SDP Party Lambasts Remi Tinubu Over ‘Akara Business’ Grant, Says Nigerians Deserve Prosperity, Not Survival
SDP Party Lambasts Remi Tinubu Over ‘Akara Business’ Grant, Says Nigerians Deserve Prosperity, Not Survival
In a statement issued by its South West Zonal Organising Secretary, Wale Balogun, the party argued that while there is dignity in small-scale businesses, presenting such ventures as a major solution to Nigeria’s worsening unemployment and economic crisis falls far short of what citizens deserve.
The opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP) has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s wife, Oluremi, over her reported proposal to support unemployed women with ₦50,000 grants to start businesses such as frying akara, roasting corn and producing kulikuli, describing the initiative as a reflection of “institutionalised poverty” rather than genuine economic empowerment.
In a statement issued by its South West Zonal Organising Secretary, Wale Balogun, the party argued that while there is dignity in small-scale businesses, presenting such ventures as a major solution to Nigeria’s worsening unemployment and economic crisis falls far short of what citizens deserve.
The statement, titled “May The South West Not Be Condemned To Selling Akara: Nigerians Deserve Prosperity, Not Institutionalised Poverty,” said the proposal underscores the failure of the current administration to address the country’s deepening economic challenges.
Balogun began with a Yoruba proverb, saying, “Ao ni taraka ni ile aye wa,” which he explained means, “May we never wander endlessly in hardship and suffer without progress in our lifetime.” According to him, the prayer reflects the aspiration of every Nigerian to escape poverty and live with dignity.
“It is therefore deeply troubling that Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, recently proposed a ₦50,000 start-up grant for unemployed women to engage in frying akara, roasting corn and producing kulikuli as a form of economic empowerment,” the statement saiid
The SDP stressed that it was not belittling roadside traders or small business owners, noting that millions of Nigerians have built honest livelihoods through such ventures.
“Let it be clearly stated: there is dignity in labour. There is absolutely nothing wrong with selling akara, roasted corn or kulikuli. Millions of hardworking Nigerians have legitimately earned their living through small businesses and deserve respect and support,” Balogun stated.
He, however, argued that amid soaring inflation, rising transport costs, expensive food prices and worsening business conditions, a ₦50,000 grant cannot realistically serve as a pathway out of poverty.
“At best, it is a token intervention; at worst, it signals an acceptance of poverty as public policy,” he said.
The party also questioned whether children of Nigeria’s political elite would be encouraged to pursue similar ventures as their path to economic success.
“How many children of those in the corridors of power, the political elite and their associates will be advised to take ₦50,000 and begin frying akara by the roadside as their route to prosperity? How many of them are being prepared for such a future? The answer is self-evident,” the statement added.
According to the SDP, the country’s worsening poverty is not the result of laziness among Nigerians but of economic policies that have weakened businesses, reduced productive capacity and made survival increasingly difficult for households.
The party further linked the country’s growing unemployment, underemployment and the continued wave of migration popularly known as Japa to what it described as the government’s failure to create an enabling environment for decent jobs and economic growth.
It urged the government to abandon what it described as symbolic interventions in favour of policies that support industrialisation, expand access to credit, encourage entrepreneurship and create sustainable employment opportunities with living wages.
The SDP also used the statement to position itself ahead of the 2027 general elections, urging Nigerians to reject policies that merely sustain hardship and instead embrace what it called a credible alternative focused on social justice, productive employment and shared prosperity.
“Our people deserve more than mere survival. They deserve a government committed to restoring dignity to labour and creating opportunities that enable citizens to thrive,” the statement concluded.
