Remi Tinubu Reacts to Trump’s Praise at US Prayer Breakfast

• First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has said Nigerian leaders are often respected abroad but unfairly criticised at home.

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has expressed concern over what she described as a growing disconnect between the respect Nigerian leaders enjoy internationally and the criticism, hostility and abuse they face at home.

Mrs Tinubu made the remarks in a post on her official Facebook page on Friday, days after United States President Donald Trump publicly praised her during the National Prayer Breakfast held in Washington, DC.

At the annual event, attended by members of the US Congress, religious leaders and international guests, Trump acknowledged the Nigerian First Lady in the audience and commended her faith leadership and public standing.

“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 recognition, Mrs Tinubu said many Nigerian leaders are widely respected and honoured abroad but are often undervalued at home due to what she described as hate-driven narratives and political manipulation.

According to her, persistent negative messaging promoted by political interests has shaped public perception, fostering intolerance and hostility toward leaders, even when they are acknowledged internationally for their contributions and leadership.

“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 said.

She also criticised the culture of public ridicule and online abuse directed at Nigerian leaders, warning that such behaviour undermines national unity and collective 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,” Mrs Tinubu added.

The First Lady stressed that Nigeria’s strength lies in unity, mutual respect and collective responsibility, urging citizens to support their leaders rather than tear them down.

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“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 international scrutiny of 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 as a “country of particular concern” over alleged attacks on Christians, a move the Nigerian government rejected as inaccurate and harmful to national cohesion, insisting that insecurity affects citizens of all faiths and ethnic backgrounds.