Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, says Nigerians should learn to accord dignity and respect to petty traders.
Musa spoke while revealing that his mother sustained their family through the sale of “akara and akamu”, popular Nigerian staple.
According to him, the sacrifice laid the foundation for his rise to public office.
Musa said no honest means of livelihood should be looked down upon, stressing that small businesses remain powerful tools for family survival and economic advancement.
The Minister spoke in Abuja during a one-day training and financial empowerment workshop for widows and wives of military personnel, organised by the Ministry of Defence in collaboration with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).
It was themed, “Renewed Hope for Families of the Armed Forces of Nigeria Through Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development.”
Organisers said it was aimed at equipping participants with entrepreneurial skills and financial support.
The Defence Minister, who used his personal experience to encourage the beneficiaries, said his mother’s determination to complement his father’s efforts through petty trading transformed the fortunes of their family.
He said, “A few weeks ago, the First Lady, the mother of the nation, contributed some amount for akara sellers and others, and I was surprised when I heard the responses from citizens.
“Standing here today as the Minister of Defence, my mother sold akamu. It is with that akamu that supported my mother to where I am today.”
Musa said he remains grateful for his mother’s sacrifices, noting that her willingness to engage in small scale trading helped shape his future.
“I am very proud that my mother supported my father by selling akara and akamu. Don’t let anybody make you feel that selling akara and akamu is below standard,” he added.
The Defence Minister said entrepreneurship offers families a dependable path to self-reliance and economic resilience.
He urged participants at the workshop to make productive use of the opportunities provided while expressing optimism that empowering military families through enterprise development would strengthen their economic wellbeing while complementing the Federal Government’s efforts to improve the welfare of personnel and their dependants.
The minister’s remark is coming amid lingering public debate over the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s decision to provide financial support to akara sellers and other petty traders under her Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI).
The intervention was introduced as part of efforts to empower women operating at the grassroots, especially those running micro and small businesses.
Beneficiaries included food vendors, market women, artisans and other low income entrepreneurs.
The initiative, however, divided public opinion.
Supporters described it as a practical intervention targeted at the informal sector, which provides livelihoods for millions of Nigerians and contributes significantly to the country’s economy.
Critics, on the other hand, argued that while the gesture was well intentioned, the country’s economic challenges required broader solutions capable of addressing inflation, unemployment and the rising cost of living.
The debate gained traction on social media, with many questioning the emphasis on akara sellers, while others insisted that every honest business deserves recognition and support, regardless of its size.
Economists and development experts later pointed out that micro enterprises remain the backbone of Nigeria’s informal economy, employing millions of women and serving as the primary source of income for many households.
They also noted that access to small grants and business support has historically helped petty traders expand their businesses, improve family welfare and create jobs within their communities.
It is against this backdrop that Defence Minister recounted how his mother sold akara and akamu to support the family, saying her resilience enabled him to rise from a humble background to become Nigeria’s Minister of Defence.
