…as Gowon charge NASS members to prioritise national unity in legislative responsibilities,
By Gloria Ikibah
Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has reminded members of the National Assembly that their duty extends far beyond drafting and passing laws. While entrusted with legislating for more than 200 million Nigerians, she stressed that they are answerable not only to the electorate but also to God for every choice they make and every statute they endorse. 
She delivered the message during the dedication and commissioning of the newly completed National Assembly Chapel, situated within the grounds of the federal legislature in Abuja on Sunday.
The chapel, constructed by the National Assembly Christian Legislators Fellowship, was first envisioned during the Sixth Assembly. Its foundation stone was laid in the Eighth Assembly by former Speaker Yakubu Dogara, though the project remained unfinished until its recent completion.
Speaking before lawmakers, members of the clergy and senior government officials, the First Lady described the ceremony as both historic and personally meaningful. Drawing on her own twelve-year experience in the Senate, she reflected on a time when Christian legislators had no dedicated worship space within the complex and instead gathered weekly in committee rooms for fellowship. The new chapel, she suggested, stands as both a spiritual home and a symbol of faith within the nation’s legislative heart.
She said the Chapel is a solemn reminder that while lawmakers represent the people and exercise constitutional authority, they are ultimately accountable to a higher divine authority. Drawing inspiration from 2 Chronicles 6:39–40, she prayed that every prayer offered within the Chapel would be heard and that the facility would nurture humility, moral courage and compassion among leaders.
“This occasion is quite significant for me, not only as a Christian, but as a former legislator who only had weekly fellowship in one of the committee rooms. To see this vision come to fruition gladdens my heart, and I give God all the glory.
“As we dedicate this Chapel today, may it inspire humility in leadership, courage in decision-making and compassion in service. May Nigeria continue to flourish as we collectively seek the face of God in worship and prayer,” she said.
In his remarks, President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio said the commissioning signified more than the unveiling of a physical structure, he described it as a spiritual milestone for Nigeria’s democracy.
Akpabio said that governance must be anchored on conscience and guided by divine wisdom, stressing that justice existed before constitutions were framed.
“While men legislate for a season, God legislates for eternity. Unless the laws of men reflect the justice of God, they may command obedience, but they will never command reverence nor shape destiny,” Akpabio declared.
Long before the ribbon was cut, members of the Christian Legislators Fellowship made do with whatever space they could find — borrowed offices, dimly lit basements and spare rooms — clinging to the hope that one day there would be a dedicated sanctuary within the National Assembly complex.
When Senator Akpabio took office as President of the Senate, he countered the half-finished structure, overgrown and neglected, he became determined that the project would no longer be left to languish.
He presented the completed chapel not as a building that could contain the divine, but as a space set apart for reflection and spiritual renewal. In his view, it is intended to serve as a steadying influence at the heart of government — somewhere lawmakers can pause, reflect and seek clarity before taking decisions that shape the lives of millions.
He also acknowledged the unwavering backing of Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, whose encouragement he credited as instrumental in bringing the project to fruition.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, described the chapel as a visible reminder that the task of lawmaking carries a higher moral weight. For years, he noted, the Christian Legislators Fellowship has acted as a quiet moral anchor within the chambers, particularly during tense debates when party loyalties and political rivalry risk eclipsing the broader national good.
“This Chapel is the physical expression of that accountability. It is a place where a senator burdened by a difficult bill may kneel in prayer; where a representative wrestling with conscience may find clarity; where the noise of politics gives way to the stillness of God,” Kalu said.
Citing Psalm 127:1 — “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain” — he warned that legislative efforts risk becoming empty activity without divine direction. He added that the Tenth Assembly’s completion of the Chapel demonstrates continuity of vision, noting that the present leadership fulfilled what earlier assemblies conceived but could not complete.
