Tinubu playfully calls First Lady ‘Iya Alakara’ following akara controversy

President Bola Tinubu light-heartedly referred to his wife, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, as "Iya Alakara" during a public event, a nickname that playfully acknowledges recent public debate surrounding her comments on petty trading.

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Good evening, gentlemen of the press, ladies and gentlemen, my dear wife, the First Lady, Iya Alakara.

The President used the moniker while greeting dignitaries at the Presidential Press Corps Dinner held at the State House in Abuja. The moment, captured on video, drew laughter from the audience.

The nickname stems from remarks the First Lady made weeks prior, suggesting Nigerian women engage in small-scale businesses like selling akara, roasted corn, and kuli-kuli under the Renewed Hope Initiative. She stated such ventures "don't take much money" to start, a comment that sparked widespread criticism on social media. Many found the statement insensitive amid the country's economic hardship.

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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.

Responding to the backlash, Senator Oluremi Tinubu clarified that the government's economic empowerment initiative is not limited to akara sellers. Speaking at the inauguration of a new hall in Jigawa State, she announced a ₦100 million donation to empower 2,000 small-scale traders in the state. She emphasized that the program supports various petty traders, including those selling tomatoes and vegetables, aiming to strengthen their businesses through financial support and sustainable resources.

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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.