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ABUJA – President Bola Tinubu will travel to Rome on Saturday. He will attend the inauguration mass of Pope Leo XIV. Pope Leo XIV is the new head of the Roman Catholic Church. This Tinubu to attend Pope Leo XIV inauguration visit follows an official Vatican invitation. Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, confirmed this.
The inauguration mass is on Sunday, May 18. It will be at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City. This event officially starts Pope Leo’s pontificate.
Vatican States Visit’s Global Importance
The Vatican stressed the importance of President Tinubu’s attendance. Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin sent a letter to President Tinubu. “Your presence will be significant at this moment of particular importance for the Catholic Church and the world afflicted by many tensions and conflicts,” Cardinal Parolin wrote. This statement explains why Tinubu to attend Pope Leo XIV inauguration.
Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, also mentioned a personal link to Nigeria. He noted, “Your great nation is particularly dear to me as I worked in the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos during the 1980s.”
Key Delegation Joins President on Vatican Trip
A delegation will accompany President Tinubu to Rome. Prominent Catholic leaders in the delegation include:
- Archbishop Lucius Ugorji of Owerri
- Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja
- Archbishop Alfred Martins of Lagos
- Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, is also part of the delegation. President Tinubu is expected to return to Abuja on Tuesday, May 20. The decision that Tinubu to attend Pope Leo XIV inauguration includes this group.
By Kayode Ojo
