VIDEO: “My Dear Wife, First Lady, Iya Alakara” — Tinubu Playfully Teases Wife In Lighthearted Moment

According to Ireporter Online, President Bola Tinubu on Thursday lightheartedly referred to First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, as “Iya Alakara” (Mama Akara Seller) during the Presidential Press Corps Dinner held at the State House in Abuja, a moment that sparked laughter among guests.

The President’s playful remark was widely interpreted as a reference to the recent public conversation surrounding comments made by the First Lady on small-scale entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.

While addressing dignitaries at the event, Tinubu smiled and said: “Good evening, gentlemen of the press, ladies and gentlemen, my dear wife, the First Lady, Iya Alakara.”

A video of the occasion, shared on Aso Rock TV’s YouTube channel, showed attendees reacting with amusement following the President’s statement.

The nickname comes in the wake of debates triggered by remarks made by the First Lady under the Renewed Hope Initiative, where she encouraged Nigerian women to explore low-capital ventures such as akara frying, corn roasting, and kuli-kuli production as viable sources of income.

Responding to the controversy during a separate event in Jigawa State, the First Lady clarified that the initiative was aimed at supporting a broad spectrum of petty traders, including those dealing in tomatoes, pepper, vegetables, and roasted plantain. She also noted that the Federal Government had disbursed N100 million to support 2,000 petty traders in the state.