The Yoruba Union, Ìgbìnmó Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá, has criticised Nigeria's First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, over her recent comments encouraging women to consider small-scale businesses such as selling akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli.
In a statement signed by the group's Convener, Olusola Badero, and released through its Home Director, Princess Balogun, the union described the remarks as insensitive, arguing that they failed to reflect the realities facing Nigerian women amid the country's economic challenges.
The group challenged the First Lady to lead by example.
"She should go to Surulere and start the akara business herself, while the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, should hawk the items at Oju Elegba under bridge."
According to the union, the First Lady should have focused on creating sustainable economic opportunities for women rather than suggesting roadside trading as a pathway to empowerment.
"It is very unfortunate that a woman who is the First Lady of a country will look down on her fellow women because she has the privilege of being in that position and thinks others are nothing."
The organisation argued that innovation, technology and industrialisation should be the focus of policies aimed at supporting women, saying the world had moved beyond promoting petty trading as an economic solution.
The group also accused the First Lady of failing to address pressing national issues, including insecurity and kidnappings, while allegedly spending public resources on political activities and support programmes for members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Questioning the government's priorities, the union said:
> "Why can't she distribute such cars to the women she told to start akara business if she is really interested in elevating women across the country?"
The organisation further criticised the First Lady's approach, describing her comments as disconnected from the aspirations of Nigerian women.
> "While other world First Ladies are showcasing how their women are moving to space and creating innovative ideas, here in Nigeria, Remi Tinubu is telling women to start akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli business. That is unacceptable in the 21st century."
The union maintained that Nigerian women deserve policies that promote innovation, technology-driven entrepreneurship, industrialisation and sustainable economic opportunities rather than relying on roadside trading as a response to worsening economic hardship.
The criticism follows Senator Oluremi Tinubu's recent remarks advising Nigerians not to lose hope despite the country's economic difficulties, during which she said starting businesses such as selling akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli requires little capital.
