Raymond Tukpe

Since I woke up this morning, I've taken my time to go through the comments, quotes, and advice people have shared. Trust me, I'm going to take every single piece of advice seriously. However, there's one advice I will not take, and that's people telling me to stay away from politics and focus solely on my business. I think I responded to someone's comment suggesting that we should vote for Peter Obi, and I noticed that quite a number of people dragged me for it. But honestly, why should I be told not to talk about politics and just concentrate on my business? Who do you think put me in the situation I'm currently in? Is it not the government? I shouldn't talk about politics, but politics is talking about me. Do you understand how badly government policies have affected my business and my livelihood? I'm genuinely grateful to everyone who came through for me, but the truth is, I'm still going to bear losses. And who created the economic conditions that contributed to those losses? The government. Let me also address those who believe I made a financial mistake by opening the shop in the first place. Yes, perhaps there were things I could have done differently, but let me give you some context. My shop is strategically located between two major universities in Port Harcourt: the University of Science and Technology (UST) and Ignatius Ajuru University. These institutions have thousands of students. Do you honestly think these students don't want cookies? Why do you think I chose that location in the first place? The idea was simple: students from both universities would make up a significant part of my customer base. Interestingly, since this whole support campaign started, a good number of the people who have shown up to support me are students from these same universities. They have always been my target audience. But the problem is that the economy has destroyed their purchasing power. These students, who ordinarily would patronise my business, are now more concerned about paying school fees, feeding themselves, and meeting their basic needs. And somehow, I'm being told not to talk about politics? You're telling me to focus on my business, post my products, and leave politics alone. But why can't I do both? Why can't I promote my business and also speak about the political leadership and candidate I believe can bring about the change we desperately need? Why shouldn't I advocate for someone I believe can help change the circumstances that have made running a small business this difficult? I was fortunate that my situation gained attention and people rallied around me. But what happens the next time? Will I have to depend on a viral post before I can make meaningful sales? Is that how a business should survive? Absolutely not. I appreciate every single person who has supported me, advised me, encouraged me, and shown me love. I will take the business advice, learn from my mistakes, and make better decisions going forward. But please, don't tell me to stop talking about politics. The economy is affecting my business. Government policies are affecting my customers. The political decisions being made in this country have direct consequences on my livelihood. I cannot separate my business struggles from the politics and economic realities that contribute to them. I have every right to speak about both. PLEASE VOTE PETER OBI!!! ✌️