OUR LEADERS ARE HONOURED ABROAD BUT UNDERMINED AT HOME — REMI TINUBU
Read Time:2 Minute, 33 Second
By: Muftau Fatimo
The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has stated that while many Nigerian leaders receive high respect and recognition internationally, they are often criticised, mistreated, and undervalued by citizens at home—a situation she attributes to hate-driven narratives and political manipulation.
Mrs. Tinubu shared these remarks on her Facebook page on Friday, shortly after United States President Donald Trump publicly described her as a “very respected woman” during the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC.
The annual event, attended by members of the US Congress, religious leaders, and international guests, featured Trump highlighting the Nigerian First Lady while speaking on faith, leadership, and global religious freedom.
In his address, Trump acknowledged Remi Tinubu’s presence and commended her contributions both as Nigeria’s First Lady and as an ordained pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the country’s largest Pentecostal denominations.
“We’re honoured to be joined today by the First Lady of Nigeria, who also happens to serve as a Christian pastor at the largest church in Nigeria.
“A very respected woman. First Lady, please, where are you? Thank you very much. It’s a great honour. Very respected person, too,” Trump said.
Reacting to the recognition, the First Lady lamented what she described as a growing disconnect between international respect for Nigerian leaders and the treatment they receive from their own people.
According to her, many Nigerians have been influenced by persistent negative narratives promoted by political interests, leading to hostility and intolerance towards leaders, even when such leaders are acknowledged abroad for their contributions and standing.
In her post, Mrs. Tinubu stated, “Many of our leaders are highly respected and honoured abroad, yet some Nigerians fail to appreciate them due to hatred and narratives planted by political paymasters, which have hardened hearts.”
She also condemned what she called a culture of public ridicule and online abuse aimed at Nigerian leaders, warning that such behaviour threatens national unity and collective progress.
“They bully these leaders, speak negatively about them, demean them, curse them, and exploit their mistakes to humiliate them on social media,” she added.
Mrs. Tinubu emphasized that Nigeria’s strength comes from unity, mutual respect, and collective effort, urging citizens to support their leaders instead of tearing them down.
“Nigeria thrives on love, unity, and working together toward shared success. Let us stand with our respected leaders and collaborate with them to build a greater nation,” she said.
Her remarks follow renewed international attention on Nigeria’s security situation, after statements by Trump and some US lawmakers highlighting widespread violence against Christians in the country.
at Christians in Nigeria face widespread violence.
In late 2025, the United States designated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over alleged attacks on Christians, a move that drew strong criticism from the Nigerian government.
The Federal Government rejected the designation, describing it as inaccurate and harmful to national cohesion, and maintained that Nigeria’s security challenges are driven by terrorism and criminality affecting citizens across religious and ethnic lines.
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