Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has revealed that she has personally faced religiously motivated threats, including a call from a cleric who allegedly described her as a heathen and said she should be stoned or killed. She, however, noted that she also received strong support from Nigerians, particularly from the northern region.
Speaking in an interview with CBN News, Tinubu said her experience shows the complexity of religious relations in Nigeria, even as someone who serves as an ordained Pentecostal pastor and is married to a Muslim president.
“There was a Muslim cleric who said that I’m a heathen, that I should be stoned or killed. And most of the people who spoke up for me are from the north,” she said.
Responding to questions on whether she believes there is a Christian genocide in Nigeria, the First Lady dismissed the claim. She argued that such a description does not accurately reflect the country’s security situation.
According to her, many of the violent incidents in different parts of the country are better explained by long-standing clashes between herders and farmers, as well as criminal activities such as kidnapping, which are often driven by financial gain rather than religion.
Tinubu further cautioned against framing Nigeria’s insecurity as religious persecution, warning that such narratives could worsen tensions and even be exploited by armed groups. She suggested that labeling the crisis as genocide could lead to more targeted attacks on places of worship, including churches.
She stressed the need for a more balanced understanding of the nation’s challenges, urging Nigerians and the international community to avoid narratives that could inflame divisions……See More
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