Trump’s recognition of Remi Tinubu at public event is good for Nigeria — Oshiomhole

Trump’s recognition of Remi Tinubu at public event is good for Nigeria — Oshiomhole

By Jeffrey Agbo

Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North/APC) has described the recognition of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, by the United States President Donald Trump as a diplomatic win for Nigeria.

The Edo lawmaker also said it was a proud moment for the nation and a symbol of religious harmony.

He told State House correspondents after meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Friday, that his visit was partly to extend New Year greetings and celebrate Trump’s glowing tribute to the First Lady during a public event.

Oshiomhole, a former governor of Edo State, recounted how Trump, known for his blunt style, described Mrs. Tinubu as “a very respectable woman, a very responsible woman, and a pastor of the largest church in Nigeria,” before inviting her to stand for recognition.

The former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said: “I came to greet Mr. President. I have not seen him in 2026, we wish him a happy new year, but also, very importantly, yesterday (Thursday) we saw how the most powerful man, President Donald Trump of the United States of America, in acknowledging not just the First Lady of Nigeria… but describing her as a very respectable woman, a very responsible woman, and a pastor of the largest church in Nigeria, and he invited her to stand up for recognition.”

The APC stalwart expressed national pride in the moment, noting the applause it drew and contrasting it with potential opposition criticism in reverse scenarios.

According to him: “If it was the other way around, imagine what the opposition would have been saying now… he said Nigeria’s First Lady is here. She’s a Christian, but also a Christian pastor, a woman that commands respect, a responsible and respectable woman. So congratulations.”

Oshiomhole described the gesture as a diplomatic milestone, emphasising religious coexistence under President Tinubu’s leadership.

“Trump understands that the Nigerian President is a Muslim, but he now celebrates the fact he has a Christian wife, who is also a pastor of the largest church in Nigeria. So, there can be no tension between the Quran and the Bible.”

He urged unity amid national challenges, saying, “We mostly run down our country. We have issues together, we will fix them, and they are being fixed.”