The First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, says her husband’s decision to run on a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in 2023 left her isolated in her local church, describing the episode as a “bitter pill” that split her parish and tested her faith.
In her 52-page book, The Journey of Grace: Giving Thanks in Everything, which Chronicle NG obtained to commemorate her 65th birthday, she revealed the information.
The five-chapter memoir is arranged by year from 2021 to 2025, with a foreword by Dr. Folashade Olukoya of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries.
She recounted, “We kept moving forward with hope in God, and each campaign was interesting despite the fact that all the odds were stacked against him.
“One such decision was the unpopular ‘Muslim/Muslim ticket.’ My being a Christian did not matter. My local Assembly, Redeemed Christian Church of God, was split.”
The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) is one of Nigeria’s largest Pentecostal denominations, with sprawling parishes nationwide and across the globe.
She mentioned that the division only proved the diversity of political leanings in the church.
“I later realized that we are a church like other churches with members of all political parties in attendance.
“I experienced this during my campaign in 2011 for the Senate, when I took my campaign posters to the church, and it was rebuffed. After that, I never tried again.
“But my husband’s bid for the Presidential Office was different, a bitter pill for them to chew,” Mrs. Tinubu added.
In 2022, one of Nigeria’s most delicate political disputes was resurrected by the ruling All Progressives Congress on a same-faith ticket.
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Prominent Christian organizations and other critics cautioned that the action would exacerbate tensions in the religiously heterogeneous nation.
Tinubu’s followers retorted that the ticket should be determined by coalition math, zoning, and competency. However, Mrs. Tinubu continued, “My husband’s bid for the presidency was different, a bitter pill for them to chew.”
In 2022, one of Nigeria’s most delicate political disputes was resurrected by the ruling All Progressives Congress on a same-faith ticket.
Prominent Christian organizations and other critics cautioned that the action would exacerbate tensions in the religiously heterogeneous nation.
Tinubu’s followers retorted that the ticket should be determined by coalition math, zoning, and competency.
The last similar instance occurred in 1993, when Babagana Kingibe and Moshood Abiola were fielded by the SDP.
The First Lady disclosed that she did not switch places of worship in spite of the hostility she encountered as a result of her husband’s choice.
“But I kept attending church, and I thank God I have grown from being a baby to a mature Christian.
“So the little resentment I witnessed from a few was met with the peace of God,” Mrs. Tinubu wrote.
According to her, some members of the parish provided her succor despite the antagonism.
“All the same, despite a few who showed hostility, many were encouraging, especially our elders, who would encourage me from time to time with prayers.
“To this end, I am grateful to God and every one of them, especially those of them who lived to watch the presidential inauguration when the time came. I thank the pastorate also for making arrangements for them,” she added.
“I thank my local assembly because most of them made me feel welcome and comfortable enough to come to church whenever I was home from Abuja, where I was still serving as a senator representing Lagos Central Senatorial District,” she wrote.
The First Lady went on to say that she will not leave the church, where she had worked her way up from employee to assistant pastor for 15 years.
Tinubu said, “I have been a dedicated member of my local assembly since 2007, and that would have been 15 years in attendance.
“Within that time, from the new members class, I graduated from The Redeemed Christian Bible College, also the School of Disciples, to become a worker, then a deaconess, and later an assistant pastor in 2018.”
During the 2023 election, the First Lady also declared that she had forgiven those who had deceived her husband.
She maintained that she had chosen peace and had no ill will toward anyone.
She wrote, “I do not have anything against anyone… The question is, how did I not feel the betrayal anymore? I knew the grace factor was evident, and the Holy Spirit continually comforted me. Never to avenge myself, assuring me that it is God’s prerogative. Mine is to thank Him for fighting for us.
“If God decides to fight your battles and you have won, is there any other thing that God missed and you wanted to fix? Nothing, so let it go.”
