Nigeria has seen all types of First Ladies — the nonchalant, the quiet, and the empathetic-ish — but we’ve never seen anyone quite like Remi Tinubu. Even though the office of the First Lady isn’t constitutionally recognised in Nigeria and has no assigned responsibilities, we’ve seen wives of Presidents around the world make the most of it. Nigeria, on the other hand, hasn’t particularly had the best of luck when it comes to First Ladies. Now, we have Remi Tinubu, an ironically vocal woman who is often on the wrong side of history.
Since her husband took office in May 2023, he has had a controversial tenure. As soulmates tend to do, Mrs. Tinubu seems to have mirrored her husband’s behaviour because she, too, has had an equally controversial tenure as First Lady.
Here are some of her most notable actions that should leave you with questions.
An attempt to tackle national hunger with small-scale farming
While Nigerians were struggling with rising food prices in 2024, the First Lady advised women in the country to help keep the situation under control by planting food in their gardens. And because leaders are supposed to lead by example, she started by planting spinach, water leaf, bitter leaf, jute leaves (ewedu), lemon grass, scent leaf, and okro in her garden. While showing off her home-grown food, she said, “This little garden will be able to provide enough healthy vegetables for my household, and I would be able to let some of my staff have as well. The solution to any problem lies in everyone contributing their own quota to getting that solution.”
On paper, Remi Tinubu’s effort looks like a cute public relations campaign. But in reality, a total of ₦660.5 million was reportedly set aside to provide ‘refreshment & meal and foodstuff for the offices of Tinubu and Shettima’ in 2024, while ₦201.4 million was allocated to the feeding of the animals in Aso Rock zoo. So, while Remi Tinubu was parading small-scale farming as the solution to Nigeria’s food insecurity problem, even the animals in Aso Rock had a bigger feeding budget than most Nigerians can ever boast of.
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Almost a billion splashed on international trips in three months
In September 2024, Remi Tinubu was back in the news for all the wrong reasons. The federal government had reportedly spent ₦701 million funding her trips to five countries within three months. Not only is the First Lady title a customary position with no traceable benefit to the country’s welfare, but it is also a position with no defined responsibilities, which makes it difficult to justify what business the federal government had, spending this amount of money on Mrs Tinubu as Nigeria experiences its worst economic crisis yet.
An attempt to break tribal barriers with a national fabric
Nigeria’s 2024 Independence Day came with a twist, all thanks to Remi Tinubu and her creative idea of “breaking down tribal barriers to identify as a people of one nation” with a national fabric.
While she commissioned the fabric, she said that her goal is “to encourage local mass production of the unity fabric by two of our (Nigeria’s) local manufacturers” so as to make it “accessible to all Nigerians.” We held Remi Tinubu to her promise of making this national fabric accessible to all of us, and we’ve been waiting for five months. 200,000 pieces of the fabric were supposed to be made available nationwide, but it’s debatable how many Nigerians have seen this fabric before. There have been little to no follow-up details regarding the distribution efforts for a project that was likely executed with public funds.
Dismissal of concerns over the Senate’s approach towards sexual harassment allegation
On Thursday, March 6, the first lady shut down the nationwide criticisms that followed the Senate’s approach to the sexual harassment case presented by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Her reason? The Nigerian Senate is a “matured” institution that must be treated with respect.
She also added that women shouldn’t be in situations where “men will be talking to you anyhow”. This is interesting for many reasons, but mainly because during her time as a senator, Remi Tinubu also experienced sexual harassment from Dino Melaye, a colleague who threatened to assault and impregnate her. By her logic, Nigerians could have argued that she put herself in that position, but at the time, the threats were not taken lightly. Up to 46 civil society groups rallied around her and called for legislative action against Melaye.
Why should we be questioning the First Lady?
The public has heavily criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the past few weeks because he is an elected official. However, it is important to scrutinise the actions of the First Lady and demand accountability, especially in cases where public funds are perceived to be misused by her.
How Can Nigerians Hold the First Lady Accountable?
- Demand Transparency in Spending
Nigerians have a right to know how public funds are being spent on the First Lady’s activities. Civil society groups and journalists can use the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act to push for full disclosures. - Engage in Active Civic Pressure
Social media remains a powerful tool for activism. Viral hashtags, petitions, and online discussions can force government responses and keep public attention on questionable spending. - Mobilise Civil Society Groups
Advocacy groups, especially those focused on women’s rights, should call out Remi Tinubu’s contradictions like her dismissal of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s harassment petition, despite experiencing similar treatment in the past. - Resist Performative Initiatives
Nigerians shouldn’t settle for symbolic gestures like the First Lady’s national fabric” when fundamental policy changes are needed. If she claims to be tackling issues like hunger or tribalism, citizens must demand actual results, not just publicity moves.
It’s easy to dismiss Remi Tinubu’s actions as the usual excesses of a First Lady, but when public funds are involved, she’s no different from any other government official who should be held accountable.
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