The President Bola Tinubu Media Centre has posted an AI-generated image of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, frying and selling akara, only days after her comments about micro-enterprises provoked considerable outrage on social media.
The photograph, shared on the presidency’s official social media platforms on Friday, shows the First Lady at a roadside akara kiosk, wearing an apron with the words “Iya Alakara, fuelling the nation with love”.
The tweet followed remarks made by the First Lady during an interview, in which she stated that small-scale companies such as those frying akara, roasting corn, and manufacturing kuli-kuli require little starting capital.
She noted that the federal government was funding such projects through grants rather than loans as part of its efforts to enhance lives.
“We’re trying to give hope, and to start an akara business doesn’t take a lot of money. To start roasting corn, or, somebody even said, kuli-kuli, doesn’t take much. We didn’t give them a loan; we gave it to them as a grant,” she had said.
The president’s comments elicited mixed reactions, with some accusing her of being insensitive to the country’s economic realities and others defending her for highlighting accessible business opportunities.
On Thursday, Tinubu jokingly referred to the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, as “Iya Alakara” (Mama Akara Seller) in an apparent light-hearted reference to the recent issue over her views on small-scale companies.
The president made the statement while respecting etiquette during his speech at the Presidential Press Corps Dinner at the State House in Abuja.
Aso Rock TV released a video of the ceremony on YouTube, showing Tinubu smiling as he addressed dignitaries before turning to the First Lady.
