The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has revealed that her husband, Bola Tinubu‘s controversial Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in the 2023 elections, caused divisions within her local church and strained long-standing political alliances.
In her new memoir, ‘The Journey of Grace: Giving Thanks in All Things’, released to mark her 65th birthday, the First Lady recounted how the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s decision to field a Muslim-Muslim ticket stirred up sensitive religious debates and put her faith to the test.
According to her, even though she is a Christian and an ordained pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), her church was not spared from the tension.
“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 wrote.
“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.”
Oluremi, who was ordained as a pastor in RCCG in 2018, revealed that hostility from some members of the church was not new to her, recalling that her campaign posters were once rejected during her 2011 senatorial bid.
“I later realised that we are a church like other churches with members of all political parties in attendance,” she explained.
“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.”
Despite the resentment she faced, the First Lady said she never abandoned her church and instead used the experience as a source of spiritual growth.
“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.”
She added that her church elders and pastorate eventually made her feel welcome, even arranging for parishioners to witness her husband’s inauguration as Nigeria’s president in 2023.
On the political front, Remi disclosed that her husband, now President, faced betrayal from some of his close allies when he finally decided to pursue the presidency after over 14 years of contemplation.
“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.”
Despite this, she said she harboured no bitterness towards those who withdrew their support.
“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.”
The memoir, which covers events between 2021 and 2025, features a foreword by Folashade Olukoya, wife of the General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFMM), and provides an intimate account of the challenges, faith battles, and victories of Nigeria’s First Lady during one of the most defining moments of her husband’s political career.
