President Bola Tinubu got many people laughing on Thursday after he playfully called First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu “Iya Alakara.” The light-hearted moment happened during the Presidential Press Corps Dinner at the State House in Abuja. While greeting guests, the President smiled and said,
“Good evening, gentlemen of the press, ladies and gentlemen, my dear wife, the First Lady, Iya Alakara.”
The audience immediately burst into laughter. The joke quickly caught attention because it referenced the recent online debate over the First Lady’s comments about petty businesses.
The nickname came just days after Oluremi Tinubu encouraged Nigerian women to consider small businesses like selling akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli. She made the remarks during the Renewed Hope Initiative empowerment programme. According to her, such businesses “don’t take much money” to start.
However, many Nigerians reacted strongly on social media. Critics described the comments as insensitive because of the country’s rising cost of living and worsening economic hardship. As a result, the discussion quickly became one of the biggest talking points online.
Meanwhile, the First Lady has responded to the criticism. Speaking during the inauguration of the newly built Abubakar Maje Haruna Hall at the Emir of Hadejia’s Palace in Jigawa State, she explained that the programme goes beyond akara sellers. She also revealed that the Federal Government released ₦100 million to support 2,000 petty traders in the state. She said,
“And I know they’ve been talking that I said akara. 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.”
She added that the goal is to help small business owners grow and keep their businesses running. According to her,
“We will continue to empower them and add to their resources so that their trade can really be sustainable. So that is what we are doing.”
Although the First Lady has clarified her remarks, public reactions remain mixed.
Even so, President Tinubu’s playful “Iya Alakara” comment added a humorous twist to a conversation that has dominated social media in recent days.
