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.

On May 8, 2025, white smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, signaling that the College of Cardinals has chosen a new pope. The event marks the end of a brief conclave, with cardinals reaching the necessary two-thirds majority after just four ballots. The announcement was greeted with excitement as thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square, eagerly waiting for the new pope’s first appearance.

The newly elected pope is Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who has chosen the name Pope Leo XIV. Cardinal Prevost, originally from Chicago, has deep ties to both the U.S. and Europe, with Italian, French, and Spanish ancestry. He joined the Order of St. Augustine in 1977 and has spent a significant part of his career in Peru, where he became well-respected for his balanced leadership and international perspective. His election is historic, as he is the first American to be elected pope.

The first public announcement came when Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, the senior cardinal deacon, appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and declared, “Habemus Papam!” (“We have a pope!”). Pope Leo XIV then emerged, offering his first blessing and addressing the faithful gathered in the square.

The conclave that led to this election was completed in a remarkable amount of time, with the cardinals quickly reaching a decision.

The new pope’s first address touched on themes of unity, compassion, and dialogue. Additionally , he paid tribute to his predecessor, Pope Francis, and urged the Church to focus on helping those in need. Also, he took a moment to speak in Spanish, acknowledging the people of Peru, a country with which he has strong ties.

Moreover, this election follows the passing of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88. The conclave began on May 7 and ended on May 8, with the fourth ballot deciding the new pope. The tradition of signaling a new pope with white smoke dates back many centuries. The smoke is created by burning the ballots, mixed with chemicals to produce the white color, and is released through the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel. It’s a moment that has become a defining part of the papal election process.

Omoyele Sowore, activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), has fired shots at Labour Party’s Peter Obi, calling him out for what he described as a dishonest and hypocritical attitude towards protests and governance.

Taking to his X (formerly Twitter) page, Sowore didn’t hold back. He accused Obi of failing to speak up or take action despite the suffering of Nigerians under President Bola Tinubu’s administration. According to Sowore, Obi’s current silence is even more troubling given his past role as an economic adviser during the Goodluck Jonathan era—a time when economic decisions led to mass protests like #OccupyNigeria in 2012.

“He’s pretending protests weren’t necessary under Jonathan’s government when he was part of the system,” Sowore wrote. “They were looting Nigeria dry back then, and even his Fidelity Bank helped Diezani move physical cash around.”

He questioned why Obi’s popular Obidient movement, which once shook up political conversations online, has remained silent as fuel prices rise, inflation worsens, and the naira weakens.

Sowore said it’s confusing that Obi never supported any physical protest—whether after the 2023 presidential elections which he claimed he won, or during the recent #EndBadGovernance protests of 2024.

He also brought up the controversial Naira redesign under former CBN governor Godwin Emefiele—who many say was close to Obi—arguing that Obidients avoided criticizing it because of that connection. “Even with fuel price hikes and other issues that hurt Nigerians, Obi never once led or encouraged people to take to the streets,” Sowore said.

He also accused Obi’s GBAJUE movement—a structure he supposedly created to drive change—of doing nothing but gaslighting other Nigerians, especially those who didn’t align with his political camp. Sowore said many of Obi’s inner circle are now back in the ruling APC, proving their claims of wanting change were just a cover for grabbing power.

“He wants to reap the benefits of movements like #EndSARS, but doesn’t raise a finger to fight injustice—even when his own supporters are affected,” Sowore wrote, ending his post with the word “OPPORTUNISTS.”