Reactions as European Travel Blogger Denied Entry Into Abuja National Church, Allowed Into Mosque
- European travel blogger Traveltomtom shared his experience after he was turned away from Nigeria's National Church in what he described as an aggressive manner
- The blogger, who is Christian, said staff at the National Church almost kicked him out entirely
- What followed at the National Mosque left him stunned and prompted him to speak out online
PAY ATTENTION: Find it fast with our new search feature at Legit.ng!
A travel blogger has gone viral after sharing a striking contrast between his reception at two of Nigeria's most prominent religious landmarks — the National Mosque and the National Church, both located in Abuja.
The blogger, who goes by @traveltomtom on social media, said he was denied entry into the National Church and nearly removed from the premises in what he described as an aggressive response from those at the facility. He did not specify which officials or staff members turned him away.
Source: Twitter
What happened at each landmark
What made the experience particularly remarkable was what came just before. @traveltomtom, who identifies as a Christian, had visited the National Mosque, where he said he was welcomed without issue and given the freedom to photograph and film inside the building.
He said in his account of the visit:
"I literally came from the mosque where it's not even my own religion, but I was allowed to take photos and videos."
The contrast, in his telling, was stark: welcomed freely at a place of worship outside his own faith, then turned away at one that reflects his own.
Traveltomtom shared footage from both visits online, showing his experience at the mosque followed by his attempted entry at the church. The clips drew significant attention, with many viewers reacting to the difference in how he was received at each site.
The National Church of Nigeria, located in Abuja, serves as a symbol of the country's Christian heritage, while the National Mosque similarly holds significance as a national Islamic landmark. Both sites are popular destinations for tourists and visitors to the capital.
Nigerians react to the development
However, Nigerians have started expressing their views about the development. Below are some of their comments:
Abu Bakar wrote:
"Slowly, the world will understand which religion is truly a religion of peace and tolerance. Because sometimes, actions speak louder than words."
Cognitum commented:
"If the mosque had treated him the way the church did, Twitter would be on fire. Islam would be branded intolerant and violent, our Prophet would be insulted, and Northern Nigeria vilified. Omoo, which kind double standard be this?"
Mohammed said:
"Masha Allah, Muslims are very welcoming people. This is the same thing for all mosques in Nigeria. Different people who are not Muslims have testified to how Muslims are very welcoming."
Future President tweeted:
"A church having a manager? That’s funny, so it’s clearly a business centre. Very wrong."
You can see the videos on X here:
Tinubu attends wedding at national mosque
Legit.ng earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu attended the wedding Fatiha of the children of the deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, at the central mosque in Abuja on Friday, December 13
The children are Jibrin and Maryam Nasir Ado Bayero, and Aisha Barau I. Jibrin and Abubakar Abdulmunaf
Professor Ibrahim Maqari, the Imam of the National Mosque, officiated the senator's children's wedding
Source: Legit.ng
