President Tinubu Heads to Rome for Pope Leo XIV’s Inauguration
Abuja, Nigeria – President Bola Tinubu is set to travel to Rome, Italy, on Saturday at the invitation of Pope Leo XIV to attend the solemn mass marking the beginning of the Pontiff’s Pontificate. The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.
According to the statement, titled ‘Pope Leo XIV invites President Tinubu to his inauguration on Sunday,’ the President will be accompanied by a delegation of top Catholic leaders from Nigeria. The 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, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja, and Alfred Martins of Lagos. The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Kukah, is also part of the President’s delegation.
The invitation, sent by Cardinal Pietro Parolin on behalf of Pope Leo XIV, emphasized the importance of President Tinubu’s presence at the inauguration, describing it as “a moment of particular importance for the Catholic Church and the world afflicted by many tensions and conflicts.” Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, was elected by the Conclave of Cardinals just 27 days after the passing of his predecessor, Pope Francis, on April 21.
The inauguration ceremony is scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 18, at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, where Pope Leo XIV will be formally installed as the 267th Bishop of Rome and the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church. President Tinubu is expected to return to Abuja on Tuesday, May 20, after attending the historic event.
The President’s attendance at the inauguration is seen as a significant diplomatic engagement, underscoring Nigeria’s relations with the Vatican and the global Catholic community. The visit is also expected to provide an opportunity for the President to engage with world leaders and other dignitaries attending the ceremony.
