First lady Remi Tinubu has accused Nigerians of amplifying, criticising, and turning minor mistakes of their leaders into needless controversy.

The first lady, in a statement on Tuesday, said people elected and entrusted with leadership understood what was expected of them and how to steer the affairs of the society.

“Those entrusted with leadership understand their duties and how to steer the affairs of society,” Mrs Tinubu said. “More often, it is the followers and critics who scrutinize every step, amplify minor missteps, and turn them into needless controversy.”

The first lady’s accusation came on the heels of the widespread criticism that trailed her interruption of Governor Ademola Adeleke’s speech during her coronation ceremony as the Yeye Asiwaju Ile Oodua on Sunday.

Mrs Tinubu interrupted Mr Adeleke while singing during the speech, stating, “Mo maa pa mic yin,” in the Yoruba language, meaning “I’ll switch off your microphone”.

Hurrying the governor to wrap up his speech, the first lady added, “I’m giving you five minutes to finish your speech. The music is enough.”

Meanwhile, several Nigerians, including politician Dele Momodu, slammed Mrs Tinubu’s behaviour as ill-advised and unbefitting.

“This latest tirade against an elected governor was totally beneath her for several reasons: She’s not an elected officer of government and has no role assigned to her in the Constitution of the Federal Republic. It is totally repugnant to openly disgrace, insult, and bully the chief executive of Osun state before a global audience, including his own wife. She went too far.

“But I can’t really blame Mrs Oluremi Tinubu. I blame the squeamish Nigerians who chose to be voluntary slaves in their own country. Shame on the cowardly people who’ve sold their inalienable rights for power,” Mr Momodu said.