President Bola Tinubu drew laughter at a State House event on Thursday after playfully referring to the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, as “Iya Alakara”—a light-hearted nod to the recent public debate surrounding her remarks on small-scale businesses.
The President made the comment while welcoming guests at the Presidential Press Corps Dinner held at the State House in Abuja. A video shared by Aso Rock TV captured the moment as Tinubu smiled before introducing his wife to the audience.
“Good evening, gentlemen of the press, ladies and gentlemen, my dear wife, the First Lady, Iya Alakara,” the President said, prompting laughter from those in attendance.
The nickname comes weeks after the First Lady encouraged Nigerian women to consider starting small businesses such as selling akara (bean cakes), roasted corn and kuli-kuli during an economic empowerment programme under the Renewed Hope Initiative.
Her statement that such businesses “don’t take much money” to establish sparked widespread reactions on social media, with many Nigerians arguing that the remarks did not reflect the economic realities facing millions of citizens amid rising inflation and the high cost of living.
Responding to the criticism earlier this week, Oluremi Tinubu clarified that the empowerment programme was never limited to akara sellers. Speaking at the inauguration of the newly completed Abubakar Maje Haruna Hall at the Emir of Hadejia’s Palace in Jigawa State, she explained that the initiative supports a wide range of petty traders.
According to the First Lady, the Federal Government has provided ₦100 million to empower 2,000 small-scale traders in Jigawa State through the programme.
Addressing the controversy directly, she said the beneficiaries include tomato sellers, pepper vendors, vegetable traders, roasted corn sellers and other small business owners.
“It’s not only akara. We also have tomato sellers. We have bole, and those also selling pepper and vegetables in the market,” she said.
Oluremi Tinubu added that the initiative is designed to strengthen small businesses by providing financial support that will help traders expand and sustain their businesses over time.
