President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has arrived in Rome, the capital of Italy, to attend the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV.
The President landed at the Rome Military Airport at approximately 05:00 local time on Saturday, ahead of the solemn mass marking the commencement of the Pontificate of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, the 267th Bishop of Rome and new head of the Roman Catholic Church.
He was received by senior Nigerian government officials upon arrival.
According to a statement from the Presidency on Thursday, President Tinubu’s visit to Rome is at the invitation of the Vatican, following the election of Pope Leo XIV by the Conclave of Cardinals.
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In a letter addressed to President Tinubu, Cardinal Pietro Parolin conveyed the Pope’s appreciation, describing the President’s presence as significant, “At this moment of particular importance for the Catholic Church and the world afflicted by many tensions and conflicts.”
Pope Leo XIV also recalled his personal connection to Nigeria, stating, “Your great nation is particularly dear to me, as I worked at the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos during the 1980s.”
Accompanying President Tinubu are the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; the Archbishop of Owerri and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop Lucius Ugorji; Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja; and Archbishop Alfred Martins of Lagos.
