Eucharia Anunobi says frying akara is better than asking for N2,000

Nollywood actress and evangelist Eucharia Anunobi has jumped into the debate started by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu. She is encouraging Nigerians to stop depending on handouts and to create their own opportunities.

In a video she posted on her social media on Sunday, Anunobi urged those in need of quick money to try businesses like frying akara, roasting corn, and making kulikuli. She believes that every successful business begins small.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mrs Tinubu encouraged Nigerians to go into the akara, kulikuli, and corn business instead of staying idle.

After facing backlash, she clarified that her empowerment message includes more than just akara sellers. It also covers traders selling tomatoes, vegetables, pepper, and the popular roasted plantain known as bole.

Her comments sparked many reactions and criticism from Nigerians and opposition politicians. But President Bola Tinubu, during the annual Presidential Press Corps Dinner in Abuja, supported his wife's call for small-scale businesses.

Anunobi said, "Every time you ask for an urgent 2k. Have you not heard that you can start a small-scale business like akara frying, corn roasting, kulikuli making, and before you can say First Lady Alakara, sorry, Chairman, Chairlady Alakara, you would have become a millionaire."

She continued, "Did you not hear, did you not read that it is written that God said I will bless the work of your hand. Hear me, if you lose, you will snooze. If you snooze, you will lose. I think that snooze, snooze, all right, whatever you want, don’t snooze."

The 61-year-old also advised Nigerians to start a business. She warned that without taking action, they would never become billionaires.

According to her, God blesses those who work, not those who are idle. "You refuse to start small. You have nothing that you are doing. What is in your hands for God to bless?" she stated. "If you snooze, you lose and never become a billionaire if you don’t start with these small-scale businesses: akara frying, corn roasting, and kulikuli making."

Anunobi's comments led to a flood of reactions, with her colleagues and many netizens sharing their thoughts in the comment section of her post.