President Bola Tinubu drew laughter from guests at the Presidential Press Corps Dinner in Abuja on Thursday when he playfully referred to his wife, First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, as “Iya Alakara” — Yoruba for “mother of the akara seller.”
Addressing the annual dinner, the President said: “Good evening, gentlemen of the press, ladies and gentlemen, my dear wife, the First Lady, Iya Alakara,” a remark that instantly drew laughter from the audience.
The nickname referenced a controversy the First Lady had sparked weeks earlier, when she advised Nigerians that starting a business such as selling akara, roasting corn, or making kuli-kuli didn’t require significant capital — comments that drew backlash online for seeming to trivialize the scale of economic hardship in the country. She later clarified that her empowerment programme also supports traders in tomatoes, pepper, vegetables, and bole.
Reactions online
The joke has continued to generate debate on X. User Authorlorine suggested the remark showed the President wasn’t taking the criticism seriously, joking that everyone in the country has “turned to content creator.” David Arowojolu was more pointed, questioning why officials would greet the First Lady at all given the state of things, calling the whole situation a “joke.”
Damy noted wryly that it’s the people laughing in the background at such events that deserve more scrutiny. John Okechukwu argued that the political class only reacts when their own “source of income” is threatened, accusing leaders of being detached from the country’s struggles. Jack D’ Giant Killer took a more mobilizing tone, urging Nigerians to get their voter’s card (PVC) ahead of future elections.
Overall, reactions reflect a mix of humour and frustration, with many using the moment to vent broader economic grievances rather than react to the joke itself.
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Published by Ejoh Caleb
