Yesterday, President Bola Tinubu joined other world leaders at St Peter’s Square, Vatican City, Rome, for the solemn inauguration Mass of Pope Leo XIV, the newly elected leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
The ceremony, which marked the official start of Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate, took place after his election by the College of Cardinals, 27 days following the death of Pope Francis. The new Pontiff, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, becomes the 267th Bishop of Rome.
President Tinubu, a Muslim, attended the Vatican event at 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.
Following the Mass, Tinubu told reporters that his attendance was in line with his wider message of national unity, stating,“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.”
A notable event of the day was a friendly, unplanned meeting between the President and two leading figures from the opposition – Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, and Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the former Governor of Ekiti State.
According to Mr. Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, who shared details of the meeting on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Fayemi noticed Tinubu seated with other important people and suggested that Obi join him in greeting the President.
His remark reportedly drew laughter from Obi, who replied light-heartedly, “Yes, indeed. We are members of your delegation.”
After the inauguration, President Tinubu met with members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) in Rome, urging Nigerians to harness their diversity for national stability and progress.
“If we use our diversity not for adversity but for prosperity, the country’s hope is stability and progress,” the President was quoted as saying by his spokesman, Mr. Bayo Onanuga.
Tinubu stated it was a historic privilege to be the President of Nigeria during the installation of a new Pope in Rome.
Leading the bishops was Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, Archbishop of Owerri and President of the CBCN. He thanked the President for helping them visit the Vatican, initially for the funeral of the late Pope Francis and now to witness the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV.
He described the event as the beginning of a new era of stronger collaboration between the Catholic Church and the Nigerian government.
“You are always there for us. Now that you have come to the Vatican, whenever we have our conference in Nigeria, we will also invite you, and we look forward to interfacing with you just as you were able to do with the Holy Father,” Archbishop Ugorji said.
Other members of the clergy who met with the President included Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja, Archbishop Alfred Martins of Lagos, and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto Diocese.
The President’s delegation included the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who told reporters that Tinubu’s presence at the Vatican demonstrated strong solidarity across different faiths.
“This also demonstrates his commitment to the advancement of peace, not just in the African region but globally. This Pope is deeply committed to peace in Ukraine, Gaza, and other conflict zones—aspirations that align with President Tinubu’s own vision for peace.”
Speaking further, Mr. Onanuga described President Tinubu as a symbol of religious tolerance and interfaith harmony.“The President has shown he is a man who believes in unity and interfaith respect. He has demonstrated this in his cabinet appointments—62% of which are Christians. This visit sends a clear message: whether Christian or Muslim, we all worship the same God,” he said.
“Speaking at the event, Mr. Ademola Oshodi, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Protocol, stated that the President’s attendance at the Papal inauguration challenged the common assumptions about religious intolerance within Nigeria.”
“This demonstrates that a Muslim president can be accepted and is liberal enough to lead the entire country. It challenges the idea that Nigeria is defined by religious conflict. The Pope’s invitation acknowledges the country’s dedication to religious freedom and inclusion,” he said.
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