Post by Olatubosun David (@bosunbeloved)

There is nothing wrong with selling àkàrà and kulikuli, like madam Tinubu rightly advised. Honest labour is dignified, and a good number of Nigerians earn a living through small businesses. In fact, my grandmother of good memory, sold iyán kòlọ́bẹ̀, to sponsor us; I lived with her. The problem is not the advice itself, but the context and the adviser.

When leaders who have presided over years of economic hardship suddenly begin to advise struggling citizens to start selling àkàrà and kulikuli, it raises questions. Such statements can appear less like genuine empathy and more like political theatre, especially when they emerge close to another election season, just like this.

Nigerian politicians often return to the people with comforting words, which I term condolences, token handouts, and carefully crafted displays of humility whenever elections draw near. Yet people like us judge them not by their speeches but by their record in office. If living conditions have worsened, promises and symbolic gestures alone are unlikely to restore public confidence.

The beauty of work, no matter how humble it may look, should never be mocked. However, those entrusted with leadership should also be held accountable for creating an economy where citizens have genuine opportunities to thrive, rather than merely survive.

Olatubosun David.

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