Senator Remi Tinubu, wife of the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, appeared to indirectly respond to the outgoing Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, over his warning that the incoming administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu must uphold integrity and shun corruption if Nigeria must make progress.
At the inter-denominational church service held on Sunday ahead of Tinubu’s swearing-in as Nigeria’s 16th president, Osinbajo, who doubles as a pastor, delivered a sermon highlighting the importance of resisting corruption and economic malfeasance if political leaders must move their nations forward.
“Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people. Every successful nation requires integrity at the level of leadership and when we say leadership, we are referring to the elite, the political, the business and the religious elite of any society,” Osinbajo stated at the National Ecumenical Center, Abuja, while urging business and religious elites to also obey God’s commandment on righteousness.
“And this is so whether it is Dubai or Nigeria or Tanzania, no country can be great if its elite is corrupt, self-serving or living for themselves. That is the instruction of God.
“The second instruction he gives to the people and instructs the people (is found in) in Jeremiah 29: 7, I’m going to quote the NLT, that’s a New Living Translation, where it says “And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your own welfare.”
“God instructed not just the captives of Nebuchadnezzar…but he has instructed us even in these times that we must pray and work for the peace and prosperity of our country and that we must as individuals pray for the leadership of our country.
“The people of God in particular have a duty to pray and work for the peace and prosperity of this nation, regardless of party, regardless of parochial considerations regardless of who you voted for and regardless of who you did not vote for.
“Tomorrow a new government will be born. Concerning Jesus Christ, scripture says that from birth He grew in stature, in wisdom and in favour with God.
“So, I prayed these same words for the Presidential-elect, Senator Bola Tinubu GCFR, and the vice president-elect, Senator Kashim Shettima, GCON, and the new government, that as their days in office, so shall they grow in stature, in wisdom and in favour with the Almighty,” the VP said.
Meanwhile, Remi Tinubu, who becomes Nigeria’s new First Lady after her husband in sworn-in tomorrow, also mounted the podium to deliver a speech.
Remi, who like Osinbajo is a pastor at the RCCG Church, said her family was comfortable and does not need to steal from the nation to survive.
Although not mentioning any names, her words were perceived as a veiled reference to the Vice President’s sermon.
“…the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Today we have heard in Psalms 133: 1-3, except there is new unity, blessings cannot flow down.
“This is the time for Nigeria to come together for us to be renewed in our hope again, to hope in Nigeria (as) young children have sung here today. They’re expecting the best for Nigeria.
“Nigeria’s wealth is the Commonwealth of all, it belongs to everyone. God has blessed my family, we don’t need the wealth of Nigeria to survive but to do the right thing and I promise you on this Alta, that with your help (and) with the help of God, we will set this nation on the right path,” said Remi who served as the First Lady of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007 when her husband was governor of the state.
Remi, an ongoing senator representing Lagos Central Senatorial District at the Nigerian National Assembly, said Tinubu only requires the prayers of Nigerians to deliver his promises to the citizens.
“…the spirit of God is in us (and) we will do the right thing by the grace of God. We need your prayers, we need to express of the Church, we need the Mosque, we need everybody to pray to that one God who we just read in Ephesians, that He is one God of all, He’s a God of all flesh (and) He’s sovereign and he sits in heaven and does as he pleases,” she added.
