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Oscar Okhifo
Human rights lawyer Inebehe Effiong has strongly criticized what he described as attempts by supporters of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to portray petty trading such as selling akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli as sustainable solutions to Nigeria’s worsening economic hardship.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, Effiong dismissed the narrative as insensitive and disconnected from the realities facing millions of Nigerians struggling under rising inflation, high fuel prices and the increasing cost of living.
According to him, those defending the administration should also include groundnut and sachet water businesses if they genuinely believe such ventures represent viable economic opportunities for ordinary Nigerians.
Effiong also questioned reports that First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu had donated billions of naira to non-governmental organisations (NGOs), challenging those making the claims to disclose the source of the funds, identify the beneficiary organisations and provide verifiable evidence that the donations had been properly utilised.
He further argued that advocates of what he termed the “akara economy” should demonstrate their confidence in the model by establishing such businesses for members of their own families.
“If your mother sold akara to train you, why haven’t you opened an akara factory for your wife, daughters, sons and political associates to sustain that entrepreneurial legacy?” he asked.
The lawyer questioned whether small-scale traders could realistically cope with Nigeria’s current economic realities, including paying children’s school fees, meeting rising healthcare costs, affording increasing house rents and purchasing fuel.
He stressed that his criticism was not directed at akara, roasted corn or kuli-kuli as legitimate sources of income, but at what he described as attempts by government supporters to present them as adequate responses to widespread economic hardship.
Effiong further accused the Tinubu family of living in luxury while many Nigerians battle hunger and hardship.
He cited what he described as the large convoys associated with President Bola Tinubu, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu and Seyi Tinubu as evidence of what he called a disconnect between the nation’s leaders and ordinary citizens.
According to him, it was “deceitful and disrespectful” for those enjoying the privileges of public office to encourage struggling Nigerians to embrace what he termed the “akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli economy.”
He concluded by describing the Tinubu administration as “a wasteful and disastrous experiment,” accusing it of worsening Nigeria’s economic challenges and urging political leaders to focus on policies that improve citizens’ welfare rather than making what he called unrealistic economic prescriptions.
The comments credited to First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu have continued to generate widespread debate across social media and conventional media platforms, with opinions sharply divided.
While the Presidency and supporters of the administration insist that the First Lady has been widely misquoted and that her remarks were intended as motherly advice aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship and self-reliance, many Nigerians, particularly young people, have interpreted the comments as an insult to citizens grappling with widespread unemployment, soaring inflation and deepening economic hardship under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The controversy has reignited broader conversations about the government’s handling of the economy, the rising cost of living and the growing disconnect many critics believe exists between Nigeria’s political leadership and the everyday realities faced by millions of citizens.
