Friday, May 16, 2025 - President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to depart Nigeria for Rome, Italy on Saturday.
Tinubu’s visit to Rome followed an invitation by the newly
elected Catholic pontiff, Pope Leo XIV ahead of his inauguration.
Tinubu’s invitation was disclosed by his spokesman, Bayo
Onanuga via a statement in Thursday.
Accompanied by top Catholic leaders, Tinubu will attend a
solemn mass marking the beginning of the Pontificate of Pope Leo XIV, the 267th
Bishop of Rome and the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
In the Papal invitation sent by Cardinal Pietro Parolin,
Pope Leo XIV underscored the need for President Tinubu’s physical presence “at
this moment of particular importance for the Catholic Church and the world
afflicted by many tensions and conflicts.
“Your great nation is particularly dear to me as I worked in
the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos during the 1980s.”
In Tinubu’s entourage include, the Minister of State for
Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Archbishop of Owerri and
President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop Lucius Ugorji,
Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja, and Alfred Martins of Lagos.
Onanuga said: “The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew
Hassan Kukah, is also in the president’s entourage.”
Pope Leo XIV was elected by Conclave of Cardinals after the
death of Pope Francis on April 21.
He will be inaugurated on Sunday at the St Peter’s Square in
the Vatican.
After his engagement in Rome, Tinubu is expected to return
to Abuja on May 20.
0 Comments