President Bola Tinubu has dispatched a high-profile delegation to Vatican City to attend the funeral of Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88.
In a statement issued on Friday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, it was confirmed that Senate President Godswill Akpabio is leading the five-person team representing Nigeria.
Other delegates include Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs; Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria; Matthew Hassan Kukah, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto; and Ignatius Ayua Kaigama, Archbishop of the Abuja Archdiocese.
The funeral for the widely respected leader of the Roman Catholic Church is set for Saturday at the Vatican.
During the visit, the Nigerian representatives will present a formal letter of condolence from President Tinubu to the acting head of the Vatican.
On Monday, Tinubu had expressed his sorrow over the pontiff’s passing, joining Christians worldwide in mourning the loss.
“Pope Francis was a devoted servant of the Lord, a steadfast advocate for the poor, and a spiritual beacon to countless people,” Tinubu said, describing the pontiff’s death shortly after Easter Sunday as “a holy transition to his Creator during a season of renewed hope for the faithful.”
