Nigeria’s first lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has said many of the country’s leaders are treated with honour and respect internationally but are frequently criticised, abused and undervalued by citizens at home, a trend she blamed on hate-driven narratives and political manipulation.
Tinubu made the remarks in a post on her Facebook page on Friday, days after the 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, saw Trump single out the Nigerian first lady while speaking on faith, leadership and global religious freedom.
Acknowledging her presence, Trump praised Tinubu’s dual role as Nigeria’s first lady and an ordained pastor in 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,” Trump said.
“A very respected woman. First Lady, please, where are you? Thank you very much. It’s a great honour. Very respected person, too.”
Reacting to the recognition, Tinubu lamented what she described as a growing disconnect between the esteem Nigerian leaders receive abroad and the hostility they face at home.
She suggested many Nigerians had been shaped by persistent negative narratives promoted by political interests, leading to intolerance and resentment even towards figures who are acknowledged internationally for their standing.
“Most of our leaders are highly respected and honoured abroad, yet many Nigerians fail to value what they have because of hatred and the narratives planted in their minds by political paymasters, which have also hardened their hearts,” she wrote.
The first lady also criticised what she described as a culture of public ridicule and online abuse directed at Nigerian leaders, warning that such behaviour undermines national unity and progress.
“They bully these leaders, speak ill of them, demean them, curse them, and even seize upon their mistakes to drag them across social media, ridiculing and mocking them publicly,” she said.
Tinubu urged citizens to embrace unity and mutual respect, arguing that national strength depended on collective effort rather than division.
“Nigeria is built on love, unity, and collective effort toward shared success,” she wrote. “Let us come together to support our respected leaders and work hand in hand with them to make our country great.”
Her comments come amid renewed international focus on Nigeria’s security situation following claims by Trump and some US lawmakers that Christians in Nigeria face widespread violence.
In late 2025, the United States designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern” over alleged attacks on Christians, a move that was strongly criticised by the Nigerian government.
The federal government rejected the designation as inaccurate and potentially harmful to national cohesion, insisting that Nigeria’s security crisis is driven largely by terrorism and criminality affecting citizens across religious and ethnic lines.
