- Tinubu, world leaders hail new Pontiff
By Orkula Shaagee, with agency reports
The Catholic Church has a new leader. Cardinal Robert Prevost, an American cleric and seasoned Vatican official, was elected Pope yesterday. He took the name Leo,The Fourteenth(XIV).
The announcement was made from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica yesterday following the traditional white smoke signaling the successful conclusion of the papal conclave.
Prevost, 69, becomes the first American-born Pope in the Church’s two-thousand-year history, marking a significant moment for Catholics in the United States and around the world. He succeeds Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88.
A native of Chicago, Illinois, Pope Leo XIV is a member of the Order of St. Augustine and is widely respected for his quiet but firm leadership style, deep theological grounding and global pastoral experience.
But he has also been a major critic of US President Donald Trump. He has sharply criticized
the Trump administration’s immigration policies, particularly the deportation of individuals legally residing in the U.S. He emphasized that such actions undermine the dignity of individuals and families, placing them in vulnerable positions.
He has also challenged interpretations of Christian doctrine that prioritize national citizens over others, advocating instead for a universal love that transcends borders.
The new Pope also sharply differs with Trump on issues of the climate. Aligning with the environmental advocacy of his predecessor, Pope Francis, Pope Leo XIV supports international efforts to combat climate change. This stance contrasts with Trump’s decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement, a move that was met with disappointment by Vatican officials who viewed it as a setback in the global fight against environmental degradation.
A third key area where both men don’t see eye to eye is in the area of American nationalism vs global solidarity.
While Trump’s “America First” policy emphasizes national interests, Pope Leo XIV promotes a vision of global solidarity. He has deliberately distanced himself from American nationalism, emphasizing the Church’s mission to serve all humanity, regardless of national boundaries. His papal name, referencing Pope Leo XIII, signals a commitment to social justice and a global perspective.
Regardless of early concerns about how his relationship with the new Pope may pan out, President, Donald Trump, yesterday led world leaders to welcome him to the papacy.
“To have the Pope from America is a great honour,” Trump said.
Trump’s Vice-President, JD Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, praised the pope’s election.
“I’m sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church,” Vance wrote on X.
Former President Joe Biden, a devout Catholic who has spoken about his warm relationship with Pope Francis, also offered his congratulations.
“Habemus papam – May God bless Pope Leo XIV of Illinois,” Biden, the second Catholic president in US history, wrote on social media.
Former President Barack Obama, who launched his political career in Chicago, wrote on X: “Michelle and I send our congratulations to a fellow Chicagoan, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV.”
Nigerian Leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, also congratulated the new Pope.
In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President felicitated the Conclave for electing the American Robert Francis Cardinal Prevost as the 267th Bishop of Rome.
President Tinubu rejoiced with the leadership and congregants of the Catholic Church in Nigeria on the historic election of the new Pontiff.
The Nigerian Leader highlighted the longstanding and valued relationship between Nigeria and the Holy See, recognising the fruitful collaboration with the Catholic Church in areas such as peacebuilding, education, healthcare, infrastructure development, and, more recently, in advancing human capacity through the promotion of technology.
President Tinubu expressed optimism that the election of Pope Leo XIV marks the beginning of a new era in the Catholic Church’s history. He prayed the Almighty God to continually bestow His glorious light upon the newly appointed leader of the Catholic Church, providing him with good health and wisdom.
Among the other word leaders, who sent congratulatory message to the new Pope were, Isreali President, Isaac Herzog; Russian President Vladimir Putin; Colombian President, Gustavo Petro; German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz; Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Polish President Andrzej Duda.
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