President Bola Tinubu may have deployed a use of skillful soft power by leveraging on First Lady Oluremi Tinubu’s religious profile to rekindle goodwill with the Donald Trump-led administration yesterday in fresh diplomacy between Nigeria and the United States.
The First Lady’s attendance at the annual US National Prayer Breakfast in 2026 took place after a recent diplomatic spat that seemed to have soured relations between Washington and Abuja, according to reports.
The public calculation, however, appeared to have paid off when Trump singled out Mrs. Tinubu in the congregation, acknowledged her presence, and made unusually kind remarks. This signaled renewed receptiveness following months of aggressive rhetoric against Nigeria and made it apparent that Nigeria was, perhaps, once again in the public eye.
In particular, US President Trump praised Nigeria’s First Lady Oluremi for attending the 74th edition of the show, calling her a respected individual and highlighting her position as a Christian pastor in the country’s “largest church.”
However, there is a risk, just like with everything Trump. How long-lasting is this newly discovered openness? Trump is erratic and subject to sudden changes in his opinion.
Trump further emphasised the importance of the Christmas Day airstrikes on terrorists in Africa’s most populous country by saying that US forces are working with their Nigerian colleagues to prevent Christians from being massacred in Nigeria.
“But we’re honoured to be joined today by the First Lady of Nigeria, who also happens to serve as a Christian pastor at the largest church in Nigeria. A very respected woman. First Lady, please, where are you? Thank you very much. It’s a great honour. Thank you very much. Very respected person, too,” Trump stated.
The United States President further stated that he had been working tirelessly to end dangerous conflicts in Nigeria and other countries and help move past what he described as ‘ancient hatreds’ against the Christian faith.
“We are hitting very hard (in Nigeria). My administration is confronting head-on the militants and really intolerant campaign that tried to drive religious believers out of public life and out of society. I mean, now religious leaders are respected as much or more as any leader of any type anywhere in the world. Religious leaders are respected again, and that’s the way we have to have it.
“They really are respected again. They were having a hard time. They were having a very hard time. The last four years previous to the one that we served, the last four years were brutal on religious leaders. They were brave. Some were very brave. Some couldn’t take it, and a lot of people understand that. Some were brave, really brave,” he added.
No administration in contemporary history, according to Trump, has done more to address what he called the “plight of persecuted Christians around the world” than his own, calling it a mission.
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