Senate President Godswill Akpabio would lead a high-level Nigerian delegation to attend the funeral ceremony of late Pope Francis, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed in a statement on Friday.
The funeral Mass of Pope Francis will be held on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at 10:00 AM in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican. He “died on Easter Monday at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta” at age 88.
Onanuga said the five-member delegation includes Senate President Akpabio; the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu; President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji; Archbishop of Sokoto Diocese, Archbishop Matthew Hassan Kukah; and Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Archbishop Ignatius Ayua Kaigama.
President Bola Tinubu, on Monday, joined the Catholic faithful and Christians worldwide to mourn the death of Pope Francis, who he described as “a humble servant of God, a tireless champion of the poor, and a guiding light for millions”.
“The delegation will formally deliver a letter conveying President Tinubu’s sympathy and condolences on Pope Francis’ passing to the Acting Head of the Vatican”, the statement added.
