Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, on Thursday said she finds it difficult to maintain lasting relationships with people who do not know God, stressing that the fear of God remains the foundation for wisdom and integrity.

She also revealed that in nearly four decades of marriage to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, she cannot recall a time when both of them raised their voices at each other.

The First Lady spoke while hosting an Interfaith Breaking of Fast (Iftar and Lent) at the Old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The event brought together adherents of Nigeria’s two major religions—Christians and Muslims—as well as wives of state governors and women leaders from across the country.

Addressing the gathering, Senator Tinubu emphasised the importance of peaceful coexistence among people of different faiths and the critical role of women as role models in shaping the younger generation.

She noted that the overlapping observance of Ramadan and the Lenten season presents an opportunity for reflection, unity, and national healing.

“Today is indeed a great day. It is a day God made for us to gather together as women from different backgrounds,” she said. “When the Ramadan fast and the Lenten season began around the same time, it felt like God was speaking to us as a nation.”

Drawing from her nearly 40-year interfaith marriage, the First Lady used her personal experience to highlight the possibility of harmony despite religious differences.

“Some of us are married to people of different faiths and we have lived together peacefully for many years. For me, almost 40 years,” she said.

“And I can tell you, I cannot remember when both of us raised our voices at each other—maybe not more than twice in those 40 years. We have been quite mature and respectful about it, and I believe that is the best way to live together.”

She also addressed growing tensions in the country that are often framed along religious lines, noting that Nigerians have historically lived peacefully despite differences in faith.

The First Lady urged citizens to move away from a sense of entitlement and instead cultivate the fear of God in their daily lives.

“The Bible says the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom,” she said. “I will deal with anyone in this country who has the fear of God.”

She further called on women to take an active role in mentoring young people and passing on values and knowledge to the next generation.

“We all have a lot of work to do, especially for the young people. You have to mentor them,” she said. “The old school is still modern. We have real intelligence to pass on to the next generation.”

Also speaking at the event, a Director at the National Open University of Nigeria, Prof. Ganiyat Adejoke Adesina-Uthman, addressed what she described as a “crisis of trust” in public office.

Speaking on the theme “Serving with Excellence, Compassion, and Integrity in Public Life,” she stressed that integrity must remain non-negotiable for leaders and public servants.

The gathering was attended by several prominent figures, including former First Lady Patience Jonathan, the wife of the Vice President, Nana Shettima, the wife of former Vice President Namadi Sambo, as well as the wife of the Senate President, Mrs. Ekaette Akpabio.

Female members of the National Assembly, judges, ministers, and other women leaders were also in attendance.