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President Bola Tinubu has appointed the President of the Senate, Dr. Godswill Akpabio, to lead Nigeria’s delegation to Vatican City for the funeral of Pope Francis, scheduled for Saturday, April 26, 2025.
The delegation will also include the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu; Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN); Archbishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto Diocese; and Archbishop Ignatius Ayua Kaigama of the Abuja Diocese.
Pope Francis, the beloved leader of the Roman Catholic Church, passed away on Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88, just a day after appearing at the Vatican for Easter Sunday celebrations.
The Nigerian delegation will officially present a letter from President Tinubu offering condolences and sympathy to the Acting Head of the Vatican in light of the Pope’s passing.
On Monday, President Tinubu joined Christians worldwide in mourning the Pope’s death, remembering him as “a humble servant of God, a tireless champion of the poor, and a guiding light for millions.”
In his message of condolence, President Tinubu noted that Pope Francis’s death, occurring just after the celebration of Christ’s resurrection, marked a sacred return to his Maker, symbolizing a moment of renewed hope for Christians around the world.
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