Tinubu Urges Nigerians to Rise Above Religious Divisions, Cites His Marriage as Example of Unity
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on Nigerians to embrace unity and tolerance across religious divides, emphasizing that faith should be a force for harmony rather than division.
Speaking on Saturday in Jos, Plateau State, during the funeral service of the late Lydia Yilwatda — mother of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda — Tinubu said Nigerians must learn to coexist peacefully despite their differing beliefs.
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The President stressed that no one can alter God’s divine plan, noting that all human beings ultimately serve the same Almighty regardless of their chosen faith.
“Nobody determines what God has ordained. God’s ordained action and His prophecies are what matter,” Tinubu said.
He drew from his personal life to illustrate the importance of religious tolerance, revealing that while he is a Muslim, his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, is a Christian pastor — a difference that has never caused discord in their home.
“I inherited Islam from my family. I didn’t change. But my wife is a pastor. She prays for me. No conflict. I never, at any time, tried to convince or convert her,” he said.
Tinubu described his marriage as an example of the unity Nigeria could achieve if citizens chose mutual respect and shared values over religious differences.
“I believe in the freedom of religion. We are praying to the same God and are answerable to the same Almighty. What truly matters are our deeds, character, and love for one another — not the method or faith of our being,” the President added.
He paid tribute to the late Lydia Yilwatda, describing her as a woman of deep faith, service, and humility, and prayed for her soul’s repose.