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| Pope Leo XIV and President Tinubu |
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to leave Abuja for Rome this Saturday following a personal invitation from Pope Leo XIV.
Joined by prominent Catholic leaders, President Tinubu will participate in a solemn mass celebrating the commencement of the pontificate of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, the 267th Bishop of Rome and the newly appointed spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
This significant event marks a momentous occasion, highlighting the deepening ties between Nigeria and the Vatican under the new papal leadership.
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."
Pope Leo further stressed: "Your great nation is particularly dear to me as I worked in the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos during the 1980s."
In a press release signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, President Tinubu's entourage includes 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; Archbishops Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja, and Alfred Martins of Lagos.
The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Hassan Kukah, is also in the president's entourage.
Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, will be formally installed to the exalted office on Sunday, May 18, at St. Peter's Square in the Vatican.
The Conclave of Cardinals elected him 27 days after his predecessor, Pope Francis, died on April 21.
President Tinubu according to the press release, will return to Abuja on Tuesday, May 20.
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