Nigeria: Trump honors Nigeria’s first lady at national prayer breakfast

By Zuleihat Owuiye, Mamos Nigeria

At the 74th Annual National Prayer Breakfast on Capitol Hill, former U.S. President Donald Trump publicly recognized Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, calling her “a very respected woman” and noting her role as a pastor in one of Nigeria’s largest churches. He paused his remarks to greet her, saying, “We are honored to be joined today by the First Lady of Nigeria, who also serves as a Christian pastor at one of the largest churches. A very respected woman. First Lady, where are you? Thank you very much. It’s a great honor to have you with us.”

Mrs. Tinubu, who was in Washington for the breakfast and for an International Religious Summit, used the platform to address concerns about Christian persecution in Nigeria. She described Trump’s focus on protecting Christians as “divine intervention,” suggesting it could open doors for stronger U.S.–Nigeria ties on security and trade. She emphasized that Nigeria’s challenges—banditry, kidnapping, and other criminal activity—affect all citizens, and that framing violence solely as religious persecution can mislead and even endanger targeted groups.

She added that the attention from the U.S. serves as a “wake‑up call” for Nigerian authorities to intensify efforts to secure lives and property, while also seeking a partnership built on trade and mutual security. Mrs. Tinubu dismissed claims that Trump’s remarks were based on propaganda, noting that any free‑world leader would speak out against killings of Christians, but she stressed that solutions must address the broader security context.

The event highlighted both the diplomatic recognition of Nigeria’s First Lady on an international stage and the ongoing dialogue between Abuja and Washington over how best to tackle insecurity and protect religious freedom.