FIRST LADY OF NIGERIA ENGAGES FORMER ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY ON INTERFAITH DIALOGUE

…Also Meets Minister of Communications and Digital Economy on Girls in Tech Programme

The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has said the world must have the right perspective on the various challenges facing the nation in order to proffer appropriate solutions.

She stated this during a meeting with the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rt. Revd. Justin Welby, in her office.

She pointed out that as efforts to promote peace and harmony among different interest groups in Nigeria continue, the global community must support such initiatives by refraining from inaccurate framing of security challenges in the country.

The First Lady appreciated the former Archbishop for noting that Nigeria’s challenges should be addressed by Nigerians, who better understand their peculiarities.

“Listening to one side of the story and then drawing conclusions is a wrong approach to conflict resolution.

“Thank you for opening up this interfaith dialogue. I believe you should also invite not just Christians and Muslims but also the Nigerian security agencies to the dialogue to understand what they have been doing,” she said.

Senator Oluremi Tinubu also used the opportunity to commend the nation’s Armed Forces for their gallantry and continued efforts in ensuring national security.

During the visit, the First Lady further admonished the Church, not only in Nigeria but globally, to promote righteousness so that people can live right.

In his remarks, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rt. Revd. Justin Welby, explained that he is bringing his experience to bear on issues that concern peace and security in Nigeria, as well as the country’s image as a nation that safeguards freedom of worship.

He noted that significant progress can be made in promoting peace through the upcoming interfaith dialogue being convened by the Global Forum for Peace, Abu Dhabi, under the patronage of Sheikh Abdallah Bin Bayyah, scheduled to hold next week in London.

Rt. Revd. Welby explained that the dialogue will bring together 12 Christians and 12 Muslims, with the aim of fostering mutual understanding and generating workable solutions to interfaith conflicts, not only in Nigeria but globally.

“We want to contribute to what President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is doing to promote peace from an interfaith perspective. All we seek is enduring peace.

“I am here to smooth the way ahead of the interfaith dialogue and ensure the meeting addresses all necessary issues,” he said.

The former Archbishop was accompanied on the visit by the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery.

The meeting comes barely a month after a state visit to the United Kingdom by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accompanied by the First Lady, during which interfaith dialogue sessions and a church service at Lambeth Palace were part of her itinerary.

Also on the same day, the First Lady received the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, who briefed her on progress made on the ministry’s Girls in Tech programme.

Speaking with State House correspondents after the meeting, the minister disclosed that a dinner to showcase innovations and solutions developed by participants of the Girls in Tech programme will be hosted by the First Lady in Abuja.

He also secured her approval to serve as the face of a campaign aimed at deepening internet penetration and connectivity in rural and riverine areas.

SIGNED

Busola Kukoyi

SSA Media to the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

22nd April, 2026