A Senior Presidential aide has stated that President Bola Tinubu’s acceptance of a papal invitation as a Muslim President carries significant diplomatic meaning beyond a routine state visit.
Ademola Oshodi, Senior Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Foreign Affairs and Protocol, emphasized the symbolic importance of a Muslim leader being welcomed by the head of the Catholic Church during a recent TVC interview. “It basically has a deeper narrative. It shows the fact that Nigeria has identified as a coexisting state,” Oshodi explained. “If a Muslim president can be invited by the Pope, it shows his leadership and integrity, and the fact that he’s a progressive person that can be invited to such a solemn, sacred event of the 1.4 billion Catholics to represent Nigeria.”
The presidential aide suggested that the visit counters international misconceptions about Nigeria’s religious dynamics. “It shows the fact that the coexistence of Christians and Muslims in Nigeria is something that we should not take for granted,” he stated. “It shows the fact that the false narrative or the misconception that Nigeria is caught in the stripe of sectarian conflicts, Christian and Muslim fighting and killing each other, which may exist, but it’s not exactly that way. It could be a communal conflict between herders and farmers,” he noted.
The visit enhances Nigeria’s international standing, according to Oshodi. “The symbolism with the Pope’s visit is a great factor in Nigeria’s soft power projection, and that Nigeria is an open place whereby freedom of religion, freedom to worship, freedom of movement is well-respected,” he said.
Addressing domestic concerns about the current administration’s religious composition, he acknowledged initial public anxiety. “You would notice that in his coming into power, having a Muslim president and a Muslim vice president, there was, of course, a lot of agitation and a lot of concerns about where the country was going. It shows the fact that he’s open-minded and he’s very receptive towards hearing from all sides and visiting all sides. So, this is definitely a good step towards the unity and harmony of the country.”
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, echoed similar sentiments, describing the Vatican invitation as diplomatically significant. She added that the President’s acceptance demonstrates his commitment to serving all Nigerians regardless of religious affiliation.
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