By AbdurRaheem Sa’ad Dembo
I have always been saying that Nigerians are too judgemental and quick to pass verdict, whenever a leader speaks.Some of them usually view issues applying political lenses
Let me be frank, First lady has not said anything wrong.Some Nigerians who are educated and have opportunities to live in the city are using their standards to measure what the First lady has said
There are millions of rural women who are not educated and they are low income earners.A woman selling puff puff, locust beans,Kuli-Kuli and akara do not need millions to start to grow their businesses.That was the point she was trying to drive at.
Sincerely, she was not assuming that every Nigerian should aspire to become an Akara seller.Rather she was emphasising that honest,low-capital enterprises can provide a starting point for people with limited resources.
There is no doubt about the fact that many Nigerians have built livelihoods from petty trading, food vending and other micro-businesses. These are legitimate forms of entrepreneurship that deserve dignity rather than ridicule.
The First Lady has made some salient points when she emphasised on grants instead of loans.As we all know grants do not burden recipients like loans do, making it easier for the recipients to establish themselves.Within that realm, exploring examples of businesses with relatively low startup costs was intended to illustrate what such grants could realistically finance.
Fundamentally,there is nothing dishonourable about earning legitimately through small-scale businesses, which was what the first lady hammered on.
Mrs Tinubu also discussed how she has distributed billions to support TB,cancer treatment and malnutrition.The only argument I have read online about her statement and I subscribed to was that, there is no structure that would ensure that all the billions she has donated would get to those who actually need it.I think our government should begin to think in that direction.The billions impact must get to the beneficiaries.
The First Lady meant well for Nigerians and she has shown that in all capacity by reaching out to those who needed her assistance.
Like Mewolaka posted on her fabook post on Saturday morning,even though I don’t agree with her all of the time:Here is her opinion:
“But in all sincerity, she(Mrs Tinubu)wasn’t talking about graduates; she was talking about empowering those in abject poverty who are looking for a way out. Unfortunately, Nigerians are too angry and frustrated to understand.”
No government in the world can address all challenges but they can only ameliorate it.
She is the mother of the Nation and she can always aspire for things to get better through concerted effort and action:No mother would want her children to suffer.
AbdurRaheem Sa’ad Dembo anipr writes from Minna.
Is a member of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations
abdurraheemsaaddembo@gmail.com
