Oluremi Tinubu: Life at Aso Rock lonely

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has admitted that life inside Aso Rock Villa can feel “quite secluded”, a revelation she shared in her newly released memoir, The Journey of Grace: Giving Thanks in All Things.

Marking her 65th birthday, Mrs Tinubu unveiled the 52-page book where she chronicled her spiritual walk, her husband’s rise to the presidency, and her own struggles with the quietness of power.

“Life at the Presidential Villa can be quite secluded. So getting busy when I do not have much to do, Daughters of Zelophehad Ministries came quite handy,” she wrote.

To escape the silence, the First Lady said she leaned on her long-running ministry work and even launched a podcast, The Conversation, tailored for young women. “Sometimes, I record episodes ahead, and some friends of like minds join some of our recordings,” she added.

Mrs Oluremi Tinubu explained she had vowed to God that if her husband became president, she would never stop reaching out to young women. “Scriptural things are not political, there should always be a straight line differentiating both sides,” she said.

Beyond her ministry, the First Lady recounted her role in building the Renewed Hope Initiative, her flagship social intervention programme, which has rolled out scholarships, women’s empowerment, aid to persons with disabilities, and support for military families.

She revealed how the programme started with leftover campaign funds and donations, before being expanded through partnerships with state First Ladies, local government chairmen’s spouses, traditional rulers and community leaders.

The memoir also detailed her foray into continental diplomacy, including joining the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development during the UN General Assembly in 2023, where she met U.S. First Lady, Jill Biden.

From ministry podcasts to grassroots empowerment, Remi Tinubu admitted each step was not just service, but also an escape from the loneliness of Aso Rock.