Nigeria Defence Minister Christopher Musa cites mother's akara trade at military families empowerment event

Defence Minister Christopher Musa spoke at a one‑day training and financial empowerment workshop for widows and wives of armed forces personnel held at Lungi Barracks in Abuja. He recounted that his mother sold akara and akamu to support his family, saying, “Don’t let anybody make you feel that selling akara and akamu is below standard.” Musa linked his personal story to recent criticism of First Lady Oluremi Tinubu’s financial assistance to akara sellers, urging Nigerians to respect petty traders and entrepreneurship.

The programme, titled “Renewed Hope for Families of the Armed Forces of Nigeria Through Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development,” was organised by the Ministry of Defence in collaboration with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) to provide entrepreneurial skills and financial support to military families.