By Ghazali Ibrahim 
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has received an official invitation from His Holiness Pope Leo XIV to attend his inauguration as the 267th Bishop of Rome.
According to a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, on Thursday, President Tinubu has accepted the invitation and will depart Abuja on Saturday, May 17, to attend the solemn mass at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican City.
The inauguration, scheduled for Sunday, May 18, marks a significant moment in the leadership of the Catholic Church.
Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, was elected 27 days after the death of Pope Francis on April 21.
President Tinubu will be accompanied on the trip by key members of Nigeria’s Catholic leadership, including Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; Archbishop Lucius Ugorji of Owerri; Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja; Archbishop Alfred Martins of Lagos; and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto Diocese.
In his letter of invitation, Pope Leo XIV expressed his desire for President Tinubu’s presence, citing his fond memories of working in the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos during the 1980s.
The President is expected to return to Abuja on Tuesday, May 20.
This visit shows the strong relationship between Nigeria and the Vatican, as well as President Tinubu’s prominent role in international affairs.
