President Bola Tinubu made a playful remark about his wife, Oluremi Tinubu, referring to her as 'Iya Alakara' during the maiden press corps dinner at the presidential villa in Abuja on Thursday, July 2. The term references the recent controversy surrounding the first lady's comments on empowering women through small-scale food businesses.
First Lady's Remarks Spark Backlash
Oluremi Tinubu had previously made headlines by highlighting the importance of small-scale food businesses such as selling akara—a popular Nigerian snack made from deep-fried ground beans—and roasted corn. She noted that these ventures require little capital to start. Speaking in Abuja, she explained that her office provides grants, not loans, under the Renewed Hope Agenda. 'We're trying to give hope, and to start 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,' she said.
Critics Question Empowerment Scale
However, her remarks attracted backlash from critics who argued that more substantial empowerment initiatives are needed amid serious economic challenges facing the country. The controversy grew on social media, with many questioning the government's priorities.
President's Playful Joke at Press Corps Dinner
During the press corps dinner, President Tinubu addressed the backlash with humor. He playfully teased his wife, calling her 'Iya Alakara,' a nickname that references the akara controversy. The remark drew laughter from the audience and quickly generated reactions from Nigerians online.
Reactions from Nigerians
Several social media users shared their thoughts on the president's joke. Babs Soft commented, 'And you will want me to believe that this government does not know what's going on and the type of mess the streets are in with their renewed hardship? They knew what's up.' Another user, Ológbojò-CFRN, noted, 'It shows my president acquitted himself with what is going on in the nation and on social media.... Kudos to you, Mr President.' Àdíò expressed confidence in Tinubu's awareness of trends, saying, 'President Tinubu will always show you he's following the trend. I've been expecting this though.' Looking4sam remarked, 'I bet they all talked about it at home and they laughed about it. We are so cooked, ha!'
Context of the Akara Controversy
The first lady's comments were part of her broader message on economic empowerment through low-capital ventures. However, critics argued that in a time of high inflation and unemployment, the government should focus on larger-scale job creation. The president's lighthearted response appears to acknowledge the public discourse while deflecting criticism with humor.
