The Yoruba Union, Ìgbìnmó Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá, has strongly condemned First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, over her recent statement on women’s empowerment, saying she should live by example and begin selling akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli in the Surulere area of Lagos.
The union further asked the Iyaloja-General, Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, Tinubu’s daughter, to hawk similar items at Oju Elegba under bridge.
The group insisted that Oluremi’s reduction of Nigerian women’s challenges to roadside commerce was offensive, claiming that the world had advanced via creativity, innovation, and technology.
In a statement signed by the group’s convener, Olusola Badero, and issued by its Home Director, Princess Balogun, the Yoruba Union criticised First Lady Oluremi, arguing that she should have used the resources at her disposal to create meaningful opportunities for women instead of presenting petty trading as a solution to economic hardship.
“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,” Ìgbìnmó Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá said.
According to the union, First lady Oluremi had instead chosen to spend taxpayers’ money gathering the wives of the 36 state governors in the FCT and distributing expensive buses to APC women leaders across the country.
Live By Example
The group further alleged that Oluremi Tinubu began her public life with access to privileges, luxury accommodation, and benefits funded by taxpayers, and it accused her of making remarks that demean ordinary women.
In addition, Ògbìnmó Mújẹ́ Ilé-Yorùbá accused the First Lady of failing to speak adequately about the suffering of Nigerians, including schoolchildren abducted in Oyo State and women and children reportedly kidnapped in Kwara State, while arguing that women with such attitudes did not deserve the office they occupied.
The group queried that “If she truly wants to elevate women across the country, why doesn’t she distribute those cars to the very women she told to start akara businesses?”
Additionally, the union described Remi Tinubu as “one of the worst First Ladies Nigeria would ever have in history,” insisting that her actions showed insensitivity to the plight of the masses.
It added that First Ladu Oluremi should go to Surulere and start the akara business herself, while, according to the group, employing the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, to hawk at Oju Elegba under bridge.
Backstory…
Recall that the first lady has come under heavy criticism following her remarks in a recent video. Senator Oluremi Tinubu advised women to start small businesses including hawking of bean cake(akara) and corn.
Speaking in a video while highlighting the administration’s support for small businesses through grants, the First Lady said such ventures can be started with minimal resources and stressed that the government had provided grants, not loans, to support Nigerians.
Her comments sparked mixed reactions online, with many users arguing that the advice does not reflect the harsh economic realities currently facing millions of Nigerians.
