President Bola Tinubu mourned the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025, describing the 88-year-old pontiff as a “powerful voice against injustice” whose legacy should inspire global equity.
In a condolence statement issued via spokesman Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu lauded Francis’s 12-year papacy for its focus on poverty alleviation, interfaith dialogue, and peace advocacy, particularly citing his 2015 visit to Nairobi’s Kangemi slum as a beacon for Africa’s downtrodden.
Francis died at Casa Santa Marta, a day after leading Easter Sunday’s “Urbi et Orbi” blessing, per Vatican News. Tinubu highlighted Francis’s calls for economic fairness, referencing his 2013 Evangelii Gaudium exhortation against “economies of exclusion.”
The president urged Catholics and world leaders to honor Francis by addressing inequality, a pressing issue in Nigeria, where 40% live below $1.90 daily, per World Bank data. Global tributes echoed Tinubu, with Italy’s Giorgia Meloni praising Francis’s humility and France’s Emmanuel Macron noting his refugee advocacy. Critics, however, question Nigeria’s alignment with Francis’s ideals, given ongoing corruption probes netting ₦2 trillion in 2024. The statement precedes Tinubu’s return from France, where he secured energy deals. C