Beyond the Jokes: Fair Hearing for the First Lady’s Grassroots Empowerment

I believe criticism of the First Lady’s remarks on akara and kuli-kuli sellers has missed her point. She addressed grassroots women who rely on petty trading to survive, not graduates and professionals. Social media quickly seized on soundbites and twisted her message. Millions of Nigerian women wake before dawn to fry akara, roast corn, sell kuli-kuli and support their families. Helping them scale up with better equipment and small capital can boost incomes, create jobs and strengthen local economies. There is dignity in honest labor. Roadside vendors, artisans and small traders deserve respect. Empowerment is about lifting people from poverty, not creating billionaires overnight. We should hold public officials accountable, but we must listen carefully and criticize based on facts. Fair debate starts with understanding the true intent behind policy proposals.

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