President Bola Tinubu on Thursday made a light-hearted allusion to the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, introducing her as “Iya Alakara (Mama Akara)” in what appeared to be a tribute to her earlier statements encouraging Nigerian youths to embrace small-scale enterprise.
The President made the comment while addressing journalists and other guests at a public function.
“Good evening, gentlemen of the press, ladies and gentlemen, my dear wife, the First Lady, Iya Alakara (Mama Akara),” Tinubu stated, prompting chuckles from the audience.
The remark came weeks after the First Lady had pushed young Nigerians to consider companies such as frying akara, manufacturing kuli-kuli and roasting corn, saying such operations might give sustainable incomes with help from government empowerment schemes.
Her words attracted extensive public reactions, with supporters viewing them as a practical call for self-employment at a time of rising youth unemployment.
Critics, however, suggested that while entrepreneurship should be encouraged, greater focus should be made on generating more skilled and formal employment options for young Nigerians.
Against the backdrop of the public controversy, Tinubu’s reference to the First Lady as “Mama Akara” is largely interpreted as a joking acceptance of the nickname that evolved from her earlier comments.
Although the President did not comment on the remark, it rapidly became one of the outstanding moments of the event, sparking talks about youth entrepreneurship, government empowerment measures and the importance of small enterprises in solving unemployment.