Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday night turned a recent social media storm into a moment of levity, playfully teasing his wife, First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, by referring to her as "Iya Alakara" (Mama Akara Seller) during the inaugural Presidential Press Corps Dinner at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja.
The light-hearted remark came as the President acknowledged dignitaries during his address, drawing laughter and applause from the audience of journalists, government officials, and guests. "Good evening, gentlemen of the press, ladies and gentlemen, my dear wife, the First Lady, Iya Alakara," Tinubu said, prompting an eruption of laughter from the crowd.
The nickname referenced the intense public debate that erupted weeks earlier following the First Lady's comments encouraging Nigerian women to venture into small-scale businesses such as selling akara (bean cakes), roasted corn, and kuli-kuli through the Renewed Hope Initiative's empowerment programme. In a video that went viral, Senator Tinubu had said, "To start akara business doesn't take a lot of money. To start roasting corn or kuli-kuli doesn't take much. We didn't give them a loan; we gave it to them as a grant."
The remarks sparked widespread criticism on social media, with many Nigerians arguing that they downplayed the severity of the country's economic hardship and appeared to trivialise the struggles of ordinary citizens. Critics suggested that encouraging petty trading was an inadequate response to the deepening cost-of-living crisis facing millions of Nigerians.
Responding to the backlash earlier this week during the inauguration of the Abubakar Maje Haruna Hall at the Emir of Hadejia's Palace in Jigawa State, the First Lady clarified that her comments had been misunderstood. She explained that the Federal Government's empowerment programme targeted a wide range of petty traders — including sellers of tomatoes, pepper, vegetables, roasted plantain, and other goods — not just akara vendors.
She also disclosed that the government had provided ₦100 million to the Jigawa State Government to support 2,000 petty traders under the initiative, with each beneficiary receiving grants to expand their businesses. "Because of the atmosphere, what is going on, I've told Her Excellency that we've already given, donated about 100 million to her to use to empower 2,000 petty traders," she said. "It's not only akara, we also have tomato sellers. We have boole, and those also selling pepper, selling vegetables for us in the market."
President Tinubu's playful jab at his wife has generated mixed reactions on social media. Some Nigerians interpreted the remark as a sign that the President is aware of trending national conversations and is not disconnected from public sentiment. One user wrote: "It shows my president acquainted himself with what is going on in the nation and on social media.... Kudos to you, Mr President." Others suggested that the first family had likely discussed the controversy privately and found humour in the situation. One user commented: "I bet they all talked about it at home and they laughed about it. We are so cooked, ha!"
However, some critics remained unconvinced, questioning whether the government truly understood the depth of hardship facing ordinary Nigerians. One user remarked: "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."
The inaugural Presidential Press Corps Dinner, hosted at the State House, was intended to strengthen ties between the Presidency and the media. The event provided a rare moment of humour amid the mounting economic and security challenges facing the nation. President Tinubu's playful reference to his wife as "Iya Alakara" served as a reminder that even in the midst of serious national discourse, there is room for light-heartedness — and that the President is paying attention to the conversations shaping the country.
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