In 40 years of our marriage we’ve never raised voice at each other – First Lady on Tinubu

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Thursday evening said that her relationship with anyone who does not fear God is unlikely to last. She also revealed that in nearly 40 years of marriage to President Bola Tinubu, a Muslim, neither of them can recall a time when they raised their voices at each other.

Senator Tinubu made the remarks while hosting an Interfaith Breaking of Fast (Iftar and Lent) at the Old Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja. The event brought together adherents of Nigeria’s two major religions—Christianity and Islam—as well as the wives of state governors.

Speaking to women leaders amid the overlapping Ramadan and Lenten observances, she emphasized the importance of coexistence among religious groups and highlighted the role of women as role models in guiding younger generations.

Drawing from her nearly four-decade interfaith marriage, Senator Tinubu said peaceful personal coexistence can serve as a counter to insecurity and division. She urged women to serve with “excellence, compassion, and integrity.”

“Today is indeed a great day—a day that God made for us to gather together as women from different backgrounds. With Ramadan and Lent coinciding this year, it felt like God was speaking to us as a nation,” she said.

Addressing rising religious tensions in the country, the First Lady stated:
“Recently, many things have been happening, and people are attempting to target our religious beliefs. But Nigerians know that this is often not the case. Some of us are married to people of different faiths and have lived together peacefully for many years. For me, almost 40 years. I cannot recall a time we raised our voices at each other more than twice. Respect and maturity are the best ways to live together.”

Senator Tinubu also urged Nigerians to abandon a sense of entitlement, especially among Christians. “The Bible says, ‘The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.’ My relationship with anyone, or dealings with anybody, must be grounded in that fear,” she said.

She further encouraged women to mentor the younger generation, passing on wisdom and values. “We have a lot of work to do, especially for young people. Mentorship remains crucial. The old school is still modern, and we have the real intelligence to pass on to the next generation.”

The event also featured a lecture by Prof. Ganiyat Adejoke Adesina-Uthman, Director at the National Open University of Nigeria, who spoke on “Serving with excellence, compassion, and integrity in public life,” emphasizing that integrity is non-negotiable.

Distinguished attendees included former First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan, the wives of the Vice President and former Vice President, Mrs. Ekaette Akpabio, Mrs. Fatima Tajudeen Abass, female National Assembly members, female ministers, and female judges, among many others.