We, the Yoruba Union and allied cultural advocates, hereby address the nation on the insensitive remark attributed to the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, concerning akara sellers and the dignity of ordinary market women.
We condemn the remark as insensitive, elitist, and unbecoming of a public figure who should understand the daily struggles of ordinary Nigerians.
We call on the First Lady to tender a public apology to akara sellers, market women, and all hardworking Nigerians whose honest hustle keeps families afloat.
We urge her to lead by example by spending a day hawking in Lagos or engaging in the kind of street-level trade she appeared to trivialize, so she can better appreciate the realities of survival in this economy.
We remind the Presidency that leadership should be measured by empathy, humility, and practical support for the poor, not by comments that mock their means of livelihood.
We call on government officials and public office holders to refrain from making statements that deepen the pain of citizens already burdened by inflation, unemployment, and hardship.
We stand with Yoruba women, market traders, and informal workers across Lagos and beyond, and we demand respect for every honest occupation.
We urge the First Lady to use her office to champion policies that support small traders, reduce economic hardship, and restore dignity to the people.
God bless the resilient Nigerians who continue to work hard with dignity in the face of hardship.
Thank you.
