Nigeria’s First Lady, Remi Tinubu, has expressed surprise as the recognition of her presence during a recent prayer programme in Washington, United States of America.
last week, Trump hailed Tinubu at the United States National Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC, describing her as a highly respected leader of one of the largest churches in Nigeria.
Speaking during an interview with Fox News in Washington, D.C., Oluremi reflected on the incident and intense scrutiny Nigeria has faced recently, including criticism over insecurity, alleged attacks on Christians, and US airstrikes targeting militant groups.
She said the intervention of the United States in Nigeria as a “blessing”.
Tinubu said the attention was a significant step in bringing global attention to Nigeria’s challenges and reforms.
“It (US intervention) was quite a blessing. Who would have thought that President Trump would recognise me? Even to say the least, it was unexpected,” she said.
The first lady linked the recognition to the broader idea that good things can emerge from challenges, calling attention to ongoing reforms in Nigeria.
“If something is going to be good, it will come from the rubbles. And it starts like that. Then we have the attention, the conversations, and we expect there will be more. It’s going to yield better fruit for us, both for Nigeria and for America,” she said.
Oluremi also addressed criticisms from some US lawmakers who have raised concerns about the alleged Christian genocide in Nigeria, insisting that the government is actively tackling insecurity and working with international partners to clarify the situation on the ground.
She highlighted steps taken by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, including the recruitment of additional police and military personnel, arming forest guards to secure regions where militants hide, and redeploying officers to hotspots such as Plateau, Benue, and Taraba.
“Our country encourages freedom of religion, which is entrenched in our constitution. We are focused on protecting our people while also creating conditions for economic growth,” she added.
