President Bola Tinubu has drawn attention online after referring to First Lady Oluremi Tinubu as Iya Alakara during the annual Presidential Press Corps Dinner in Abuja on Thursday.
The President made the humorous remark while introducing his wife to guests at the event, saying, “My dear wife, the First Lady, Iya Alakara.”
The comment immediately drew laughter from those in attendance and quickly reignited discussions surrounding the First Lady’s earlier remarks on small-scale businesses.
The phrase Iya Alakara, which translates to “mother of akara,” became a trending topic after Oluremi Tinubu encouraged vulnerable Nigerians to consider starting low-cost businesses such as frying akara, roasting corn, or producing kulikuli through grants provided by her office.
Tinubu’s Joke Revives Debate Over Viral Akara Comments
The President’s light-hearted comment comes just days after the First Lady faced widespread criticism over her remarks during the second-quarter meeting of the Renewed Hope Initiative with the wives of the 36 state governors in Abuja.
Speaking at the event, Oluremi Tinubu explained that beneficiaries of her empowerment programme receive grants rather than loans to establish small businesses.
She said, “We’re trying to give hope, and to start the Akara business doesn’t take a lot of money. To start roasting corn, or somebody even said Kulikuli, doesn’t take much. We didn’t give them a loan; we gave it to them as a grant.”
Although the statement was intended to highlight affordable business opportunities for vulnerable Nigerians, many social media users argued that it did not reflect the country’s current economic realities, including rising inflation, unemployment and the increasing cost of living.
The remarks quickly went viral, with the nickname Iya Alakara becoming one of the most talked-about phrases online as Nigerians created memes and shared different opinions about the First Lady’s comments.
First Lady Defends Empowerment Programme
Following the public reaction, Oluremi Tinubu later clarified that her empowerment initiative extends beyond akara businesses.
Speaking during the commissioning of the Abubakar Maje Haruna Hall inside the Emir of Hadejia’s Palace in Jigawa State, she addressed the criticism directly.
“And I know they’ve been talking that I said akara. It’s not just akara; we also have tomato sellers. We have bole, and those selling pepper, selling vegetables for us in the market, we’ll continue to empower them, add to their resources so that their trade can really be sustainable,” she said.
According to the First Lady, the Renewed Hope Initiative provides financial grants to different categories of petty traders, helping them expand their businesses without the burden of loan repayment.
