Every time a woman takes on a significant public position, it is incredible that she manages to find time to develop her own personality. Remi Tinubu is a former Lagos state first Lady, former Senator and is currently the First Lady of Nigeria. She is also a pastor, a philanthropist and an author, having been a victim of years of exile with young children in one of the most dangerous political periods in Nigeria.
Who Is Remi Tinubu?
Oluremi Tinubu (Remi Tinubu) is a Nigerian politician, an ordained pastor, a philanthropist and an author. She is a Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) and Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON). Since her husband President Bola Tinubu took office on May 29 2023, she has since then been the First Lady of Nigeria. Prior to this, she was a Senator for Lagos Central for 12 years, making her one of the longest serving female Senators in Nigeria’s history.
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Age and Family Background
Remi Tinubu was born on 21st September, 1960 in Ogun State, Nigeria. She is 65 years old as of 2026. She belongs to the family of Ikusebiala in Ogun State while she grew up in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State. Also , she had indeed a mixed heritage. Chief John Ikusebiala, her father, was a Yoruba from Ogun and their mother was an Itsekiri from Delta State. One of 13 children, she had a lot of action going around in her family.
Education
Remi Tinubu attended secondary school in Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, Ijebu-Ode, between the years 1973-1979 and sat her West Africa Senior Secondary School Certificate exam in 1979. She then went to Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo to get a National Certificate of Education in Botany and Zoology. Based on that, she proceeded to the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) where she earned a Bachelor of Science (B.S) in Education. But her educational path did not end there. Her passion for personal faith gingered her to go for a Postgraduate Diploma in Theology at the Redeemed Christian Bible College in 2010, which was very related to her eventually being ordinated as a pastor. She has served as a high school teacher before her public career, and that experience gave her a foundation to advocate throughout her career on education.
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The Exile Years and Faith
This is the side of Remi Tinubu that people don’t talk about much. Her husband, Bola Tinubu, was active in pro-democracy activities, and during the military dictatorship of General Sani Abacha, he and his family were at very big risk and immense danger. Remi lived for years in exile in the United States and was even raising young children away from home, away from her country, without knowing anything about the future. She has spoken numerously of that season as the season that made her love God the most. In those years in America, she experienced a conversion; from her upbringing as an Anglican, she became a bornagain believer in the Pentecostal faith, a faith that has always been a major part of her life.
Political Career
In 1999, her husband was elected as Governor of Lagos State and her political journey started. As First Lady of Lagos (1999-2007), she established the New Era Foundation for the health, welfare and development of youth, the environment and the community. She has also established Yeye Asiwaju Foundation which supports women and children less fortunate. These were not offices of state or honor. She continued them as running groups.
Remi became an elected Senator for Lagos Central in 2011 as the candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria. She was re-elected in 2015 under the All Progressives Congress and again in 2019, thus becoming the first woman ever elected to three consecutive Senate terms in the country. No one is going to take the trouble of knowing Remi Tinubu’s biography for her husband.
During her Senate career she sponsored legislation on sexual harassment, women’s empowerment, child development and education reform. She was active on the Senate Committees on Health and Women’s Affairs. She also wrote a book called The Journey of Mery, My FaithWalk and shared her personal spiritual journey.
Following the presidential election of President Tinubu in 2023, Remi had a change in her status, moving from Senator to First Lady of Nigeria. Her husband, during his victory speech, famously told her Senate colleagues that they should not expect her back as she would be busy as First Lady. Since then, she has been involved in humanitarian activities in Aso Rock and the rest of her adult life has been dedicated to active public service.
She was ordained a pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God at the church’s 66th annual convention in 2018. She is also the Grand Matron of Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials.
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Husband and Children
Remi Tinubu married Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 1987. They have been side by side for nearly 40 years, in exile, governance, political opposition, and now as the president. They have three biological children, Zainab Abisola Tinubu, Habibat Tinubu and Olayinka Tinubu. Remi is also stepmother to her husband’s three children from his previous marriages, Olajide Tinubu, deceased, Folashade Tinubu and Oluwaseyi Tinubu. She is known for keeping her children’s lives as private as possible despite the enormous public pressure that comes with their family’s political profile.
Net Worth
Remi Tinubu’s net worth is estimated to be worth $1 million to $5 million, and came from her Senate work, her foundation activity and her family assets. In some estimates, the combined wealth of the Tinubu family has been put at more than $4 billion making them one of the most powerful political and business families in Nigeria. Remi’s personal net worth may not have been reported anywhere officially and her public image has always been more one of influence and service than of personal wealth showing.
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