Presidential aide defends First Lady's advice on low-capital businesses, shares personal story

Speaking on the Mic On Podcast, Dare argued that critics misunderstood the First Lady's message, which focused on micro-enterprise, self-reliance, and the dignity of labor. The controversy arose after Tinubu suggested at a Renewed Hope Initiative meeting that starting such businesses "doesn't take a lot of money" and mentioned that the initiative provides grants for these ventures. Critics online labeled her remarks as "out-of-touch" due to rising costs.

Dare countered that the informal economy is crucial to Nigeria's resilience and warned against disparaging small-scale trades. He shared his personal experience, stating his mother sold akara, bananas, and oranges, which enabled her to train him. He questioned why an economic survival model that worked in the past should be ridiculed now, emphasizing that the First Lady's message encourages an entrepreneurial mindset and engagement in some form of enterprise, not to relegate youths to petty trading permanently.