Remi Tinubu, the first lady, has written about the challenges she faced within her local church following her husband’s decision to run on a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in the 2023 election.
Remi was ordained pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of
God (RCCG), one of Nigeria’s largest pentecostal denominations, in 2018.
Punch newspaper reports that in her new memoir, ‘The Journey
of Grace: Giving Thanks in All Things’, the first lady described the episode as
a “bitter pill” that caused division in her parish and tested her faith.
The 52-page book, released to mark her 65th birthday,
chronicled events from 2021 to 2025, and included a foreword by Folashade
Olukoya, wife of the general overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles
Ministries.
Oluremi recalled how the decision to field a Muslim-Muslim
ticket by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) reignited sensitive
religious debates in Nigeria.
She said despite being a Christian, her faith did not deter
her husband’s choice, but it did split her church.
“We kept moving forward with hope in God, and each campaign
was interesting despite the fact that all the odds were stacked against him,”
she recounted.
“One of such decisions was the unpopular ‘Muslim/Muslim
ticket’. My being a Christian did not matter. My local assembly, Redeemed
Christian Church of God, was split.”
The former senator also recounted her 2011 senatorial
campaign, saying her political posters were rejected by the church.
“I later realised that we are a church like other churches
with members of all political parties in attendance,” she wrote.
“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,” she added.
Remi said while some parishioners showed hostility, many
elders and members offered prayers and support, helping her to remain steadfast
in her faith.
She said despite the animosity, she never changed her place
of worship and credited her spiritual growth to the experience.
“But I kept attending church, and I thank God I have grown
from being a baby to a mature Christian,” she wrote.
“So the little resentment I witnessed from a few was met
with the peace of God. 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 everyone 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.
“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.”
‘ONLY GOD REWARDS, NOT MAN’
Remi also claimed that some of her husband’s allies deserted
him when he decided to pursue the presidency after more than 14 years of
contemplation.
She said she has forgiven those who betrayed her husband
during the electioneering campaign, adding that she has chosen peace over
bitterness.
“He had mused on the idea for over 14 years, and this was
where we arrived at a crossroads. Most people I thought would support the idea
because of past relationships were not forthcoming,” she wrote.
“After consulting with some of his political allies, he was
set to give it a shot. The decision now rested on him to go on or not to. A lot
of consultations began.
“Some were favourable, while others were neither here nor
there. Some said no indirectly, while others would rather want to see the
outcome before taking a position.
“I realised that whatever good you do in life, it is only
God who rewards you and not man. 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.”
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