President Tinubu Arrives in Rome for Pope Leo XIV’s Inauguration

Summary

• Tinubu in Rome to honour personal invitation from Pope Leo XIV
• President joins world leaders for the Pontiff’s inauguration mass on May 18
• Entourage includes top Nigerian Catholic clergy and diplomats

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has arrived in Rome, Italy, ahead of the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV, the 267th Bishop of Rome and new head of the Roman Catholic Church.

Tinubu touched down at the Mario De Bernardo Military Airport at 6 p.m. local time on Saturday and was received by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, alongside Vatican officials and representatives of the Nigerian Embassy.

The Nigerian leader is in Rome at the invitation of Pope Leo XIV, who specifically requested his presence at what he described as “a moment of particular importance for the Catholic Church and the world afflicted by many tensions and conflicts.”

The Pope also expressed personal affection for Nigeria, recalling his time at the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos in the 1980s.

The solemn mass marking the start of the Pope’s pontificate will be held on Sunday, May 18, at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican.

Joining President Tinubu are high-ranking Catholic leaders including Archbishop Lucius Ugorji of Owerri, who also heads the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria; Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja; Archbishop Alfred Martins of Lagos; and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto Diocese.

President Tinubu is expected to return to Abuja on Tuesday, May 20.