President Tinubu Joins Global Leaders in Rome for Historic Inauguration of Pope Leo XIV

 By: Manoah Kikekon 

President Tinubu in Rome 

President Bola Tinubu has arrived in Rome, Italy, to attend the solemn mass marking the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV, the 267th leader of the Roman Catholic Church. The historic installation ceremony will take place on Sunday, May 18, with world leaders gathering to witness the beginning of the new pontificate.  

According to a statement by presidential aide Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu landed at the Mario De Bernardo Military Airport at 6:00 p.m. local time on Saturday. He was warmly received by Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, alongside officials from Vatican City and the Nigerian Embassy.  

The Nigerian leader’s presence at the event follows a personal invitation from Pope Leo XIV, delivered by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State. The invitation highlighted the significance of Tinubu’s attendance during this pivotal moment for the Catholic Church and a world grappling with rising tensions and conflicts.  

In his message, Pope Leo XIV expressed a deep connection to Nigeria, recalling his time working at the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos during the 1980s. “Your great nation is particularly dear to me,” the Pope stated, reinforcing the bond between Nigeria and the Vatican.  

President Tinubu’s delegation includes prominent Nigerian Catholic leaders such as Archbishop Lucius Ugorji of Owerri (President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria), Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja, and Archbishop Alfred Martins of Lagos. Also accompanying the President is Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto Diocese.  

This high-profile visit underscores Nigeria’s strong ties with the Vatican and its active role in global religious and diplomatic engagements.  

(NAN)