Minister of Works, David Umahi, has defended Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, over her recent advice encouraging young Nigerians to embrace vocational skills, revealing that his own mother sold beans pudding, popularly known as akara, while his father worked as a farmer.
Umahi made the remarks during a public event while responding to criticisms that followed the First Lady’s suggestion that young Nigerians could earn a living by roasting corn or selling akara.
The First Lady’s comments had sparked widespread reactions on social media, with many Nigerians criticizing the advice amid the country’s prevailing economic challenges. However, the Minister insisted that her message was genuine and intended to encourage self-reliance rather than attract ridicule.
According to Umahi, every citizen has a role to play in building the nation through productive work, stressing that vocational skills and small businesses should not be looked down upon.
“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 forward, everybody must be working. Everybody must have something to do,” he said.
The minister recalled his humble upbringing, noting that his parents’ occupations laid the foundation for his success.
“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, or continue to sell akara at their scale,” Umahi stated.
He urged Nigerians to stop mocking sincere advice from public officials, arguing that not everyone can pursue white-collar jobs.
“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.
Umahi’s comments come amid ongoing public debate over job creation, youth empowerment, and the need for entrepreneurship as Nigeria continues to grapple with economic challenges.
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