First Lady Remi Tinubu Breaks Silence on Viral Mic Clash with Adeleke: “Public Figures Are Judged Harshly”
Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has finally spoken on the now-viral moment she threatened to “switch off” Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke’s microphone during the 10th coronation anniversary of the Ooni of Ife on Sunday.
In a measured Facebook post late Monday, accompanied by a smiling photograph of herself and the governor, Mrs Tinubu wrote:
“Public figures are often judged harshly for actions that might otherwise be overlooked in private settings. Let us continue to pray for our leaders and our nation.”
She did not mention the incident directly, but the timing and wording left little doubt.
The awkward exchange occurred moments after Mrs Tinubu was conferred with the prestigious title of Yeye Asiwaju Gbogbo Ile Oodua by the Ooni, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi.
Governor Adeleke, famous for his dancing and lively public performances, had taken the stage to deliver a goodwill message when he broke into a Christian praise song. Mrs Tinubu returned to the podium twice — first flashing five fingers to signal time was up, then declaring in Yoruba, “Mo maa pa mic yin o” (“I will switch off your mic”) before adding in English: “Enough of the music. Five minutes.”
The governor quickly wrapped up amid laughter and applause from the star-studded audience that included former President Olusegun Obasanjo, several governors and top traditional rulers.
The video exploded across social media within hours, triggering a national firestorm. Critics accused the First Lady of disrespecting a sitting governor and overstepping her ceremonial role, while supporters insisted she was simply enforcing protocol at a highly choreographed royal event.
On Tuesday, Osun State First Lady, Chief (Mrs) Titilola Adeleke, moved to douse the flames, posting warm congratulations to Mrs Tinubu on Instagram and describing her as “an epitome of elegance, strength and grace.”
Neither the Osun State Government nor the Presidency has issued an official statement on the incident.
Political observers say the episode — however brief — has reignited conversations about protocol, power and personality clashes in Nigeria’s often theatrical political space, especially with 2026 governorship elections already casting long shadows over Osun State.
For now, the First Lady appears content to let her understated social media response close the chapter, even as Nigerians continue to debate whether it was a harmless auntie-to-nephew correction or an uncomfortable public dressing-down of an elected governor.
