First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has defended her recent remark urging Nigerians to fry akara as a means of economic self-reliance, rejecting claims that the comment was dismissive.
The comment drew sharp reactions online. Critics said it showed she expects Nigerians to settle for bare-minimum survival strategies, while supporters argued akara trading has historically lifted many families out of poverty.
In a ripost, Remi Tinubu said: “I know they have been talking. I said Akara, it’s not only Akara. We also have tomato sellers, we have Boli, and those selling pepper, selling vegetables in the market, we’ll continue to empower them. I know all those who are affected will appreciate it, and we are not intimidated by all those wrong reports.”