An examination paper at Prince Abubakar Audu University in Kogi State has incorporated the controversy surrounding First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu's remarks about akara and kulikuli into an academic exercise. Mass Communication students were required to craft an advocacy advertisement based on her comments.
Exam Question Details
The question appeared in the Second Semester 2025/2026 Advertising Copywriting (MCM 214) paper, set for students in the Department of Mass Communication, Faculty of Communication and Media Studies. It was shared on Facebook by a page identified as Northern Nigeria on Saturday and subsequently reported by Legit.ng.
The examination question read: "The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has asked you to do an advocacy ad copy with the title, Beyond Akara and Kulikuli Empowerment, with the sole aim of encouraging Nigerian women and youths to embrace small-scale businesses."
Students were tasked with identifying four factors relevant to writing the copy, naming three body copy styles, justifying which style best suited the advertisement, and sketching the full copy complete with images and text. The question carried 30 marks within the section.
Background of Tinubu's Remarks
The First Lady made her original comments in June while addressing State House correspondents after a Renewed Hope Initiative meeting with wives of state governors in Abuja. She encouraged Nigerian women to consider low-capital ventures such as frying akara, roasting corn, and producing kulikuli, suggesting that small grants rather than loans could sustain such businesses.
Her remarks drew immediate backlash on social media, with many Nigerians arguing that the advice trivialised the severe economic hardship confronting ordinary citizens amid persistent inflation, surging food prices, and rising unemployment.
Tinubu subsequently defended her position at the inauguration of a hall at the Emir of Hadejia's Palace in Jigawa State, clarifying that the Federal Government's empowerment drive covered a broad range of petty traders, including those dealing in tomatoes, pepper, vegetables, and roasted plantain. She also disclosed that the Federal Government had disbursed N100 million to the Jigawa State Government to support 2,000 petty traders, with each beneficiary set to receive N50,000 to recapitalise their businesses.
Official Reactions
President Bola Tinubu's Special Assistant on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, weighed in, dismissing the criticism as a "performative circus of selective amnesia" and arguing that detractors had overlooked the broader scope of the Renewed Hope Initiative's work across health, women's empowerment, and support for vulnerable groups.
The inclusion of the controversy in an examination paper underscores how far the debate has permeated public discourse in Nigeria, moving beyond social media and political circles into formal academic settings.
Additional Context
Previously, a married street food vendor from Delta state based in Shomolu, Lagos, went viral after breaking down the daily income and starting capital of her akara and corn business. Speaking during a street interview, the akara and corn seller, Favour Chinedu, explained how much she spends on purchasing the items for her business daily.
