By Amofokhai Williams
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu arrived in Rome, Italy, on Saturday to attend the inaugural mass marking the beginning of the pontificate of His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV—the 267th Bishop of Rome and new leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
The solemn installation ceremony is scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 18.
Upon arrival at the Mario De Bernardo Military Airport at 6:00 p.m. local time, President Tinubu was welcomed by Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, alongside senior officials from Vatican City and the Nigerian Embassy.
The President is visiting Rome at the invitation of Pope Leo XIV, conveyed through Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State.
The invitation emphasised the significance of President Tinubu’s presence “at this moment of particular importance for the Catholic Church and a world grappling with numerous tensions and conflicts.”
In a personal note, the Pope reflected on his connection to Nigeria, stating: “Your great nation is particularly dear to me, as I served in the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos during the 1980s.”
President Tinubu is accompanied by a high-profile delegation, including the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria and Archbishop of Owerri, Lucius Ugorji; Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja; Archbishop Alfred Martins of Lagos; and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto Diocese.
The President’s attendance at the papal inauguration reflects Nigeria’s commitment to interfaith dialogue, global peace, and diplomatic engagement with the Vatican.
