The man called Tinubu and his most personal relationship with his Christian wife and children.
It's unfortunate that this is happening in a time like this when mistrust and religious intolerance has almost become the order of the day in Nigeria and among her citizens.
The newest forms of religious intolerance in Nigeria is the activities of Boko Haram Islamic fundamentalist sect, banditry, kidnappings, especially kidnappings of Christian clerics lately, killings of Christians worshippers and bombing of Churches in Nigeria. One will not forget in a hurry, the gruesome and barbaric killing of Deborah Samuel, a 200-Level student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto.
The Christians community were not yet recovered from this when another attacked was launched against St. Francis Catholic Church, at Owaluwa street, Owo where 40 worshippers were gruesomely murdered and several others sustained varying degree of injuries.
All these and many more are currently threatening the co-operate existence of the Nigerian state. But the truth is that those marauders had demonstrated high level of intolerance in the country by unleashing terror on both Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
However, looking at him, (Tinubu) as an individual and a politician, we will see how good and tolerant he is.
Tinubu met his wife Oluremi through Oluremi’s elder sister. According to Oluremi, she saw kindness in Tinubu’s eyes and that was the attraction for her.
She also observed that Tinubu wasn't a religious fanatic as he always tolerated her when she talked about her faith which gave her the confidence to bring him to her father.
Oluremi was born into an Anglican family in Ogun State.
According to Oluremi, "The first thing my dad asked Tinubu when I brought him home was, I hope you won't stop my daughter from practicing her faith and going to church?"
Tinubu answered he will never, and he never did.
They got married in 1987.
It must be noted that Tinubu had a relationship with another Christian lady before he met Oluremi his wife. That woman is Prophetess Bunmi Oshonike.
That relationship produced Seyi Tinubu, Tinubu's second son who is a Christian.
When Tinubu went full swing into politics, the military junta struck and he had to flee Nigeria.
His wife Oluremi was exiled to Maryland, the USA with two children. The pain and frustration of not having a husband around and because he lost a child while in exile led her to seek solace in Christ.
According to her, she was scared and distrustful until she met her friend Dele. It was Dele that led her to Evangel Temple which is now Evangel Cathedral where she gave her life to Christ and started understanding the meaning of Christianity.
On returning to Nigeria, she was thrust into the leadership position of being the first lady of Lagos State almost immediately.
She made friends with the late Pastor Bimbo Odukoya who was a great inspiration to her.
She was undecided on which church to attend. There was a mosque in the house, and she decided to build a chapel too. She contacted Rauf Aregbesola the former governor of Osun State. He was the commissioner for works in Lagos State back then.
She showed him the space and he designed and built the chapel there. That was where she worshipped till, she met Pastor E A Adeboye through Tinubu.
She was always going for the "Holy Ghost Night" at the Redemption Camp and Tinubu never stopped her.
She decided to enroll in the new foundation class and worker's class. She was taken through those classes by Pastor Adeboye's wife, Pastor Foluke Adeboye.
She proceeded to Bible School, graduated, and was ordained as an assistant pastor in RCCG Redeemed Christian Church of God.
Tinubu never objected to this, in fact, their two daughters were raised in the Christian way by Oluremi though they have Muslim names. Zainab and Habibat.
For those still in doubt of Tinubu's liberal religious nature, it must be noted that there's always a Thanksgiving ceremony in Alausa presided over by Pastor E A Adeboye.
Winning an election is very sensitive but more sensitive is the religious nature of our country Nigeria, however, the Christian community needs to console herself with the fact that we have an Esther in Aso Rock in the person of Oluremi Tinubu if Tinubu emerges as president in 2023.
Tinubu is a liberal and it's safe to say that his religion is humanity.
Adapted from: Dotun Ajegbile
No comments:
Post a Comment