President Bola Tinubu on Thursday drew laughter from guests at a public event after playfully introducing the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, as “Iya Alakara,” popularly translated as “Mama Akara.”
The President made the light-hearted remark while acknowledging dignitaries, journalists and other guests during his address.
“Good evening, gentlemen of the press, ladies and gentlemen, my dear wife, the First Lady, Iya Alakara (Mama Akara),” Tinubu said, prompting amusement from those in attendance.
The humorous reference appeared to allude to comments previously made by the First Lady, in which she encouraged Nigerian youths to embrace small-scale businesses such as frying akara, producing kuli-kuli and roasting corn as legitimate sources of income.
She had argued that such ventures, when supported through government empowerment initiatives, could provide sustainable livelihoods for many young Nigerians.
Her remarks sparked mixed reactions across the country. While supporters viewed the advice as a practical call for entrepreneurship and self-reliance, critics contended that the government should focus more on creating skilled jobs and expanding formal employment opportunities.
Tinubu’s use of the nickname is widely seen as a playful acknowledgement of the public conversations generated by the First Lady’s earlier comments.
Although the President did not elaborate further on the remark, it quickly became one of the memorable moments of the event, reigniting discussions on youth entrepreneurship, economic empowerment and the importance of small businesses in addressing unemployment.
