President Bola Tinubu used the solemn occasion of a funeral service in Jos, Plateau State, on Saturday to address mounting religious tensions in Nigeria, forcefully advocating for love and religious tolerance among Nigerians.
Speaking at the funeral of the mother of All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, before a congregation of political and church leaders, Tinubu sought to counter the growing international narrative that Nigerian Christians face state-facilitated persecution.
The President deliberately drew from his own personal life to illustrate his message of religious harmony. He highlighted the fact that he was born a Muslim but is married to a Christian minister, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, a renowned pastor.
“Hate is not an option for us,” Tinubu stated, emphasizing that he has never pressured his wife to convert to Islam. “I believe in the freedom of religion; we are praying to the same God.”
By publicly stating that he respects his wife’s faith and that they co-exist without conflict—with her even praying for him—Tinubu’s remarks function as a strategic defense against external accusations of religious intolerance or official state bias against Christians. His message positions the failure of religious tolerance as a societal issue, not a government policy.
A Call for Peace in a Flashpoint State
Tinubu’s address was particularly significant because it took place in Plateau State, a region that has become a major flashpoint for persistent ethnic and religious conflicts.
Amid continued violence in the North, and coming shortly after a U.S. Senator proposed sanctions against Nigerian officials for allegedly “facilitating the mass murder of Christians,” the President’s call served a dual purpose: to assure the Nigerian public that his administration values religious freedom and to push back on international efforts to categorize Nigeria as a nation hostile to its Christian population.
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