Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has broken her silence on the social media uproar trailing her brief on-stage interaction with Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, describing the widespread criticism as “a needless controversy fueled by exaggeration.”
In a statement released yesterday via her official Facebook page, Mrs Tinubu suggested that the uproar was driven not by any real misconduct, but by people eager to sensationalise harmless moments.
She wrote, “Those entrusted with leadership understand their duties and how to steer the affairs of society. More often, it is the followers and critics who scrutinise every step, amplify minor missteps, and turn them into needless controversy. Ọṣun lè tèǹtẹ̀, Osun is ahead.”
Her response comes days after a viral video from the Ooni of Ife’s 10th coronation anniversary sparked a flurry of opinions online. In the clip, Governor Adeleke briefly paused after breaking into a short song during his address. The First Lady then approached the podium, gestured at him, and whispered something to him, a moment many viewers rushed to interpret.
The scene instantly ignited backlash, with critics accusing Mrs Tinubu of overstepping her bounds by publicly interrupting an elected governor.
Akintunde Bello, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Adeleke on the Bureau of Social Services, condemned the gesture, insisting that the First Lady acted inappropriately toward a sitting governor and should be cautioned.
Media mogul and African Democratic Congress chieftain, Dele Momodu, also criticised the episode, describing it as an act of “bullying” and alleging that Mrs Tinubu had “openly disgraced and embarrassed Adeleke before a global audience.”
But the First Lady equally earned strong defenders who dismissed the outrage as political theatre.
Dayo Fashola, an aide to former Osun State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, argued on Facebook that the exchange was harmless and exaggerated by those eager for controversy.
“What transpired between Oluremi Tinubu and Adeleke was light-hearted and not as serious as people claim,” she wrote.
Another Facebook user, Oyetunji Ayoade, said the First Lady actually showed respect by personally engaging the governor rather than ignoring the moment. “The highest respect the First Lady can give to Osun people is to stand up and inform him by herself, and she did,” he posted.
Iyalana, on her X handle, cautioned people against criticising Nigerians over the incident, saying, “Enough of the noise, please.’
She explained, “Our mother and the Governor of Osun State share a long-standing friendship, and I’m certain they both understand each other perfectly well regarding this matter. There is no need for anyone to fan the flames or play the devil in a situation that doesn’t concern us directly. Let them breathe, allow them to handle their issue with the maturity and understanding they’ve always shown. Let’s all move on and pick another topic, biko.”
Neither Governor Adeleke nor the Presidency has issued any additional comments, leaving the public debate to grow as the video continues to dominate online conversations.
