Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, delivered a message of unity and faith to a gathering of religious leaders at Lambeth Palace, the historic seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, on Thursday.
Her sermon addressed themes of faith, leadership, and the role of moral values in nation-building, with senior clergy of the Anglican Communion, members of the diplomatic corps, and representatives of the Nigerian community in attendance.
The appearance is historically significant, as no Nigerian official or clergy is known to have previously preached at Lambeth Palace.
Addressing the gathering, the First Lady stressed the importance of listening and finding value in every individual regardless of background or belief, drawing on her personal spiritual journey and her experience as a former senator who served three terms spanning 12 years.
She also met with Church of England leaders including Bishop Rose Hudson-Wilkin and Bishop Emma Ineson, fostering dialogue on faith, service, and social cohesion.
The First Lady, ordained as a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in 2018, delivered her sermon under the tenure of Sarah Mullally, the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, confirmed just three months ago.
The Lambeth Palace engagement forms part of Nigeria’s first state visit to the United Kingdom in nearly four decades, with the last such visit taking place in 1989.
The visit had already seen President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the First Lady received by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, alongside Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales.
President Tinubu was separately scheduled to hold talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as well as government officials and business leaders, as both nations seek to strengthen bilateral ties.
