Two clerics, Prof. Amidu Sanni, Chief Imam, Lagos State University, and Pastor Charles Ighele of the Holy Spirit Mission Church, Ikeja, have described President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s presence at Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration mass as a demonstration of religious tolerance.
The clerics spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.
NAN reports that Tinubu, a Muslim, on Sunday, joined other world leaders to participate in the inauguration mass at St. Peter’s Square, Rome.
Sanni, said that Nigerians should embrace President Tinubu’s religious liberalism and statesmanship to foster unity.
According to him, Tinubu’s participation in the one-hour mass was encouraging.
“As a Muslim, President Tinubu demonstrated the fundamental quality of Islamic liberalism, inclusivism and statesmanship.
“He also held a closed-door meeting with the Nigerian Conference of Catholic Cardinals at the end of the inauguration, when he assured them of his readiness to always support their cause.
“He also appealed to the cardinals to join efforts at making our diversity to enhance our unity,” Sanni said.
He noted that the President had continued to show support for pilgrimages to Jerusalem.
“I therefore appealed to Nigerians to see ourselves first as human beings who have the freedom to adopt any religion of choice and to respect that choice without mischief and ill-will or subtle manipulation and coercion, by emulating the President in our conducts with others.
“It shows that tolerance and broad-mindedness are necessary for good leadership which should be emulated at all levels to ensure peaceful coexistence and societal development,” he said.
Commenting, Ighele said that he was not surprised that Tinubu was present at the inauguration in Rome.
According to the bishop, Tinubu’s wife, Remi, is a known Christian.
“A man who has not prevented his wife from her church attendance should be appreciated. We should appreciate the president for this.
“His being in Rome for the Pope’s inauguration should be applauded by all. It shows his level of religious tolerance.
“As a preacher of the Word of God, I believe that we should praise someone when the person does what is good.
“I am not a Catholic but I was happy seeing him on television among other leaders,” he said.
Ighele said that Tinubu’s action promoted religious harmony.
“There is the need for us as a people to see one another first as humans created by same God.” (NAN)
