On Wednesday, June 24, 2026, the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, spoke at the Renewed Hope Initiative’s second-quarter meeting with the wives of state governors. There, she talked about giving out grants to help people start petty trading businesses, like roadside corn-roasting.
Call us traumatised, but we’re not shocked by the First Lady’s advice. These kinds of out-of-touch suggestions for deep systemic problems are completely on brand for her.
In July 2024, she suggested that Nigerian women start home gardens to address the country’s food insecurity crisis. Showing off her own home garden where she planted spinach, waterleaf, bitter leaf, ewedu, lemongrass, scent leaf, and okra, she said: “This little garden will be able to provide healthy vegetables enough for my household, and I would definitely be able to let some of my staff have as well. The solution to any problem lies in everyone contributing their own quota to getting that solution.”
We are not saying the First Lady is lying, but the 2026 budget for foodstuff and catering at Aso Rock is over ₦375 million. Her “household” is definitely not surviving on okra from her backyard. Yet, millions of poor Nigerian families are somehow expected to garden their way out of hunger caused by multidimensional poverty.
Nigeria has always struggled with tribalism. This was worsened by divisive politics like the “Yoruba Ronu” movement during the 2023 elections, a campaign in which the APC played a central role.
Remi Tinubu’s solution? Asoebi!
In 2024, the First Lady launched the “One Nigeria Unity Fabric” to “support local textile industries, create jobs, and celebrate Nigeria’s strength as one united nation.” Because matching outfits automatically solves deep-rooted ethnic tension, obviously.
Then, in September 2025, Remi Tinubu asked Nigerians to send her money for her birthday to help complete the National Library project in Abuja.
The project has been under construction since the government of Shehu Shagari in 1983, but remains uncompleted due to poor budgeting and a lack of political will. From her bag of tricks, Remi Tinubu pulled out another classic solution: birthday crowdfunding for a massive federal government infrastructure project.
Nigerians already crowdfund ransom payments to rescue people from terrorists, so why not for a national library, right?
Just three weeks before her Akara advice, Remi Tinubu gave cars to APC women leaders in states with opposition governors.
So, cars for politicians and their lackeys. But akara and kuli kuli business for the rest of us?
Many Nigerians are incredibly vexed by Remi Tinubu’s akara-selling idea. The anger is completely understandable, but honestly, nobody should be surprised at this point.
Grants for roasted corn and kuli-kuli are just the latest production from the brilliant mind that brought you:
Nigerians are God’s strongest soldiers, and Remi Tinubu is proof.
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