First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu: A call to purpose beyond symbolism

By Bolaji O. Akinyemi

I write once again to Senator Oluremi Tinubu — not as a partisan adversary, but as a concerned voice within the community of faith. My previous reflections were not driven by politics, but by principle: the conviction that spiritual identity carries public responsibility, especially when one voluntarily embraces the role of a Christian matriarch in a nation burdened by crisis.

This present appeal is not a departure from that conviction; it is a continuation. It is born from a growing concern that purpose must not be overshadowed by protocol, and calling must not be diluted by ceremony.

At the recent prayer breakfast hosted by former United States President Donald Trump, the optics sparked conversation. Cameras captured a moment of uncertainty — a fleeting yet symbolic pause that raised broader questions about representation, positioning, and purpose. It was a moment that invited reflection: beyond attendance at global platforms, where does Nigeria’s First Lady most powerfully stand?

Senator Tinubu has often been described in faith circles as an “Esther” — a biblical reference to the courageous queen whose influence saved her people. The story of Esther is not one of ceremonial presence, but of decisive intercession.

Her authority was not rooted in foreign recognition but in clarity of calling within her own palace. When she hesitated, it was Mordecai who reminded her of destiny: “Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

The metaphor resonates deeply in a Nigeria facing persistent insecurity, economic hardship, and social fragmentation. Communities grieve. Families struggle. Young Nigerians seek hope amid uncertainty. In such a context, many within the faith community ask: What does spiritual leadership look like at home?

The burden of this question is not about attendance at international events; it is about agency. It is about whether faith translates into visible advocacy for justice, compassion, and truth within the corridors of power. It is about whether prayer influences policy, whether intercession shapes governance, and whether moral conviction informs national direction.

Critics argue that significant resources devoted to international engagements can appear disconnected from domestic anguish. Supporters counter that diplomacy and global relationships are part of leadership. Yet beneath these debates lies a deeper spiritual inquiry: What altar is being built at home?

Biblical Esther did not outsource her responsibility. She fasted. She prayed. She spoke boldly. She risked comfort for conviction. Her defining act was not proximity to power, but courage before it.

For Nigeria’s First Lady, the expectation among many Christians is not symbolic religiosity but substantive intercession — a visible commitment to confronting persecution, injustice, and despair with moral clarity. The question is not whether she appears at global prayer gatherings, but whether her faith meaningfully shapes the conscience of governance in Abuja.

When will prayer move from platform to policy?

When will faith move from symbolism to sacrifice?

When will moral persuasion translate into tangible protection for vulnerable Nigerians?

This is not an attack. It is an appeal.

Nigeria does not merely need representation abroad; it needs restoration at home. It needs leaders — elected and unelected — who understand that spiritual influence is most powerful when it confronts domestic realities.

If Senator Oluremi Tinubu embraces the Esther mantle so often attributed to her, then the assignment is clear: stand courageously within the palace that matters most — the one whose decisions shape Nigeria’s destiny.

This is not the season for borrowed altars.

It is the season for fulfilled calling.