Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has called on Nigerians to embrace peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance, describing the simultaneous observance of Ramadan and Lent as a “divine message” urging unity across faiths.
Mrs Tinubu spoke at an Interfaith Breaking of Fast event for women on Thursday in Abuja, emphasising that Jesus’ teachings can be summarised as loving God and loving one another.
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“Since the Ramadan fast was announced, and the Lent season began together, it was like God was speaking to us as a nation,” Mrs Tinubu said.
“Recently, we know a lot of things have been going on, and people are trying to target our religious beliefs… And we Nigerians, we know that most of the time that is not the case.”
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The First Lady’s call comes amidst growing insecurity and division in the country. PREMIUM TIMES reported a series of incidents, including the kidnapping of church members in Kwara State, as well as pupils in Kebbi and Niger States.
The attacks sparked criticism and renewed debate over the role of religious leaders in responding to the country’s escalating security challenges. However, the federal government have repeatedly dismissed attempts to portray the country’s security crisis as religiously driven, saying terrorists and criminal groups were attacking citizens across all faiths and regions.
Interfaith meeting
Drawing from her nearly 40-year marriage to President Bola Tinubu, a Muslim, to illustrate the power of interfaith understanding, she highlighted the importance of peaceful coexistence.
“I cannot remember when both of us raised our voices at each other. Maybe not more than twice in the 40 years,” she said, emphasising mutual respect as key to a harmonious life together.
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The First Lady challenged women in public roles to serve with excellence, compassion, and integrity, and urged Nigerians to shed entitlement mentalities. She also stressed the need to mentor youths, saying, “The old school is still modern… So we have the real intelligence to pass on to the next generation.”
On her part, Ganiyat Adesina-Uthman, a director at the National Open University of Nigeria, highlighted a “crisis of trust” in public office, emphasising that integrity is non-negotiable.
“If you are lacking in integrity, then you are clearly a fraud… Your name and your character must be the same,” she said.
