Nigeria, May 21 -- The Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, is a pope who clearly has a soft spot for Nigeria. It will be no surprise if he visits the country within the next one year. Immediately, he was announced elected as the Supreme Pontiff, fact-checkers dug out pictures showing his previous trips and engagements in Nigeria, a country he has visited no less than ten times previously to commune with the Augustinian order to which he belongs.

Thus, during his inauguration on May 18, it came as little surprise that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was invited to attend, an invitation that was graciously and elatedly accepted by the presidency, even if many Nigerians were quick to pour scorn.

At the inauguration, the president had the opportunity to...