Primate Elijah Ayodele, Leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, has endorsed First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s economic empowerment programme while urging her to increase the financial grants provided to women running small businesses.
In a post on his official Facebook page on Sunday, June 28, 2026, Ayodele said the initiative could significantly improve the economic well-being of women if accompanied by larger funding.
“Let me support Mama Tinubu. Mama, you have done well. Mummy Tinubu… these are my women who can start something with kulikuli, ekpa, agbado, bole, akara,” he said, adding that women could also succeed in other small-scale ventures depending on their skills and local opportunities.
Ayodele argued that criticism of the First Lady’s remarks reflected public dissatisfaction with the current administration rather than the substance of her message.
While commending the grant programme, he appealed for higher funding. “You are giving them free grants. Only government can do it. But don’t give them N100,000. If you want them to sell bigger things, make it from half a million, N1 million or N1.5 million. Women will be grateful,” he said.
