Nigeria's First Lady Meets Former Archbishop Welby in Abuja on Security and Interfaith Issues

Senator Oluremi Tinubu met with Rt Revd Justin Welby, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, in her office at the State House in Abuja on Wednesday. The discussion focused on Nigeria's security challenges and efforts to promote interfaith peace. AllAfrica reported that the global community must assist such efforts, first by refraining from inaccurate framing of security challenges in the country.

She appreciated the former Archbishop for pointing out that Nigeria's challenges should be dealt with by Nigerians as they understand better their own peculiarities. "Listening to one side of the story and then concluding is a wrong approach to conflict resolution.

Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn "Thank you for opening up this Interfaith Dialogue, and I believe that you should also invite not just the Christians and Muslims but also the Nigeria Security to the dialogue to know what they have been doing".

She stressed that the world must get the right perspective of the various challenges facing nations to be able to proffer appropriate solutions. Mrs Tinubu seized the opportunity to commend the nation's Armed Forces for all the gallantry and efforts they continue to put in regarding the nation's security.

The First Lady also admonished the Church, not only in Nigeria but the world over to preach right so that people can live right. In his remarks, Rt Revd Welby explained that he brings his experience to bear on a matter that not only borders on peace and security in Nigeria, but also reflect on the country's image as a nation that safeguards freedom of worship.

He said a lot can be achieved for peace in Nigeria, building on the interfaith dialogue meeting, is being convened by the Global Forum for Peace, Abu Dhabi under the patronage of Sheikh Abdallah Bin Baya next week in London. Welby explained that the dialogue will be inviting 12 Christians and 12 Muslims with the aim of having them listen well to each other and proffer workable solutions to interfaith conflicts, not only for Nigeria but all over the world.

"We want to contribute to what President Bola Tinubu is doing to promote peace, interfaith wise. All we are after is enduring peace. "I am here to smooth the way ahead of the Interfaith dialogue and make sure the meeting addresses all that it should".

The Former Archbishop was accompanied on the visit by the British High Commissioner to Nigeria. The audience with the Archbishop of Canterbury came barely a month after a state visit by President Bola Tinubu, accompanied the First Lady to the United Kingdom, where sessions on interfaith dialogue and a church service at Lambeth Palace were part of the First Lady's itinerary.

Also on Wednesday, Mrs Tinubu also received in audience the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani who was in her office to brief her on progress made with the ministry's Girls in Tech program. Briefing newsmen after meeting with the First Lady, the minister said a dinner to showcase innovation and solutions built by participants of the Girls In Tech program is set to be hosted by the First Lady in Abuja.

He also secured her nod as the face of a campaign to deepen internet penetration and connectivity in rural and riverine areas.