By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
President Bola Tinubu has dispatched a high-level Nigerian delegation to Vatican City to attend the funeral of His Holiness, Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday, April 21, at the age of 88.
The funeral is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 26, with dignitaries and faithful from around the world expected to pay their final respects to the late Pontiff.
Leading the Nigerian delegation is the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio.
Other members of the five-man delegation include Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu; Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria; Archbishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto Diocese; and Archbishop Ignatius Ayua Kaigama of the Abuja Archdiocese.
The delegation will also deliver a formal letter of condolence from President Tinubu to the Acting Head of the Vatican, conveying Nigeria’s deep sympathy and solidarity with the Catholic Church and the global Christian community.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu mourned the passing of Pope Francis, hailing him as “a humble servant of God, a tireless champion of the poor, and a guiding light for millions.
“The death of Pope Francis, coming just a day after Easter celebrations, marks a sacred return to his Maker during a time of renewed hope for Christians,” the President said, describing the Pontiff’s passing as a profound loss not just to the Catholic Church but to humanity.
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, served as the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church and was the first from the Americas and the Southern Hemisphere.
His papacy was marked by social advocacy, interfaith dialogue, and a commitment to the plight of the underprivileged.
President Tinubu’s gesture of sending a delegation underscores Nigeria’s respect for the global significance of Pope Francis’s ministry and the country’s strong historical ties with the Catholic Church.
The late Pope’s leadership and messages of compassion, peace, and justice deeply resonated with millions of Nigerians, especially among the Catholic faithful.
His death has triggered an outpouring of tributes from leaders, religious communities, and citizens around the world.
President Tinubu also expressed hope that the Church would continue to draw strength from the Pope’s legacy of inclusion, humility, and moral leadership in a world beset by conflict and inequality.
The Nigerian delegation is expected to participate in the funeral rites alongside global dignitaries and religious leaders and to convey the nation’s prayers for the repose of Pope Francis’s soul.