The Director General of Relax, Tinubu Is Fixing Nigeria (RTIFN), Ahmed Bala, has defended First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu over her recent remarks encouraging Nigerians to embrace small-scale businesses, saying her comments have been misunderstood and unnecessarily politicised.

The First Lady made the remarks on Wednesday while speaking with journalists after the second-quarter meeting of the Renewed Hope Initiative with the wives of state governors at the State House in Abuja.

Speaking on the initiative's activities, Mrs. Tinubu explained that the programme provides grants—not loans—to vulnerable Nigerians to help them establish businesses and improve their livelihoods.

"We're trying to give hope, and to start an akara business doesn't take a lot of money. To start roasting corn, or somebody even said kuli kuli, doesn't take much. We didn't give them a loan; we gave it to them as a grant.

"So we've encouraged Nigerians as best as we could. What is within our hands, I have given, and I keep giving," she said.

Her comments, however, sparked criticism on social media, with some Nigerians accusing her of trivialising the country's economic hardship by suggesting small-scale businesses such as frying akara or roasting corn.

Reacting to the controversy, Bala said the First Lady's remarks were intended to encourage entrepreneurship, productivity and self-reliance rather than insult unemployed Nigerians.

According to him, she was simply reminding Nigerians that the culture of depending on influential contacts for financial support is gradually giving way to one that values honest work, regardless of the occupation.

"What Senator Oluremi Tinubu is saying is simple: if you don't have a job, create one. There is dignity in labour. No honest means of livelihood should be looked down upon," Bala said.

He argued that many Nigerians who criticise such advice are often willing to take on difficult and physically demanding jobs abroad in search of better opportunities.

"There is a generation that will cross the Sahara Desert, risk the Mediterranean Sea or the Atlantic Ocean in search of opportunities abroad. Many of them sweep streets, wash dead bodies in mortuaries, work as caregivers in nursing homes and perform all kinds of difficult jobs overseas without shame. Yet, the same people criticise the First Lady for encouraging entrepreneurship at home," he stated.

Bala maintained that the First Lady's comments should be seen as a call to action rather than a political statement.

"The era when people could simply call one or two influential contacts to raise money for house rent is fading away. The economy cannot continue to sustain a culture of dependence. Nigerians must embrace productivity, innovation and enterprise," he added.

He further stressed that building a prosperous nation requires the active participation of every citizen, noting that government alone cannot create wealth without the support of hardworking and productive people.

"Nation building is everyone's responsibility. Every individual must contribute through hard work, creativity and enterprise. That is how successful economies are built," he said.

Drawing comparisons with countries such as China and Singapore, Bala argued that their rapid economic transformation was driven by strong work ethics, entrepreneurship and respect for honest labour.

He urged Nigerians to focus less on political controversies and instead channel their energy into creating opportunities for themselves through skills acquisition, innovation and small businesses.

"The First Lady's message is about encouraging self-reliance, not diminishing anyone's struggles. Rather than politicising her comments, we should encourage every Nigerian to become productive, because the future of our country depends on the willingness of all of us to work and build together," he said.