The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has said many Nigerian leaders who are widely respected and honoured abroad are often subjected to criticism, abuse and disrespect at home, blaming the situation on hate-filled narratives and political manipulation.
Mrs Tinubu made the remarks in a Facebook post on Friday, days after United States President Donald Trump publicly described her as a “very respected woman” during the National Prayer Breakfast held in Washington, DC.
The annual gathering, which drew members of the US Congress, religious figures and international guests, saw President Trump single out the Nigerian First Lady while speaking on faith, leadership and religious freedom across the globe.
Acknowledging her presence, Trump praised her 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 churches.
“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.
“A very respected woman. First Lady, please, where are you? Thank you very much. It’s a great honour. Very respected person, too,” Trump said.
Reacting to the commendation, Mrs Tinubu expressed concern over what she described as the growing gap between the respect Nigerian leaders receive internationally and how they are treated by citizens at home.
She blamed the trend on persistent negative narratives fueled by political interests, which she said have encouraged hostility and intolerance towards leaders.
In her words, “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 also criticised the culture of public ridicule and online harassment targeted at Nigerian leaders, warning that it weakens national unity and progress.
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“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 added.
Mrs Tinubu stressed that Nigeria’s strength lies in unity, mutual respect and collective responsibility, urging citizens to work with their leaders for the nation’s advancement.
“Nigeria is built on love, unity, and collective effort toward shared success. Let us come together to support our respected leaders and work hand in hand with them to make our country great,” she said.
Her comments come amid renewed global attention on Nigeria’s security challenges, following claims by President Trump and some US lawmakers that Christians in the country face widespread persecution.
In late 2025, the United States classified Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over alleged attacks on Christians, a decision that sparked strong objections from the Nigerian government.
The Federal Government rejected the designation, describing it as misleading and harmful to national unity, while insisting that Nigeria’s security problems stem from terrorism and criminal activities affecting citizens across religious and ethnic divides.