President Tinubu has appointed a Nigerian delegation to attend Pope Francis funeral.
Newsone Nigeria reports that the President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has announced the composition of a five-member delegation that will represent Nigeria at the funeral of Pope Francis, which is set to take place in Vatican City on Saturday, April 26, 2025.
A statement issued on Friday, April 25, 2025, by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President, said the delegation will be headed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Joining Akpabio are the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; the President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji; Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto Diocese; and Archbishop Ignatius Ayua Kaigama of the Abuja Diocese.
“The delegation will formally deliver a letter conveying President Tinubu’s sympathy and condolences on Pope Francis’ passing to the Acting Head of the Vatican,” the statement noted.
Earlier on Monday, President Tinubu issued a condolence message in which he described the late Pontiff as “a humble servant of God, a tireless champion of the poor, and a guiding light for millions.”
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1936, Pope Francis made history as the first pontiff from Latin America.
Newsone reports that Pope Francis died on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88, just one day after leading Easter Sunday celebrations.
