President Bola Tinubu on Thursday jokingly referred to First Lady Oluremi Tinubu as “Iya Alakara” during the annual Presidential Press Corps Dinner in Abuja.

The remark referenced the First Lady’s recent comments encouraging vulnerable Nigerians to consider small-scale businesses such as frying akara and roasting corn, remarks that sparked widespread criticism on social media.

The annual dinner, hosted by the President, brings together journalists accredited to cover the Presidency and senior government officials.

Iya Alakara

Addressing journalists at the dinner, Mr Tinubu affectionately described the First Lady as “My dear wife, the First Lady, Iya Alakara,” drawing laughter from guests.

The remark was widely interpreted as a light-hearted reference to the controversy that followed the First Lady’s comments on entrepreneurship and self-reliance.

Critics had argued that the comments underestimated the country’s worsening economic hardship and rising unemployment.

Addressing journalists at the dinner, Mr Tinubu affectionately described the First Lady as “My dear wife, the First Lady, Iya Alakara,” a reference many interpreted as a light-hearted nod to the controversy that has dominated public discourse in recent days.

Backstory

Mr Tinubu’s playful reference came days after the First Lady defended her remarks, insisting her empowerment initiatives extend beyond Akara sellers to include traders dealing in tomatoes, vegetables, pepper and roasted plantain, popularly known as bole.

Speaking at the commissioning of the Abubakar Maje Haruna Hall inside the Emir of Hadejia’s Palace in Jigawa State, she clarified that her office supports a wide range of small-scale entrepreneurs.

“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.

Backlash

Mrs Tinubu’s original remarks were made after the second-quarter meeting of the Renewed Hope Initiative with wives of the 36 state governors at the State House, Abuja.

Explaining the initiative’s interventions, she said her office provides grants not loans to vulnerable Nigerians to help them establish small businesses.

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“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,” she had said.

The comments sparked widespread criticism, with many Nigerians arguing that they understated the country’s worsening cost-of-living crisis and rising unemployment.

Reactions

Mr Tinubu’s “Iya Alakara” remark quickly generated reactions on social media.

While some users described it as evidence that the Presidency was aware of the public criticism surrounding the First Lady’s comments, others viewed it as an attempt to inject humour into the controversy.

Below are some of the comments.