President Bola Tinubu jokingly referred to First Lady Oluremi Tinubu as 'Iya Alakara' during the Presidential Press Corps Dinner held in Abuja on Thursday, July 2, 2026. The nickname references the viral backlash over her earlier comments encouraging vulnerable Nigerians to start businesses like frying akara and roasting corn.
President's playful remark at state dinner
Speaking at the annual Presidential Press Corps Dinner at the State House Banquet Hall, Tinubu introduced his wife by saying: 'My dear wife, the First Lady, Iya Alakara.' The comment drew laughter from guests and was widely seen as the Presidency acknowledging the social media storm that followed the First Lady's earlier statements.
According to Imran Muhammad, who shared a video of the moment on Twitter, the President's remark was met with amusement and has since reignited conversations online about the appropriateness of the joke amid ongoing economic hardship in Nigeria.
Background of the 'Iya Alakara' nickname
The nickname gained popularity after Oluremi Tinubu, while speaking during the second-quarter meeting of the Renewed Hope Initiative with wives of the 36 state governors in Abuja, explained that her office provides grants—not loans—to vulnerable Nigerians to help them start small businesses. She said: '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.'
While the statement was intended to highlight low-cost business opportunities, many Nigerians felt it failed to reflect the realities of rising cost of living, inflation, and unemployment in the country. The comments quickly went viral, sparking memes and widespread criticism on social media.
First Lady defends her remarks
Following the backlash, Oluremi Tinubu addressed the issue again while speaking at the commissioning of the Abubakar Maje Haruna Hall inside the Emir of Hadejia's Palace in Jigawa State. She insisted her empowerment programmes are not limited to akara sellers. According to her: '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 explained that the Renewed Hope Initiative supports different categories of petty traders by providing grants aimed at helping them grow sustainable businesses. The initiative covers a wide range of small-scale vendors beyond just akara and corn sellers.
Public reactions to Tinubu's joke
Tinubu's 'Iya Alakara' remark has sparked another round of reactions online. Some Nigerians said the joke shows the Presidency is fully aware of how much attention the First Lady's comments received, while others argued that making light of the issue may not sit well with citizens still battling economic hardship. The comment has been interpreted by some as an attempt to diffuse tension, while others see it as tone-deaf given the current economic challenges.
Regardless of the divided opinions, 'Iya Alakara' has now officially made its way from social media into the lexicon of the presidency, marking a unique intersection of internet culture and national politics in Nigeria.
