By Parrot Newspaper Your Great Nation Is Particularly Dear to Me’—As I Worked in the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos During the 1980s: How Pope Leo XIV Invites Tinubu to Inauguration
Tinubu Heads to Rome for Pope Leo XIV’s Inauguration
President Bola Tinubu is set to embark on a significant diplomatic visit this weekend, following an invitation from the newly appointed head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV. The president will depart Abuja for Rome on Saturday, May 17, ahead of the papal inauguration slated for Sunday, May 18.
According to a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Tinubu will attend the solemn mass that will formally launch the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV. The occasion is expected to draw global leaders, religious figures, and dignitaries from across continents.
Joining the president on this high-profile visit are Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria. Archbishop Ugorji, who also leads the Archdiocese of Owerri, will represent the Nigerian clergy at the historic ceremony.
Notably, Pope Leo XIV’s personal connection to Nigeria added a warm undertone to the invitation. In his letter to President Tinubu, the pontiff recalled his time in Lagos, stating: “Your great nation is particularly dear to me, as I worked in the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos during the 1980s.”
This moment marks not only a ceremonial event in Vatican City but also a diplomatic and cultural touchpoint between Nigeria and the Vatican. As Pope Leo XIV begins his papacy, his Nigerian experience appears to be shaping a gesture of goodwill and familiarity toward Africa’s most populous country.
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