Media personality and Arise News anchor, Ayo Mairo-Ese, has openly condemned First Lady Oluremi Tinubu for suggesting that impoverished Nigerians, particularly women, should resort to petty trading like frying akara (bean cakes), roasting corn, or making kuli-kuli (peanut cakes) to achieve economic independence.
The controversy stems from a newly emerged, viral video of a recent press briefing where the First Lady defended her administration’s economic relief initiatives. In the footage, Mrs. Tinubu championed micro-grants as tools to help low-income citizens set up these small-scale food businesses.
Reacting to the broadcast on-air during a morning program, Mairo-Ese echoed the sentiments of many disgruntled Nigerians, labeling the First Lady’s suggestions as deeply insulting to the dignity of Nigerian women in 2026.
The broadcaster further challenged the political class, demanding to know if the First Lady or any of her prominent associates could point to a single member of their own households who built a successful life out of frying akara or roasting corn on the streets.
She said;
‘’I think there are many things wrong with this assertion by the First Lady. The first thing is that it almost seems as if you are watching a video from 1960…There is a place in our society for small business owners, micro, small and medium-scale enterprises, but we are looking at a Nigeria of 2026. We are looking at Nigeria in the context of where the rest of the world is talking about cutting-edge technology
Is the first lady aware that women now run multi-billion empires across the world? That businesses like Akara, Akamu, yes in rural areas will suffice, but if we are talking about empowering women in modern-day Nigeria, let us talk about industrialization. That is the engine of a modern-day economy. And when you talk about that, you are then looking at the rippled effect on job creation, contribution to the GDP, and the like.
If this is the thinking in Aso Villa, then there is a problem ooo!!! That you are looking at empowerment in 2026 for the Nigerian woman who you are going to give you votes come election, and you are talking about that they are not being creative? We have moved past that.
How many people in the families that they come from have successes of themselves, really and truly, in today’s Nigeria, by selling the things that she has mentioned?
I do think quite frankly that it is about time we stop insulting the intelligence of Nigerian women by saying the best they can do is to be selling this or that”
Watch video of Ayo speak below
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