Amanze Chinonye
Presidential spokesperson Sunday Dare has responded to Punch columnist Abimbola Adelakun, rejecting her criticism of his defence of First Lady Oluremi Tinubu’s remarks on entrepreneurship and accusing the academic of displaying “intellectual vanity” and elitism.
In a lengthy rebuttal titled The Unfiltered Mind of Abimbola Adelakun, Dare dismissed Adelakun’s July 2 column, The Unexamined Life of Sunday Dare, in which she argued that the presidential adviser misunderstood the realities of poverty and romanticised petty trading as a pathway to economic prosperity.
The exchange stems from public reactions to remarks by the First Lady encouraging Nigerians, particularly women, to embrace small-scale businesses such as selling akara and kulikuli as a means of livelihood.
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In her column, Adelakun questioned Dare’s defence of the First Lady’s comments, arguing that his reference to billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote as someone who started as a trader overlooked the structural advantages required for economic mobility.
She argued that the Nigeria in which Dare’s generation grew up offered affordable public education and greater opportunities than exist today, insisting that many of the conditions that enabled upward mobility have since deteriorated.
According to Adelakun, the increasing privatisation of education, rising living costs and worsening economic hardship have made it far more difficult for low-income Nigerians to escape poverty through petty trading alone.
She also criticised successive government empowerment programmes, including TraderMoni and similar cash and equipment distribution schemes, arguing that they had failed to deliver sustainable economic transformation.
Responding, Dare described Adelakun’s arguments as detached from the realities faced by ordinary Nigerians and accused her of looking down on informal traders.
He argued that the columnist portrayed roadside traders merely as symbols of state failure rather than recognising their resilience and contribution to the economy.
Dare maintained that progress is built gradually and defended small-scale entrepreneurship as a legitimate foundation for wealth creation.
He questioned what alternative Adelakun was offering to millions of Nigerians struggling to earn a living, arguing that dismissing micro-enterprises amounted to disregarding the practical realities of economic survival.
The presidential aide also rejected Adelakun’s claim that his generation benefited from a significantly more functional Nigeria, saying every generation has faced its own economic and social challenges.
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Defending his personal story, Dare said his mother’s modest trading business enabled him to rise from humble beginnings to public service, insisting that not every successful small business is expected to become a billion-dollar enterprise.
He further accused the columnist of harbouring resentment towards public officials who encourage entrepreneurship, arguing that her criticism underestimated the role of the informal economy in supporting millions of households.
The exchange underscores the broader debate over the Tinubu administration’s economic messaging. While critics argue that promoting small-scale trading does little to address Nigeria’s structural economic challenges, supporters maintain that entrepreneurship remains an important pathway to self-reliance and economic empowerment.
Amanze Chinonye is a Staff Correspondent at Prime Business Africa, a rising star in the literary world, weaving captivating stories that transport readers to the vibrant landscapes of Nigeria and the rest of Africa. With a unique voice that blends with the newspaper's tradition and style, Chinonye's writing is a masterful exploration of the human condition, delving into themes of identity, culture, and social justice. Through her words, Chinonye paints vivid portraits of everyday African life, from the bustling markets of Nigeria's Lagos to the quiet villages of South Africa's countryside . With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the complexities of Nigerian society, Chinonye's writing is both a testament to the country's rich cultural heritage and a powerful call to action for a brighter future. As a writer, Chinonye is a true storyteller, using her dexterity to educate, inspire, and uplift readers around the world.
