After the demise of Pope Francis those who had no prior knowledge of how a new leader of the Catholic Church would be chosen became aware. A list of potential successors was revealed, and there was even a scramble for an African to secure the position.
Although I grew up in a building not far from a Catholic Church, and through its speakers, I had subconsciously memorised the Lord’s Prayer – “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come… And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” – it was after the election of Pope Francis’ successor, Robert Provost, who has officially adopted the name Pope Leo XIV, that a conversation with a friend in Christendom shed more light on the grey areas surrounding the nomination, albeit briefly.
The discussion concluded on the note that, in a perfect world, a Pope’s country of origin would hold little significance; what remains immeasurably important is that people will continue to worship God and stay true to religious teachings, irrespective of where the leader hails from.
Days after, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was then invited to Pope Leo’s inauguration into the exalted office after his election by the Conclave of Cardinals. In the Papal invitation sent by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the significance of the President Tinubu”at a moment of particular importance for the Catholic Church and the world afflicted by many tensions and conflicts” was underscored.
Stressing further, the invitation says, “Your great nation is particularly dear to me, as I worked in the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos during the 1980s.” Looking at the healthy and sizable population of Catholics in Nigeria, such a gesture is not like a weed, out of place or time. Moreover, leaders all over the globe received similar invitations.
What prompted this piece are two questions some individuals raised: “Is our president a Christian, warranting his invitation?” and “Of what economic benefit was his presence at the ceremony?” I would like to address this in two parts and maybe, as Nigerians, we might pick a lesson.
First, critical thinking, a skill now in high demand for problem-solving in this complex world, and holding government accountable, an essential core of democracy, cannot be undermined. But some things are just crystal clear and simple enough not arouse suspicious dialogue. It should be noted that the Pope is also head of state, the Vatican being a nation.
But imagine that President Tinubu wasn’t invited; we might have had another set saying, “Despite our significance in the continent of Africa, our president wasn’t invited!” If that had happened, citizens might eventually fall for the narrative. So, instead of questioning why a president who does not belong to the faith was invited, let’s simply say it was an invitation we honoured as a nation – simple!
Second, no nation, no matter how great, can live in isolation. None can attain a level of self-sufficiency that wouldn’t require interacting with others for survival. Hence, there is every need to interact and socialise, and such interactions come with being responsible enough to accept gestures as simple as invitations to inauguration ceremonies.
In the long run, such interactions makes a nation stay relevant and may even be accompanied by the “economic benefits” the questioners seek.
My fellow Nigerians, if you watch how leaders rallied at the event, you would observe that it is a beautiful illustration of how if inspired our heterogeneity as a nation, we can live in peace and harmony.
On behalf of every Nigerian, I wish the Pope well in his reign and pray that, with peace and plenty, Nigeria will be blessed.