Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has waded into the ongoing controversy surrounding First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu's recent remarks encouraging Nigerians to embrace small-scale businesses such as frying akara, roasting corn, and selling kuli-kuli, defending the advice as genuine and well-intentioned while reminding critics that not everyone can be a banker.
Speaking at a public event on Thursday, July 2, 2026, Umahi urged Nigerians to stop trivialising every well-meaning piece of advice and emphasised that every citizen has a duty to contribute meaningfully to the nation's development. He said that when the First Lady, whom he described as the nation's mother, sought to encourage young people, it was a call for Nigerians to change their attitude toward work and be productive.
Drawing on his own upbringing, the minister argued that a humble background should not be seen as a limitation. He recalled that his mother sold akara and farmed alongside his father, but noted that this did not mean he was obligated to continue farming or selling akara at the same scale simply because it funded his education. He questioned why genuine advice was constantly being ridiculed and asked whether everyone could realistically become a banker at once, urging Nigerians to be serious for once.
The controversy began on June 24, 2026, when the First Lady, while speaking at the State House in Abuja, advised Nigerians to consider low-capital ventures such as frying akara, roasting corn, and making kuli-kuli as part of the government's Renewed Hope Initiative empowerment programme. Her comments sparked a fierce backlash on social media, with many Nigerians accusing her of trivialising the severe economic hardship facing the country and being disconnected from the realities of ordinary citizens.
However, Umahi dismissed the criticism, insisting that the First Lady's counsel was undeserving of mockery. "When the First Lady sought to encourage young people, it was a call for Nigerians to change their attitude toward work," he said. "Everyone must be productive the way people are in China if the country is to move forward." He added that his own mother's akara business funded his education, proving that such ventures are not demeaning but rather legitimate pathways to success.
Beyond defending the First Lady, Umahi also used the platform to respond to claims by Arise TV journalist Rufai Oseni that the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project was responsible for recent flooding in Lagos. The minister dismissed the allegation, telling Oseni to leave infrastructure matters to professionals and describing himself and his colleagues as the true experts on infrastructure.
The debate over the First Lady's remarks has drawn reactions from across the political spectrum. While critics have accused her of being out of touch, others have defended her, arguing that akara and other small-scale businesses have helped countless families build homes and educate children. President Bola Tinubu himself joined the conversation on Thursday night, playfully teasing his wife as "Iya Alakara" (Mama Akara Seller) during the inaugural Presidential Press Corps Dinner at the State House, drawing laughter from the audience.
For Umahi, the message is clear: honest labour, no matter how humble, deserves respect. "Everyone won't be bankers," he declared, urging Nigerians to embrace productivity and stop ridiculing well-meaning advice.
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