Cleric Decries Tinubu’s Attendance at Joint Arab-Islamic Summit in Saudi Arabia

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

The newly inaugurated Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ibadan, Most Reverend Oluwarotimi Aladekugbe, yesterday, queried the attendance of President Bola Tinubu at the recently  Joint Arab-Islamic Summit in Saudi Arabia.

Aladekugbe at his inauguration ceremony at the Cathedral of St. Peter Aremo, Ibadan, yesterday described the attendance of President Tinubu at the summit as uncalled for bearing in mind that the country is a secular state.

The cleric noted that in as much as Nigerians are not querying his decision to attend meetings outside the country, he should be mindful of the kind of the meetings to attend on behalf of the citizenry.

He said: “There is need for the National Assembly to caution our President on some of his trips outside the country. Nobody is trying to tie him down but his attendance at the Joint Arab- Islamic Summit on behalf of the country is uncalled for.

“Nigeria is a secular state and that culture should be maintained. I can recollect that during the time of President Ibrahim Babangida there was an attempt to enlist Nigeria as a member of the Organisation of Islamic Nations which was vehemently resisted.

“Our position on this matter has not changed since then. Nigeria has no business with with Arabs nations nor any of their programmes.

“Mr President should represent the entire people of the country not people of a particular religion. He should work to uphold the constitution of the country.

“What he did is an impeachable offence in a normal setting but let us give it to him. He is still learning on the job.

“However, what we are saying is that he must learn fast so as not to bring us into what we do not belong.”

Aladekugbe while speaking on his inauguration as the Archbishop of Ibadan Province, promised to work hand in hand with other Bishops in the Province in order to achieve his set goals

“A tree does not make a forest. The preacher, Diocesan Bishop of Remo and Archbishop of Lagos Ecclesiastical Province, Most Revd Olusina Fape, had in his sermon encouraged me to consult widely before taking any decision that will be of benefit to the Province. 

“He has said it rightly. At this level, you need a lot of consultation with brother Bishops before thing are carried out. I may have a vision and idea but the normal thing is to share my ideas and visions with them in order for it to become everybody mission.

“We are going to take that on and ensure that we do wide consultation before anything for the Province is implemented”, he said.

The cleric, however, enliven the hopes of the people of the country on the present economic situation, submitting that all will be well.