By Adenike Adegoke
Art is largely subjective; people see it through different lenses and appreciate it from different perspectives. The same is true of human personality, which people see based on their sense, experience and peculiar idiosyncratic outlooks.
However, from whatever lenses people decide to view art or analyse personality, the opinions they express either diverge from or converge on its very essence–that part of it which must forever remain constant and true.
In the case of Senator Oluremi Tinubu, three-term Senator and First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, many people have also said or written different things about her at different times depending on their perspective or view.
In this piece, I take a look at the first lady as a simple, smart and strategic woman, ambitious in her own right but supportive of her husband, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Mrs Oluremi Tinubu is a mother of three. Her father hailed from Ijebu Ode in Ogun State, Southwest Nigeria, and mother, an Itshekiri, from Delta State. She had her elementary and secondary education in Ogun State after which she proceeded to Adeyemi College of Education in Ondo State where she studied Botany and Zoology. She later bagged a Bachelor’s degree in Biology Education from University of Ife now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, an achievement that crowned her academic pursuit.
A seasoned educationist, humanist and gender pathfinder, Mrs ‘Remi Tinubu’s education, smartness and viewpoints ensured she excelled in her role as First Lady of Lagos State and Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. She, of course, could not have wished for a more successful public career as well as a better private life. Talk about having the best of both worlds.
In 1999, when her husband became Governor of Lagos State, Mrs Tinubù, with much fervour and enthusiasm, put up a high level social activism within the state for women and child development. Her spirited activism and pragmatic social re-engineering ideas birthed many initiatives that are still relevant today.
Among many other initiatives she pioneered was the New Era Foundation, notable for organizing Spelling Bee competitions, first of its kind in Nigeria, among secondary school students in the state. This was to breed confidence and academic excellence amongst Lagos State Students.
Also, the New Era Foundation, true to its name, and on another level, also opened up a new vista of opportunity for Lagos State children to break the glass ceiling and aspire to be the best they could ever be.
The Foundation did this by developing and pioneering the choice of a One Day Governor from among secondary school students in the state. The lucky student would play the role of governor of the state for one full day, enjoying the media spotlight and many other perks.
The novel idea was put together to inspire children from all economic and social backgrounds to reflect on education and give it a pride of place as they grow into adulthood. Its aim was to teach them that success was not beyond anyone, and that regardless of societal odds and challenges, one could get to the peak of one’s chosen career with hardwork and dedication.
Several winners of this award have begun to take their pride of place in different sectors of leadership in Nigeria.
Mrs Tinubu reconnected with her trait of smartness and vied for the position of Senator representing Lagos Central Senatorial District when her husband took the back stage after his tenure as Governor of Lagos State.
‘Remi Tinubu won the Senatorial seat with overwhelming support from Lagosians, who recognized her talent and performance when she was their First Lady and trusted her with a public office. As compensation for her brilliant performance in the Senate, where she served for three terms until she exited the Red Chamber voluntarily owing to her new role as the nation’s First Lady.
Among other things, Senator Oluremi Tinubu pushed for the reform of the Nigerian Postal Service in March 2021 as Chairperson, Senate Committee on Communications. She also campai gned for the return of the state police in 2020.
She is a recipient of the prestigious national merit award of Officer of the Order Of the Niger, OON. Not only this, Mrs Tinubu also received the Ghana Noble International Award for leadership as well as that of Gambian Diamond Award for Immense Contribution To The Emancipation Of People From Poverty.
In transcendental matters, Mrs Tinubu cannot be called a novice as she also received a post graduate Diploma in Christian Theology from the Redeemed Christian Bible College in Ogun State. Later, she was ordained a Pastor in the same church, confirming her versatility and usefulness in the vineyard of God.
Whether playing her role as wife and mother, or acting in her capacity as First Lady–a role she has had the privilege to play when her husband was Governor of Lagos State and now that he is President, Mrs Tinubu always displayed the traits of simplicity, smartness, being positively strategic and supportive of her spouse.
As far back as the anti-dictatorship/NADECO days, ‘Remi Tinubu had always been such a pillar of support to her husband à nd the NADECO family. She was there all through the travails of the NADECO family. In fact she was fondly referred to as the heroine of democracy and the quiet Queen of the NADECO days.
Minimalist in outlook when it comes to dressing, ‘Remi Tinubu’s unique dress sense is proudly Nigerian and her elegant poise and exquisite style does a lot to adorn her unrivalled simplicity–a conscious remonstrance of needless extravagance–giving her the poise of a super model.
Arguably the oldest of Nigeria’s First Ladies, Mrs Tinubu’s grace and elegance, beauty and personal achievements combine to elevate her as one of the most accomplished of them all, being twice First Lady at the state and national level and capping it as a ranking Senator of the Federal Republic.
‘Remi Tinubu’s story and achievements complete a puzzle in the life of her husband just as they articulate a unique lesson for modern women across the country to learn: the possibility of having a career as well as running a peaceful, viable and successful home.
Nothing completes Mrs Oluremi Tinubu’s portrait better than her sense of fairness and concern for others. I’ll illustrate this by an episode in the year 2019 when she visited a Radio Station in Lagos in furtherance of her pastoral outreach for widows.
Mrs Tinubu had remonstrated with a late comer who wanted to take an opportunity that belonged to someone who came earlier: She had said to the late comer “don’t rob this lady of her opportunity. She came well ahead of you”. Her prompt intervention drew comments of admiration from everyone present, and it underscored her acute sense of fairness.
When Mrs Oluremi Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) pet project was formally introduced to the first ladies of the 36 states on Friday, 14th July, 2023, to acquaint them with the charge to make it complement rather than interfere with their personal programmes and projects across the country, the strategic, smart and supportive attributes of Mrs Oluremi Tinubu became quite apparent.
The Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) is to make the country a better place as it is billed to cut across sectors such as Agriculture, Health, Education, Social Investment and Economic Empowerment.
Mrs Tinubu has been able to carve a niche for herself by being SMART not for selfish reasons but in the interest of the nation.
Her “S” qualities can be likened to that of Hillary Clinton, a one time First Lady of America, who herself was a Senator, who is smart, simple strategic and supportive of her husband, Bill.
I painted this portrait of ‘Remi Tinubu from the vantage point of knowledge. It is based on facts, figures and a true representation of things as they stand.
•Adegoke, a journalist and social commentator,, wrote from Lagos
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