Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, has addressed the recent interaction between President Bola Tinubu and former Labour Party candidate Peter Obi at the Vatican.
According to reports, Ojukwu shared details of the meeting on her verified Facebook page, describing a cordial and respectful exchange.
She explained that she spotted Obi and former Ekiti State governor Kayode Fayemi and greeted them before they approached President Tinubu, who welcomed them warmly and humorously. “The President very warmly and graciously received them both in a relaxed and humorous mood, after which they returned to their seats,” she wrote.
Ojukwu criticized the social media uproar that followed, calling it an unnecessary politicization and ethnic division over a simple gesture of respect. She urged people to see the moment as a symbol of unity rather than division.
“Let’s just agree that many people just had the casual urge to create a giant mountain out of a mini molehill, so let’s let this one chill,” she added.
Highlighting President Tinubu’s composure during the Vatican ceremony, Ojukwu described him as “dapper and debonair” in a power suit, noting his respectful participation throughout the lengthy mass, despite declining Holy Communion and a sun shield offer.
She also mentioned his engagement with young Nigerian priests and seminarians, including taking selfies, which underscored religious coexistence.
“A Muslim being present at a historic mass in St Peter’s Basilica, home of the Catholic faith — a symbolic demonstration of the values of coexistence,” she said.
Article updated 3 weeks ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
