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Minister of Works, David Umahi, has said his mother sold beans cake, popularly known as akara, while his father was a farmer, as he defended remarks made by the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, encouraging Nigerians to embrace hard work and vocational skills.
The First Lady, wife of President Bola Tinubu, had recently urged young Nigerians to consider small-scale businesses such as roasting corn and selling akara as a means of livelihood.
However, her comments sparked widespread criticism on social media and among some public commentators.
Speaking at a public event, Umahi said the First Lady’s message was well-intentioned and should not be mocked.
“When our First Lady, our Mother of the Nation, was trying to encourage the youths, we must change our work attitude. Everybody must be working, like in China. To take our country, everybody must be working. Everybody must have something to do,” he said.
He added that his personal background reflects the same values of hard work.
“My mother was selling akara. My father was a farmer. But it doesn’t necessarily mean that having used that to train me, I will continue to farm at their scale, I will continue to sell akara at their scale,” Umahi said.
The minister also urged Nigerians to stop dismissing sincere advice aimed at national development.
“Why do we make joke of every genuine advice? Will everybody be a banker at the same time? So, let us be serious, for once,” he added.
The statement comes amid ongoing debate about youth empowerment, job creation, and the role of vocational skills in Nigeria’s economy.
Samuel Agada is a writer and media contributor from Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria. He is a graduate of Biochemistry from the University of Jos and a former banker with GTBank and FCMB. A prolific writer, songwriter, educator, and Gospel preacher, he is passionate about informing, inspiring, and impacting society through his work.