Former Kayode Fayemi has revealed that he persuaded Peter Obi to greet President Bola Tinubu during the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican in May 2025.
Speaking during an interview on Edmund Obilo’s YouTube channel, Fayemi said Obi initially hesitated because he feared the handshake could be misinterpreted politically.
According to Fayemi, both men attended the papal inauguration as Catholics and were seated a few rows behind Tinubu during the ceremony. He explained that after Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Ojukwu greeted them from the presidential delegation, he encouraged Obi to also acknowledge the president.
Fayemi said Obi expressed concerns that the moment could be “misused in the media,” but he persuaded him by stressing that Tinubu was representing Nigeria at the event despite religious and political differences.
The former governor said Obi eventually agreed and joined him in greeting the president, who responded humorously by saying he should be the one welcoming them as leader of the Nigerian delegation.
Fayemi added that Obi replied respectfully, saying, “Yes sir, you are our leader,” while thanking Tinubu for attending the inauguration.
The brief exchange later sparked reactions online after presidential aide Bayo Onanuga shared photos of the encounter on social media, with supporters of both politicians debating its political significance.
