President Bola Tinubu says Nigerians must learn to live in harmony despite religious differences, noting that faith should be a source of unity.
Tinubu spoke on Saturday in Jos, Plateau state, during the funeral service of Lydia Yilwatda, mother of Nentawe Yilwatda, the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The president said God’s will is beyond human control and that all people, regardless of their religion, ultimately serve the same God.
“Nobody determines what God has ordained. God’s ordained action and his prophecies are what matter,” Tinubu said.
He shared a personal reflection on religious coexistence within his own family, explaining that while he practises Islam, his wife, Oluremi Tinubu, is a pastor — yet their faiths have never caused conflict.
“I inherited Islam from my family. I didn’t change. But my wife is a pastor. She prays for me. No conflict. And I never did, at any single time, try to convince her or convert her,” the president said.
Tinubu said his marriage exemplifies the unity Nigeria can achieve when people focus on shared values rather than differences.
He urged citizens to promote tolerance, respect, and understanding across religious and ethnic lines.
“I believe in the freedom of religion. We are praying to the same God. We are answerable to the same Almighty God. We will answer to Him,” Tinubu said.
“Our deeds, our character, and our love for our fellow beings are what truly matter — not the method or faith of our being.”
He offered prayers for the repose of the soul of the late Lydia Yilwatda, who died in August at the age of 83, describing her as a woman of deep faith and service.
