Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has spoken warmly about her longstanding relationship with people of Igbo extraction, recalling that her closest friend in secondary school was an Igbo girl.
The First Lady made the remarks on Thursday in Anambra State during the launch of the National Community Food Bank in the South-East.
Speaking about her personal experiences with the Igbo community, Mrs Tinubu said she had maintained close relationships with Igbo people from her school years through her tertiary education.
“Igbos are very nice people. My best friend in secondary school was an Igbo girl,” she said.
She added that many of her friends during her secondary and tertiary education were Igbo and that some people had assumed she was Igbo because of her appearance.
The comments were made during the First Lady’s engagement in the South-East, where she participated in the launch of the National Community Food Bank initiative.
The programme is part of efforts to strengthen social support for vulnerable Nigerians, particularly women, children and families facing economic hardship.
A Personal Appeal for National Unity
Mrs Tinubu’s remarks also carried a broader message about national cohesion, with the First Lady presenting her personal relationships across ethnic lines as an example of the connections that exist among Nigerians.
Her comments come at a politically sensitive period, with preparations for the 2027 general elections already intensifying across the country.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is seeking re-election, while opposition figures including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi are also positioning themselves for the presidential contest.
The South-East remains a strategically important region in the political calculations surrounding the 2027 election.
Mrs Tinubu has in recent weeks continued to engage communities and women’s groups across different parts of the country as the administration promotes its social intervention programmes.
South-East Engagement
Her visit to Anambra was part of a wider effort to expand the National Community Food Bank programme into the South-East.
The initiative is intended to support vulnerable households and improve access to food and social assistance.
The First Lady’s comments therefore combined a personal recollection with a public appeal for greater social connection among Nigerians.
Her description of Igbo people as “very nice” has already generated considerable discussion online, particularly because of the political significance of her visit to the South-East.
The remarks were, however, framed around her personal experiences and relationships rather than as a formal political statement.
As the 2027 election approaches, statements by senior political figures about regional relationships and national unity are likely to attract increased public attention.