Tinubu to attend Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration in Vatican City

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Nigeria for Rome, Italy, on Saturday to attend the historic inauguration of Pope Leo XIV, following an official invitation from the Vatican.

The high-profile ceremony, marking the commencement of Pope Leo XIV’s tenure as the 267th Bishop of Rome, is scheduled for 18 May at St Peter’s Square in Vatican City.

According to a statement released on Thursday by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, the invitation was extended via the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who emphasised the significance of Tinubu’s presence given the current global unrest and tensions.

“Pope Leo highlighted the importance of President Tinubu’s attendance at this moment of particular significance for the Catholic Church and a world grappling with numerous tensions and conflicts,” the statement read.

The pope also reflected on his personal connection to Nigeria, recalling his service at the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos during the 1980s. “Your great nation holds a special place in my heart,” he was quoted as saying.

President Tinubu will be accompanied by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Archbishop Lucius Ugorji of Owerri, who also serves as President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, as well as Archbishops Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja and Alfred Martins of Lagos.

Pope Leo XIV, elected on 8 May after a brief conclave, made history as the first American to ascend to the papacy. The week-long inauguration programme is expected to attract world leaders, cardinals, diplomats, and journalists from around the globe.