At the Presidential Press Corps Dinner held on Thursday at the State House in Abuja, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu injected humor into the evening by playfully addressing the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, as “Iya Alakara” — a Yoruba phrase meaning “Mama Akara Seller.”
The remark, delivered in a jovial tone, sparked laughter and applause from guests in attendance, adding a moment of levity to the formal gathering.
The President’s playful reference came against the backdrop of ongoing national conversations surrounding small businesses and entrepreneurship, particularly the role of informal trade in Nigeria’s economy.
By invoking the imagery of a traditional akara (bean cake) seller, Tinubu appeared to underscore the cultural significance of grassroots enterprise while simultaneously engaging the audience with humor.
The First Lady, known for her calm and dignified presence, received the comment with grace, further contributing to the convivial atmosphere of the evening. The exchange highlighted the President’s penchant for blending serious policy discussions with lighthearted banter, a style that often resonates with both political stakeholders and the wider public.
The light-hearted remark appeared to reference the recent public debate surrounding the First Lady’s comments on small-scale businesses and economic empowerment.
While acknowledging dignitaries during his speech, Tinubu smiled before addressing his wife, saying,
“Good evening, gentlemen of the press, ladies and gentlemen, my dear wife, the First Lady, Iya Alakara.”
A video of the event shared by Aso Rock TV on YouTube captured reactions from the audience following the President’s remarks.
The nickname followed recent comments by the First Lady under the Renewed Hope Initiative empowerment programme, where she encouraged Nigerian women to consider small businesses such as selling akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli, noting that such ventures require limited start-up capital.
Responding to the criticism during an event in Jigawa State, First Lady clarified that the programme supports a wider range of petty traders, including tomato, pepper, vegetable and roasted plantain sellers.
She also disclosed that the Federal Government had provided N100 million to empower 2,000 petty traders in the state.
