The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, on Sunday inaugurated the newly completed National Assembly Chapel, fulfilling a vision first conceived nearly two decades ago by Christian lawmakers.
A statement by Akpabio’s media aide, Jackson Udom, said the ceremony marks the culmination of a 19-year journey that began with the idea of a Christian Legislators Fellowship during the Sixth Assembly, which for years operated without a dedicated place of worship within the National Assembly complex.
Speaking at the event, Akpabio reflected on the long wait and perseverance of lawmakers who kept the vision alive. He noted that in the early days, members prayed in borrowed rooms and basements, yet remained committed to the dream of creating a sacred space for legislators to gather, pray, and seek divine guidance.
“When I first came to this place as the President of the Senate, it was overgrown with weeds—silent and abandoned. We resolved that neglect would not have the final word. Delay would not have the final word. Faith would have the final word,” Akpabio said, describing the chapel as a testimony of God’s grace.
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He also paid tribute to the First Lady for her support in completing the project. “Let me pay special tribute to the Esther of our time, the highly esteemed First Lady of our nation, Her Excellency Senator Oluremi Bola Tinubu, for her steadfast support in helping bring to completion this sacred intersection of faith and destiny,” he said.
Akpabio described the chapel as more than a physical structure, saying it will serve as a spiritual anchor within Nigeria’s highest lawmaking body. He also acknowledged the timing of the dedication, coinciding with a period of religious observance for Muslim faithful, urging all Nigerians, regardless of faith, to join in seeking guidance, peace, and blessing for the nation.
The commissioning marks a milestone for Christian lawmakers in the 10th Assembly, closing a chapter that began with years of prayer in temporary spaces and culminating in the establishment of a permanent place of worship within the National Assembly complex.