President Tinubu has sent a warm message of congratulations to His Holiness Leo XIV, the newly elected Pope and Bishop of Rome, following the announcement of his election as the new head of the Roman Catholic Church.

The President praised the Catholic Church’s Conclave for their choice in selecting the American-born Robert Francis Cardinal Prevost as the 267th Bishop of Rome. He expressed confidence that this new leadership will bring a wave of hope, unity and renewed faith to Catholics around the world, including Nigeria.

He also extended his congratulations to the Catholic community in Nigeria, noticing their connection to this significant global event. According to him, the Pope’s early message already shows signs of a positive direction, one filled with hope and a strong belief in the peace promised by the scriptures.

Additionally, President Tinubu spoke about the long-standing ties between Nigeria and the Holy See, noting that both have shared valuable relationships built on trust and mutual respect.

He acknowledged the Catholic Church’s many contributions to Nigeria over the years. These include their involvement in peacebuilding, quality education, accessible healthcare, support for infrastructure development, and recently, helping promote technology to improve lives.

Also, he added that the emergence of Pope Leo XIV signals a fresh beginning for the Church and the values it upholds. Tinubu highlighted that the Catholic Church has always been known for standing by the poor and less privileged, and he believes the new Pope will continue this important mission of spreading love, compassion, and humanity.

In closing, the President offered prayers for the new Pope, asking that God guide him with wisdom and strength as he takes on the global responsibility of leading millions of faithful people. He hoped that the Pope’s journey would be filled with peace and purpose, as he leads the Catholic Church into a new chapter.