The President Bola Tinubu Media Centre has ignited fresh debate after sharing an AI-generated image portraying First Lady Oluremi Tinubu frying and selling akara, days after her comments on small-scale businesses attracted criticism from many Nigerians.
The image, posted on official Presidency-linked social media platforms on Friday, depicts the First Lady behind an akara stand wearing an apron branded with the words, “Iya Alakara, fueling the nation with love.”
The post came shortly after Senator Oluremi Tinubu suggested that businesses such as frying akara, roasting corn and producing kuli-kuli require minimal capital and can serve as viable sources of income.
She explained that the Federal Government was providing grants, rather than loans, to support beneficiaries of such ventures.
“We’re trying to give hope, and to start akara business doesn’t take a lot of money. To start roasting corn, or somebody even said kuli kuli doesn’t take much. We didn’t give them a loan; we gave it to them as a grant,” she said.
Her comments sparked divided opinions across social media platforms.
While some Nigerians accused the First Lady of appearing insensitive to the country’s economic challenges, others defended her position, arguing that she was encouraging entrepreneurship and self-reliance.
The AI-generated image has further intensified discussions online.
Critics described the post as tone-deaf and insensitive, saying it appeared to make light of the economic difficulties facing many households.
Others argued that the Presidency’s media team was undermining the administration’s public image by turning a serious economic conversation into satire.
Some social media users also pointed to rising prices of beans, cooking oil, transport and gas, insisting that even small-scale food businesses now require significantly more capital than in previous years.
However, supporters of the image said Nigerians had already transformed the First Lady’s remarks into memes and jokes, making the Presidency’s response a natural extension of the online conversation.
The debate gained additional attention on Thursday when President Bola Tinubu jokingly referred to his wife as “Iya Alakara” during the Presidential Press Corps Dinner at the State House in Abuja.
A video from the event showed the President smiling as he acknowledged guests before making the light-hearted reference.
The controversy reflects the broader national conversation about economic hardship, public communication and the growing use of artificial intelligence-generated content in political messaging.
