President Bola Tinubu’s daughter, Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, is making waves again this time threatening street action over Lagos APC primaries while urging market women nationwide to stay away from hardship protests.
Folashade Tinubu-Ojo holds the traditional title of Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, the head of market traders across the country. She has held the position since succeeding her grandmother, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, in October 2013. That legacy gives her words serious weight among traders and party structures in Lagos and beyond.
Fighting the APC Primaries Results
She’s threatening to mobilize market leaders and lead mass protests after the All Progressives Congress released its Lagos primary election results. Her grievance: the party’s internal process was, in her words, “manipulated” by elites backing the Justice Forum faction.
She claims legitimate wins by aspirants in Agege II, Ojokoro, and Mushin II were “stolen” and handed to candidates who didn’t win. The Iyaloja-General says she’s ready to take market leaders to the streets if the party doesn’t address what she calls stolen mandates.
Pushing Back on Hardship Protests
On the flip side, she’s actively discouraging traders and their wards from joining nationwide demonstrations over economic hardship. Her argument is twofold: her father’s administration needs at least three years to deliver results, so it’s “too early” for harsh criticism, and Lagos can’t afford a repeat of the destruction seen during the #EndSARS protests.
For her, protecting markets and livelihoods means keeping the streets calm, even as frustration over costs and inflation grows.
With one foot in party politics and the other leading Nigeria’s market women, Folashade Tinubu-Ojo is positioning herself as both enforcer and peacemaker. Whether her threats trigger protests or her pleas hold back unrest, the Iyaloja-General’s voice will shape how the next political battles play out on Lagos streets.
