First Lady Tinubu advocates religious harmony, highlights 40-year interfaith marriage

2026-03-06 - 21:18

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Abuja Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Thursday emphasized the importance of faith and coexistence, saying that relationships with those who do not fear God are unlikely to last. She cited her nearly 40-year interfaith marriage to President Bola Tinubu as a model of respect and harmony, noting that she and her husband rarely raised their voices to each other. Senator Tinubu made the remarks while hosting an Interfaith Breaking of Fast (Iftar and Lent) at the Old Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja. The event brought together Christians and Muslims, including wives of state governors, female legislators, ministers, and other women leaders. Highlighting the role of women in promoting unity and mentoring the younger generation, she urged service with “excellence, compassion, and integrity” and stressed that personal peaceful coexistence can counter insecurity and division in society. “Some of us are married to people of different faiths, and we have lived together peacefully for many years. For me, almost 40 years. I cannot remember when both of us raised our voices at each other,” she said, describing mutual respect and maturity as the foundation of her marriage. The First Lady also addressed rising religious tensions in the country, urging Nigerians to drop a sense of entitlement and cultivate a fear of God. “The Bible says the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. I will deal with anybody in the country with the fear of God,” she said. She encouraged women to mentor young people and pass on knowledge and real intelligence to the next generation. The event featured a keynote address by Professor Ganiyat Adejoke Adesina-Uthman of the National Open University of Nigeria, who spoke on “Serving with Excellence, Compassion, and Integrity in Public Life,” highlighting integrity as non-negotiable in public service. The interfaith gathering was attended by former First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan, the wife of the Vice President Hajia Nana Shettima, wives of former political leaders, female judges, and women legislators, among others.