By Cross Udo, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu joined other world leaders at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican City, Rome, for the solemn inauguration mass of Pope Leo XIV, the newly elected leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
The ceremony, marking the official beginning of Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate, followed his election by the College of Cardinals 27 days after Pope Francis’s death.
The new pontiff, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, is now the 267th Bishop of Rome.
President Tinubu was at the Vatican on the invitation of Pope Leo XIV, who described Nigeria as a nation “particularly dear” to him, having served at the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos during the 1980s.
After the Mass, President Tinubu, a Muslim, was asked how his participation aligned with his ongoing message of national unity.
He responded, “It is consistent in the true sense of unity in diversity, and I am greatly honoured.
“We have to continue to work on it – it’s a work in progress for the sake of our country and the continent as a whole.”
*Meets Obi, Fayemi at the Vatican
A notable moment from the event was the unexpected but warm meeting between President Tinubu and two prominent opposition figures—Labour Party presidential candidate Mr. Peter Obi and former Ekiti State Governor Dr. Kayode Fayemi.
According to Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, who posted about the encounter on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Fayemi spotted the President seated with other dignitaries and urged Obi to join him in paying homage. Obi agreed.
Breaking the ice, Fayemi joked: “Mr. President, welcome to our church, and thank you for honouring the Pope with your presence.”
In his signature quick-witted style, President Tinubu replied, “I should be the one welcoming you and Peter. I’m the head of the Nigerian delegation.”
His remark reportedly drew laughter from Obi, who responded lightheartedly, “Yes, indeed. We are members of your delegation.”
Both Obi and Fayemi, staunch Catholics and papal knights, travelled to Rome to witness the historic event. Their interaction with the President underscored the cross-party respect for the papacy and the broader message of unity projected.
The President was accompanied by a delegation that included the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria; Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja; Archbishop Alfred Martins of Lagos; and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto Diocese.
Fielding questions from journalists on the message from President Tinubu’s presence at the inauguration, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, said:
“I think it’s very symbolic and indicative of the incredible solidarity that he (Tinubu) continues to show, not just to the Muslim community, but to the entire Christian community. He has demonstrated this solidarity with the millions of people who are of the Catholic faith in Nigeria by attending this Mass, being himself a Muslim.
“This has also shown his commitment to the advancement of peace, not just in the African region, but globally also, because this particular Pope is committed to the restoration of peace in Ukraine, he’s committed to the restoration of peace in Gaza, and these are aspirations also shared by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“You also have to underscore the personal element, because the Secretary of State of the Vatican, Cardinal Parolin, extended this invitation to President Bola Tinubu on behalf of the Pope of the Augustine Order, who had spent much time in Nigeria.
“So he has a personal connection and affiliation to Nigeria, and it was quite important to the new pontiff that the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a country that he has a great deal of fondness for, share this very special installation event with him.”
Also responding to the question on Tinubu’s physical presence at the event, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said, “For me, what the President has shown is that he’s a man who is tolerant of all religions and who believes in interfaith harmony, and who has even demonstrated it by the kind of appointments he made.
“I read somewhere that the President has made, in his cabinet, 62 per cent of them are Christians. That shows the kind of man he is.
“What he has gone to show is that all of us, whether we are Christians or Muslims, are worshipping the same God, and that by honouring the invitation from the Pope to attend this event, is to show Nigerians further that we are the same people.
“We may have different religions, we may have different perspectives about God, but we are worshipping one God, and that’s what he has shown by coming to this event.”
For his part, Ademola Oshodi, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Protocol, said that the President’s presence changed the misconception that Nigeria is not a free, fair place to worship for multiple religious faiths.
“So it shows the fact that a Muslim president can be accepted and is liberal enough to carry the whole country along.
“So he represents not only the Muslim faith, but also Christians in Nigeria, and it changes the perception that Nigeria has this everlasting sectarian conflict between Christians and Muslims.
“So, it shows that the Vatican, the papal, can see it fit to invite the President to represent the great country of Nigeria and show the fact that freedom of religion is prevalent, and is also recognised by the leadership of Nigeria,” he added.
President Tinubu is expected to return to Abuja on Tuesday, May 20.
