University exam features question on popular Akara and Kulikuli argument

A university examination has incorporated the controversy surrounding Senator Oluremi Tinubu's remarks on akara and kulikuli businesses, with students at the Prince Abubakar Audu University in Kogi State being asked to create an advocacy advertisement on the topic as part of their Second Semester 2025/2026 paper.

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This question was part of the Advertising Copy Writing paper for students in the Department of Mass Communication, and was shared on Facebook by a page called Northern Nigeria on Saturday, revealing the examination's focus on the theme "Beyond Akara and Kulikuli Empowerment".

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The question required students to identify four key factors in writing the advertisement copy, list three body copy styles, and justify the most suitable style, before sketching the copy with images and text, all of which was worth 30 marks.

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In June, the First Lady had urged Nigerian women to consider small-scale businesses like frying akara, roasting corn, and producing kulikuli, describing them as low-capital ventures that could be sustained with grants rather than loans, during a meeting with State House correspondents in Abuja.

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However, her comments sparked criticism on social media, with many accusing her of downplaying the economic hardship faced by citizens due to rising food prices, inflation, and unemployment.

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Senator Oluremi Tinubu later defended her remarks, stating that the Federal Government's empowerment programmes extended beyond akara sellers to include traders in various other products, while speaking at an event in Jigawa State.

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She revealed that the Federal Government had provided N100m to the Jigawa State Government to empower 2,000 petty traders, with each beneficiary receiving N50,000 to support their businesses.

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The Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, also came to her defence, describing the backlash as a "performative circus of selective amnesia" and arguing that critics had overlooked the scope of the Renewed Hope Initiative's interventions.