The controversy surrounding First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s remarks encouraging Nigerians to embrace small-scale businesses such as frying akara and producing kulikuli has found its way into academic discourse, with the subject featuring in a university examination at Prince Abubakar Audu University, Kogi State.
The question appeared in the Second Semester 2025/2026 Advertising Copy Writing (MCM 214) examination for students of the Department of Mass Communication, Faculty of Communication and Media Studies.
According to a copy of the examination paper shared on Facebook and seen by our correspondent on Saturday, students were asked to develop an advocacy advertisement titled, “Beyond Akara and Kulikuli Empowerment,” aimed at encouraging Nigerian women and youths to embrace small-scale businesses.
The examination required students to identify four factors to consider in writing the advertisement copy, state three body copy styles, justify the most appropriate style for the campaign and sketch the advertisement using text and images. The question carried 30 marks.
The examination was inspired by comments made by the First Lady in June, when she urged women to take advantage of low-capital ventures such as frying akara, roasting corn and producing kulikuli, saying such businesses could be sustained with grants instead of loans.
Her remarks sparked widespread criticism on social media, with many Nigerians arguing that they failed to address the country’s worsening economic challenges, including inflation, unemployment and the rising cost of living.
The First Lady later clarified that the Federal Government’s empowerment initiatives were not limited to petty traders but also supported businesses dealing in tomatoes, pepper, vegetables and roasted plantain. She also disclosed that the government had released N100 million to Jigawa State to empower 2,000 petty traders with grants of N50,000 each.
Presidential aide Dada Olusegun also defended the programme, insisting critics had overlooked its broader impact on women’s empowerment and support for vulnerable groups.