🇳🇬NigeriaWest Africa
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu defends akara comment, urges entertainers to fund charitable foundations
via Punch Nigeria2 min read
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu defended her previous comments on empowering women through petty trading during the launch of the National Community Food Bank Programme in Lokoja, Kogi State. In June, she had suggested government grants for women to start businesses like frying akara and roasting corn, which drew criticism from some Nigerians, including the Yoruba Union, Ìgbìnmọ́ Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá. Mrs. Tinubu stood by the Renewed Hope Initiative’s grassroots empowerment scheme and appealed to the Nigerian entertainment industry, specifically mentioning artists like Burna Boy, Asake, and Davido, to establish charitable foundations to assist the poor. She emphasized that while luxury cars are good, entertainers should also contribute to society. The First Lady listed various petty traders, including sellers of pepper, vegetables, okra, melon, akara, and kuli-kuli, as beneficiaries of her empowerment scheme. She also recounted a story about an Abuja graduate who became successful selling akara after receiving support. Her June comments had led to President Bola Tinubu playfully calling her “Iya Alakara” and she had previously extended N50,000 grants to 2,000 petty traders in Jigawa State.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
Must ReadUS Democratic lawmaker Ro Khanna stated he and other Americans were detained by armed Israeli settlers during a visit to the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Khanna, a prominent Democratic US lawmaker from California, claimed the Israeli military was complicit, a charge the Israeli Defense Forces IDF denied. According to Khanna, armed Israeli settlers, brandishing American-made M4s, blocked their path. He further alleged that when the Israeli military arrived, they sided with the settlers and continued the detention. Footage and accounts provided to The New York Times by Khanna and his team show armed men blocking a road and swearing in Hebrew and Arabic. Khanna told the Times that IDF soldiers spoke with the settlers and then blocked the road themselves after the settlers left. He commented on the experience, saying, "Imagine how people feel every day, Palestinians under the occupation, if they could make an American congressperson feel powerless for 90 minutes." After contacting the US embassy and Israeli police, Khanna was allowed to pass. The Israeli military stated they received a report about Israeli civilians unlawfully blocking vehicles in Khirbet Zanuta, and that IDF troops dispersed the civilians and reopened the road, denying any involvement in blocking it. The United Nations has reported a sharp increase in violence attributed to Israeli settlers in the West Bank since October 2023.
Professor Hakeem Tijani, a Nigerian academic based in the United States, has been named a recipient of the National Diaspora Merit Award NDMA 2026 by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission NiDCOM. The award recognizes his contributions to education. NiDCOM conveyed this decision in a letter dated May 22, 2026, signed by its Secretary, Sule Bassi, on behalf of the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Abike Dabiri-Erewa. The Federal Government designated July 25 as National Diaspora Day to acknowledge the contributions of over 20 million Nigerians living abroad to the country’s development. The NDMA aims to celebrate Nigerians in the diaspora who have excelled in their fields and contributed to Nigeria's development. The National Diaspora Day 2026 celebrations are scheduled for July 24, 2026, at the Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja, at 15:00hrs WAT, with the National Diaspora Merit Award ceremony taking place on July 25, 2026, at 17:00hrs WAT at the same venue. Intending participants are advised to register via NiDCOM's official website.
The Wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, visited Kogi State, empowering over 800 women and inaugurating two public projects. The projects include the newly completed Kogi State Treasury House and a Primary Healthcare Centre in Lokongoma Phase I, Lokoja. Speaking at the inauguration, Tinubu highlighted these projects as significant investments for improving public service delivery and residents' welfare, commending Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for prioritizing healthcare and infrastructure. At the Government House, the First Lady launched the distribution of empowerment materials and start-up grants to over 800 women through the Renewed Hope Initiative. This program aims to promote self-reliance, strengthen household incomes, and create economic opportunities for women and vulnerable groups, complementing government social intervention efforts. Tinubu encouraged beneficiaries to use the support to expand their businesses and improve their livelihoods. She also praised Hajia Sefinat Ododo, the wife of the Kogi State Governor, for her work in improving the welfare of women and vulnerable persons. Governor Ododo thanked the First Lady for her visit and support, assuring that his administration would continue to implement projects that enhance access to healthcare, infrastructure, and other essential public services, and that the new facilities would be maintained.