Mass Communication students at Prince Abubakar Audu University were asked to develop an advocacy advert inspired by the First Lady’s widely debated remarks on small-scale businesses

A Second Semester examination question at Prince Abubakar Audu University, Anyigba, has reignited public discussion over First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s controversial remarks on small-scale businesses after students were asked to develop an advocacy advertisement based on the issue.

Also read: Tinubu playfully calls first lady ‘Iya Alakara’ (VIDEO)

The question, which appeared in the Advertising Copy Writing (MCM 214) examination for students of the Department of Mass Communication in the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, surfaced on social media on Saturday after being shared by a Facebook page identified as Northern Nigeria.

The examination required students to produce an advocacy advertisement titled “Beyond Akara and Kulikuli Empowerment” with the objective of encouraging Nigerian women and youths to embrace small-scale enterprises.

As part of the 30-mark question, students were instructed to identify four factors to consider when writing the advertisement, outline three body copy styles, justify the most appropriate style for the campaign and produce a sketch combining text and images.

The examination question has attracted attention because it draws directly from comments made by Senator Oluremi Tinubu in June, which generated widespread reactions across Nigeria.

Speaking to State House correspondents after a meeting of the Renewed Hope Initiative with the wives of state governors in Abuja, the First Lady encouraged women and young people to consider ventures such as frying akara, roasting corn and producing kulikuli, describing them as businesses that require modest capital and could benefit from grant-based support rather than loans.

The remarks quickly sparked criticism on social media, with some Nigerians arguing that the comments underestimated the scale of the country’s economic challenges, including rising inflation, unemployment and the increasing cost of living.

As the debate intensified, Senator Tinubu clarified that her remarks formed part of a broader discussion on economic empowerment and were not limited to akara and kulikuli businesses.

Speaking during the inauguration of a hall at the Emir of Hadejia’s Palace in Jigawa State, the First Lady explained that the Federal Government’s empowerment initiatives also support traders dealing in tomatoes, pepper, vegetables and roasted plantain.

Senator Tinubu disclosed that the Federal Government had provided ₦100 million to the Jigawa State Government through the Renewed Hope Initiative to support 2,000 petty traders, with each beneficiary expected to receive ₦50,000 to recapitalise existing businesses.

The Presidency also defended the First Lady’s comments. Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, described the criticism as a “performative circus of selective amnesia”, arguing that many critics overlooked the wider impact of the Renewed Hope Initiative in supporting women, vulnerable groups and healthcare interventions.

The appearance of the issue in a university examination has generated fresh interest because it demonstrates how contemporary national conversations are increasingly being incorporated into academic assessments, particularly in communication, advertising and media studies.

Such examinations often require students to apply professional principles to real-life public issues rather than hypothetical scenarios.

While Prince Abubakar Audu University has not publicly commented on the examination, the question has continued to circulate online, drawing mixed reactions from social media users.

Some viewed it as a practical way of testing advertising skills using a topical national issue, while others questioned whether a politically sensitive subject should feature in an academic assessment.

Also read: Tinubu’s aide defends First Lady, says mother raised him selling akara, bananas

The development underscores how public policy debates, political communication and media narratives are increasingly intersecting with classroom learning, providing students with opportunities to analyse and respond to real-world communication challenges through professional practice.