Remi Tinubu, Ndi-Igbo and the Politics of Convenience -By Jeff Okoroafor

The recent visit of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to Anambra State, where she described Ndi-Igbo as “very nice people” and recounted nostalgic school-day friendships with Igbo girls, has been presented in the national media as a moment of bridge-building and reconciliation. On the surface, it appears to be a warm, personal gesture from the wife of the President to a region that has historically felt politically marginalized. But for those who remember the political landscape of 2019, and for those who understand the cultural nuances of Igboland, this performance rings hollow. It is not a genuine embrace of the Igbo people; it is a calculated political manoeuvre in a season of politicking.

The Ghost of 2019: “We Will Inherit Their Properties”

The First Lady’s claim of enduring affection for Ndi-Igbo cannot be reconciled with her own recorded words from 2019, a period when her husband was seeking re-election and the political stakes were high. In a video that circulated widely and was subsequently verified by multiple fact-checking platforms, Senator Tinubu, speaking in Yoruba, made remarks that were anything but friendly. She stated, “We will entreat all the deities of Lagos to chase Igbo people out. Igbo who didn’t marry Yoruba, we will inherit their properties”. She further accused the Igbo of “proving difficult” despite the “love” shown to them, contrasting them unfavourably with other ethnic groups in Lagos.

While her defenders argue the tone was misjudged or that it was a joke, the words themselves are unambiguous. The threat to invoke deities to chase a specific ethnic group out of a state, and to “inherit” the property of those who did not marry into the Yoruba ethnic group, is not the language of affection. It is the language of exclusion and dispossession. For Ndi-Igbo, whose history in Lagos is marked by significant economic contributions and, at times, targeted hostility, those words carried a chilling resonance. To claim now, in 2026, that she has always held the Igbo in high regard is not just a revision of history; it is an insult to the intelligence of the very people she is courting.

“Oso Di Eme”: A Title Built on Sand

The cultural symbolism of her visit was further undermined by the traditional honour she received. Senator Tinubu was conferred with the title “Oso Di Eme I” by traditional rulers in Imo State, which her media aide translated as “She who supports her husband”. The presentation of this title as a prestigious chieftaincy honour is deeply problematic for anyone familiar with Igbo language and custom.

“Oso di eme” is not, and has never been, a recognized chieftaincy title in Igboland. It is a colloquial Igbo phrase, often used as a pet name by husbands to affectionately describe a supportive wife. It translates roughly to “the one who helps her husband” or “the one who makes things happen” within the domestic context. While the sentiment of a supportive spouse is valued, it does not constitute a formal, honourific title bestowed by a council of traditional rulers. The elevation of this domestic phrase to the status of a chieftaincy title demonstrates either a profound ignorance of Igbo cultural protocols or a deliberate attempt to manufacture a symbol of acceptance. The grandeur of the ceremony, complete with a ceremonial fan and horsetail flywhisk, cannot mask the fact that the title itself is a theatrical prop.

Ndi-Igbo and the Politics of Merit

This entire episode—the sudden affection and the fabricated title—must be understood within its political context. The Tinubu administration is looking towards 2027, and the South-East, with its substantial voting population, is a critical battleground. The First Lady’s tour, framed as a humanitarian effort to launch a food bank, is a thinly veiled campaign stop. The gestures are designed to soften the ground and create a narrative of inclusion.

But Ndi-Igbo are not a sentimental people when it comes to politics. We are a proud, independently minded, and fiercely pragmatic people. Our history has taught us to be wary of political overtures that are not backed by substance. We do not vote based on ethnic kinship or emotional appeals. We vote based on a clear-eyed assessment of a candidate’s character, their competence, and their capacity to deliver good governance.

This is not a recent development. It is a political culture that was powerfully demonstrated in the 2023 presidential election. In that contest, the Labour Party’s candidate, Peter Obi, won overwhelmingly across the South-East. He won all 17 local government areas in Enugu State, securing 428,640 votes against the APC’s 4,772. This was not simply a case of ethnic solidarity. Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe articulated the prevailing sentiment when he explained that Igbos “didn’t vote for him because he was Igbo; they voted for him because they saw him as the best candidate”. Obi’s campaign was built on his track record as a two-term governor of Anambra State, his disciplined fiscal management, and his clear articulation of a vision for a productive, rather than merely consumptive, Nigeria. His appeal extended beyond the South-East because he represented a departure from the politics of entitlement and mediocrity.

Amongst the contenders for the presidency in the last cycle, Peter Obi stood out precisely on those metrics that Ndi-Igbo value most: character, competence, and capacity. The same cannot be said for a political establishment that, in 2019, was represented by a First Lady threatening to invoke deities to drive Igbos from their homes.

Conclusion

The First Lady’s sudden discovery of love for Ndi-Igbo is not a conversion; it is a calculation. The 2019 video remains the most authentic window into her sentiments, and the “Oso Di Eme” title is a cultural misstep that exposes the superficiality of the gesture. Ndi-Igbo are not fooled. We will continue to support leaders who demonstrate the character, competence, and capacity to transform our nation. We will not be bought with a food bank or flattered by a fabricated title. The road to the Igbo vote is not paved with sentiment; it is paved with merit. And on that road, the current political establishment has yet to prove it has the directions.

Jeff Okoroafor

Jeff Okoroafor is a social accountability advocate and a political commentator focused on governance, accountability, and social justice in West Africa.