kuli. Those are honest businesses. The problem is that Nigerians are asking for a better economy, more jobs, and lower prices. Telling people to start selling akara in this situation just feels like the government doesn’t understand what people are going through,” the user wrote.