Ambassador-designate and Senator representing Ondo South, Jimoh Ibrahim, has argued that President Bola Tinubu cannot be linked to any form of Christian genocide in Nigeria, citing the President’s marriage to a pastor as evidence.
Ibrahim, who chairs the Senate Committee on Inter-Parliamentary Affairs, made the remark while responding to the recent acknowledgement of First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, by former United States President Donald Trump.
In a statement, the lawmaker praised the First Lady, describing her role as a calculated diplomatic effort that has contributed to changing international perceptions of Nigeria, especially within the United States.
“If the President can have a pastor as his wife, then it is evident that he has no hand in religious genocide, which Nigeria is not known for,” the Senator stated.
He explained that the First Lady’s participation in high-level global engagements had helped reposition Nigeria’s security concerns as a collective national challenge rather than one driven by religious motives, a shift he said could foster objective and merit-based international support for the Tinubu administration.
Ibrahim stressed that effective diplomacy extends beyond official negotiations, noting that the First Lady’s involvement reflected influence in action rather than mere political messaging.
“For her to gain access to that level of engagement is a demonstration of influence rooted in religious diplomacy, which lies at the centre of the global misunderstanding about Nigeria,” he said.
The Senator further observed that global relations are largely guided by interests, adding that Nigeria’s image, both locally and internationally, has often been shaped by religious perceptions promoted by certain political actors.
According to him, the First Lady’s engagement conveyed a strong signal that despite the country’s security difficulties, the President is not complicit in any form of religious persecution.
Describing her role as a calming and unifying diplomatic presence, Ibrahim said her intervention achieved in a single instance what would typically take years of sustained diplomatic effort.
“This is a case of action speaking louder than words. History will be kind to her,” he added.
