NIGERIA: Tinubu To Attend Inauguration Of Pope Leo XIV In Rome

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria

Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja for Rome on Saturday to attend the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV, following a formal invitation from the Vatican.

The development was confirmed in a statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.

According to the release, the president will be present at a solemn mass marking the beginning of the Pontificate of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, the 267th Bishop of Rome and leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

In a message conveyed through Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Pope Leo XIV emphasized the significance of President Tinubu’s presence at what he described as a moment of particular importance for the Catholic Church and a world troubled by conflict.

He also expressed a personal connection to Nigeria, recalling his time at the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos during the 1980s.

President Tinubu will be accompanied to the Vatican by senior government officials and prominent leaders of the Catholic Church in Nigeria.

The inauguration mass will take place on Sunday, May 18, at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, following the Pope’s election by the Conclave of Cardinals 27 days after the passing of Pope Francis on April 21.

The president is expected to return to Abuja on Tuesday, May 20.