A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, David Babachir Lawal, recently went on Arise Television to criticise President Bola Tinubu’s attendance of the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, Rome.

He described it as an “insult” to Nigerian Christians for several reasons. He said Tinubu’s leadership of the Nigerian delegation and personal presence reinforced the insensitivity of his Muslim-Muslim ticket in that if he had picked a Christian as his VP, the latter should have led the delegation.

He also reminded Nigerians of the shameful hiring of fake bishops to pose as Christian clerics at a Tinubu pre-campaign event in Abuja, insisting the president’s visit to the Vatican was an attempt to burnish his image. Lawal also claimed that Tinubu’s invitation might have been based on “back channel” lobbying, and that “it doesn’t mean anything significant”.

We understand where Babachir Lawal is coming from. 

Earlier in the year, the former APC chieftain had thrown his weight behind the candidacy of the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and had led Northern Christians in their opposition to Tinubu’s Muslim-Muslim ticket and the fake bishops’ scandal. His latest utterances at the Arise TV interview was merely a continuation of an agitation that Lawal, a robust Northern Christian leader, started years ago.

Much as we commend Lawal for remaining true to his convictions, this issue needs proper clarification. Irrespective of the lurid details, Tinubu fulfilled the requirements of the Constitution and our laws in emerging as Nigeria’s president. In that position, he reserves the right to represent Nigeria at any relevant international forum.

He was formally invited to Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration by the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin. Though the Vatican is the world’s tiniest country (49 hectares or 0.49 square km) the Pope, who acts as its Head of State, controls the largest number of “subjects” (the estimated 1.4 billion Catholics) distributed all over the world. Both in religion and diplomacy, the Pope is one of the most powerful and influential leaders.

Since Tinubu chose to honour the invitation in person, he was correct in doing so. And he did a good job of it. Diplomacy is all about national interests, not emotions. That was why, despite the fake bishops’ scandal, the Vatican still invited the Nigerian leader.

Since we allowed Tinubu to emerge as our president, he must lead.