First Lady of Grace: Celebrating Remi Tinubu at 64

By Keem Abdul

As the countdown to her 64th birthday entered its home-stretch, tributes to Nigeria’s elegant First Lady, Senator (Mrs.) Oluremi Tinubu first came in trickles in the weeks leading up to the event (mainly from those among her family, friends, aides and associates who always had a prior inkling of the date). But as the day finally loomed, the trickles became a veritable flood, as Nigerians from all walks of life seized the opportunity of this auspicious occasion to express their admiration and respect for an exemplary lady whose understated class, elegance and vivacity are only matched (if not exceeded) by her generosity of spirit and the aura of positivity she has always projected, as well as her equanimity in the face of life’s vicissitudes and, especially, the vagaries of Nigerian politics.

The wave of tributes was led by no other than the celebrant’s husband of 37 years, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who described her as his ‘rock, confidante, greatest supporter, and the love of his life. Every step of the way, you have shown unwavering strength, grace, and love to me, our family, and our beloved nation, Nigeria. In a heartfelt birthday message to his wife, Tinubu wrote: “…On this beautiful day, as we celebrate your 64th birthday, my heart is full of gratitude and love for the incredible woman you are. You are the heart of our home, the light guiding me through the most challenging days, and the embodiment of kindness and wisdom. Your compassion, generosity, and dedication inspire millions of Nigerians and me, especially our young women, who look up to you as their First Lady. On your special day, I want to take a moment to tell you how truly blessed I feel to walk this path beside you. Your love sustains me, wisdom guides me, and strength lifts me. I could not ask for a better partner to share the triumphs and trials of life.”

Other messages have come in from the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the three Senators representing Lagos State and members of the House of Representatives, as well as from aides of the President, and politicians across the partisan divides.

As noted by the generality of those who know her best, or whose paths have crossed hers in some form or another, Sen. Remi Tinubu’s rightly-praised qualities, and indeed her entire persona, are a product of many influences which have combined to shape her character from an early age. She is reportedly in the process of documenting these influences in an upcoming memoir. However, her admirers can get a glimpse of that life-journey (or the highlights thereof) in her 35-page book, ‘The Journey of Grace: My Faith Walk’, in which she sets out her philosophy, vision and mission, projections and the essence of her womanhood, as well as the values she holds most dear.

Among those early influences are her family, and the education she has received – both within and beyond the walls of the classroom. Born on September 21, 1960, the young Oluremi, the last daughter and 12th child of her father, did not descend from financial wealth or royalty, but by her own admission, basic things of life were never in short supply. Her father instilled in her the principles of focus and strong will. “The first principle I learnt from him,’ she has written, ‘is that there is nothing impossible, if we are determined.’ Other virtues the future First Lady learned from her father were contentment, avoidance of ostentation, and a consciousness of one’s background and the obligations that come with such consciousness. On her part, the future Senator’s mother instilled in her the virtues of courtesy and etiquette. She also taught her precocious daughter how to pray and seek the face of God at all times. In the book, ‘The Journey of Grace: My Faith Walk’, Sen. Tinubu also mentions other influences (and role models) such as Mama Oye Williams, Mrs. Adetoun Mustapha and the late Pastor Bimbo Odukoya.

The young Oluremi attended the Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, where she obtained her West African Senior Secondary School Certificate (WASSC) in 1979, after which she proceeded to the Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, where she earned a National Certificate of Education (NCE) in Botany and Zoology. She received a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Ife (now the Obafemi Awolowo University) and a Post-Graduate Diploma (PGD) from the Redeemed Christian Bible College.

But by far, she says, the greatest influence on her life (at least in her adult years) is the king of her heart, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Their union – an inter-religious marriage between a Muslim and a Christian – has been praised as an example of religious tolerance, mutual understanding and regard – the very principles, their admirers say, we need so badly in our national life. “My husband has such a great mind,” she writes in her book, “… Despite the fact that he is a Muslim, I found in him so many qualities expected of a good Christian – forgiveness, love for people and blessing your enemies.” In the course of that marriage, fame and fortune have been accompanied by the unavoidable denial of time and privacy, occasioned by the rise of her spouse, who since his foray into politics in the aborted Third Republic, has become a colossus. It was a life she had to adjust to – a life dominated by thoughts and constant engagements about the state of Nigeria, political parties and caucuses, party members, alliances, strategy meetings, campaigns, crisis resolution, and the welfare and security of the people. Even closer to home, the marriage has been a fusion of joy and sadness, victories and defeats, successes and failures – and no small amount of surprises and the curve-balls of life.

As a political player, she learned, from no less than the most sagacious political operator of the current 4th Republic himself, that power is not served a la carte, and that the proper management of power and influence are far more important than its mere acquisition. Gaining power, she realized upon securing a seat in the Nigerian Senate, was the easy part; the infinitely more challenging part was the consummation of one’s mandate in a manner gives it its true meaning as regards those whose interests one supposedly represents. “With politics and its diverse needs and expectations,” she has said in an interview, “one’s life becomes public property. Sometimes, one feels like a morsel of food waiting to be shared by many… like a tiny piece of meat with so many hands tugging at it. Your life is no longer yours and what belongs to you belongs to all”. Far from being an avenue for primitive accumulation – as seems to be the case in our clime – Mrs. Tinubu sees political power as an opportunity to minister to the needs of the people. In the Senate, she was a vocal advocate on issues such as electoral reforms and the integrity of the ballot box, women’s empowerment and social security for the elderly. She was also an active member of many committees and took her oversight functions extremely seriously.

No doubt, Sen. Tinubu’s time in the corridors of power, as First Lady of Lagos State and as Senator representing the Lagos West senatorial district in the national assembly – was fulfilling, and she did add value, however imperfectly, to the lives of her constituents, even as her own life was also enriched by the experience. But it was clear to all who have observed her in those roles that the glamour of those offices never beclouded her sense of judgment and common-sense, neither did it alter her trademark simplicity and modesty.

This measured approach to life (even a life lived at the commanding heights of power, fame and fortune) speaks eloquently of her fidelity to the tenets of her Christian faith, which has taught her to conduct herself with grace, decorum and decency. As she marks her 64th year on this mortal plane, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu says she takes solace in the unfailing providence of the Almighty. “I am now resting in the knowledge that we have a reward for our labour,” she says. “I thank God that our labour has not been in vain.”

Well said. Happy birthday, madam First Lady!