A total of 18 Africans are among the 135 cardinals eligible to elect the next Pope.

Though there are 252 cardinals, only 135 cardinals have voting status and are eligible to vote for the next Pope when the conclave begins.

Europe has the highest number, with 53 cardinals of voting status.

Asia, with 23, has the next highest number of cardinal electors, followed by Africa with 18 voting members of the College of Cardinals. 

South America follows with 17, while North America has 16 cardinal electors.

Oceania and Central America, with four each, have the lowest number of electors at the forthcoming conclave.

The Cardinal electors of African origin are Fridolin Besungu (DR Congo), Ignace Dogbo (Ivory Coast), Stephen Brislin (South Africa), Arlindo Furtado (Cape Verde), Antoine Kambanda (Rwanda), Jean-Pierre Kutwa (Ivory Coast). 

Others are John Njue (Kenya), Dieudonne Nzapalainga (Central African Republic), Peter Okpaleke (Nigeria), Nakellentuba Ouedraogo (Burkina Faso), Protase Rugambwa (Tanzania), Robert Sarah (Guinea), Berhaneyesus Souraphiel (Ethiopia).

The list of Africans also includes Desire Tsarahazana (Madagascar), Peter Turkson (Ghana), Jean-Paul Vesco (Algeria), Cristobal Romero (Morocco), Stephen Mulla (South-Sudan).

Interestingly, 108 of the electors were appointed by Pope Francis; 22 by his predecessor, Pope Benedict; and five by Pope John Paul II.

All cardinals under the age of 80 can take part in the secret ballot to be held in the conclave. They need a majority of at least two-thirds plus one to elect the new pope, so the voting can take several rounds spread over numerous days.

The cardinals considered to be the leading candidates to succeed Pope Francis are Peter Erdo (Hungary), Matteo Zuppi (Italy), Robert Sarah (Guinea), Luis Tagle (Filipino), Malcolm Ranjith (Sri Lanka), Pietro Parolin (Italy), Pierattista Pizzaballa (Jerusalem), Fridolin Besungu (Congo), Willem Eijk (Netherlands), Anders Arborelius (Sweden), Charles Bo (Myanmar), Jean-Marc Aveline (France).

More Cardinals have arrived at the Vatican following the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday.

Approximately 60 cardinals gathered at the Synod hall for the first congregation of the College of Cardinals on Tuesday morning, led by the Camerlengo of the Roman Catholic Church, Cardinal Kevin Farrell.

The Cardinals had at the general congregation, on Tuesday, confirmed Saturday as the date for the funeral of the late Pope.

More Cardinals are billed to participate in the second general congregation scheduled to be held on Wednesday afternoon.

Wednesday morning will be dedicated to the ceremonial transfer of the Pope’s body to the Basilica, where he will lie in state.

Presently, general congregation is being held to discuss the Pope’s funeral but, in the coming days, it will progress to pre-conclave preparatory meetings leading up to conclave itself.

In the coming days, the Cardinals will discuss when the conclave is to start.

Then, they will at their meetings,  begin to speak on a variety of matters, such as the present needs of the Church, the state of the Curia and its work, and improving the Curia and the Church’s relation to the world.

Cardinals would swear to maintain rigorous secrecy about all matters in any way related to the election of the Roman pontiff or those which, by their very nature, during the vacancy of the Pope’s seat.

The cardinals then swear collectively an oath, which reads in part: “We promise and swear to observe with the greatest fidelity and with all persons, clerical or lay, secrecy regarding everything that in any way relates to the election of the Roman Pontiff and regarding what occurs in the place of the election, directly or indirectly related to the results of the voting.

“We promise and swear not to break this secret in any way, either during or after the election of the new Pontiff, unless explicit authorization is granted by the same Pontiff; and never to lend support or favour to any interference, opposition or any other form of intervention, whereby secular authorities of whatever order and degree or any group of people or individuals might wish to intervene in the election of the Roman Pontiff.”

After this, each individual, with a hand on the Gospels, pledges his oath to the same.

The cardinal-electors are to refrain from all contact with the outside world during the election: no shared messages, no newspapers, no radio, no television.

Often, the first vote is purely ceremonial, a way for cardinals to honour particular members of the College who, though distinguished, are not considered papable (electable as pope).

From that point on, the voting is scheduled to be two sessions a day, with two rounds of voting per session (four rounds total per day).

The cardinals select three fellow cardinals to count the votes, three others to check the counts, and three, if necessary, to collect ballots from those who, from infirmity, are unable to walk to the high altar.

Each cardinal writes on a ballot the name of his choice for pope, then walks to the high altar.

There, in the painting of the Last Judgment by Michelangelo, he says aloud, “I call as my witness Christ the Lord, who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one who before God I think should be elected.”

The cardinal then places the ballot into the proper receptacle, bows to the altar, and returns to his place.

Once the ballots have been placed in the receptacle, they are mixed up and then counted aloud.

If the number does not equal that of the electors, the ballots are burned.

If the number is accurate, the ballots are taken out singly, noted by two cardinals, and then announced in a loud, clear voice by a third cardinal.

For a man to be validly elected pope, he must receive two-thirds of the votes.

After each vote, the ballots are burned, and the smoke coming out of the chimney above the Sistine Chapel is black if the vote is inconclusive, and white if a new successor of Peter has been elected.

Victor Osimhen scored the opener in Galatasaray’s 5-1 thrashing of Konyaspor to qualify for the final of the Turkish Cup. 

The 26-year-old opened the scoring in a goal-fest semi-final held at the Torku Arena on Tuesday.

Galatasaray qualified for the final four after defeating arch-rivals Fenerbahce 2-1 in the quarter-final. Osimhen scored a brace in the feisty match, which had four red cards.

The semi-final was a complete cruise for the Yellow-Reds with two goals in the first half.

Osimhen struck first in the 26th minute. Dries Mertens swung a curling cross into the Konyaspor goal area, and the Super Eagles striker met the ball with a powerful header that sent it straight into the top corner.

The strike was Osimhen’s 30th goal of the season in all competitions for Galatasaray. He has 21 goals in the league, six in the Europa League and three in the Turkish Cup.

Lucas Torreira doubled Gala’s lead three minutes before halftime, and Rolland Sallai added another strike immediately after the restart.

Konyaspor pulled one back through Pedrinho, but Sallai restored Galatasaray’s 3-goal advantage just two minutes later.

Yusuf Demir will wrap the game up for Galatasaray with the fifth goal late in stoppage time.

Galatasaray will face either Trabzonspor or Göztepe in the Turkish Cup final on May 14.

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has ordered an immediate investigation into allegations of extortion involving officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

According to a viral post, the officers allegedly extorted ₦5.2 million from a group of young men travelling from Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, to Akure, Ondo State.

However, speaking via a statement by his media aide, Babatunde Alao, the minister noted that any officer found guilty will face the full weight of the law.

He warned that no form of misconduct would be tolerated from security agencies.

Tunji-Ojo said, “We will not tolerate any form of misconduct from our security agencies.

“We are building a paramilitary that is disciplined, professional and serve Nigeria and Nigerians with all sense of diginity and patriotism.

“On this case, we will see that justice is upheld and ensure that security personnel serve with forthrightness.”

Meanwhile, gunmen, suspected to be militants, ambushed a patrol team from the NSCDC in the Igbomotoru community, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, on Friday, resulting in the death of an officer whose identity has not yet been disclosed.

According to a community source who spoke with Daily Trust, the patrol squad was returning from a clampdown operation targeting illegal bunkering sites in the area when the attack occurred.

The source revealed that the Igbomotoru community has recently been restive, with an increase in illegal bunkering activities due to its riverine terrain.

The attack, described as a coordinated assault, took place near the Koluama creeks, a known hub for oil theft and militant activities.

Gunmen reportedly opened fire on the NSCDC patrol boat, using high-caliber weapons to overpower the officers. The assault is believed to be connected to pipeline vandalism syndicates active in the region.

During the exchange of gunfire, one officer was shot and later succumbed to his injuries, while several others were injured. The injured officers are currently receiving treatment at a medical facility in Yenagoa.

This attack comes just a week after suspected vandals blew up the Ogboinbiri/Obiobi 24-inch gas pipeline in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.

The pipeline, owned by Oando Plc, supplies gas to the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) plant in Bonny, Rivers State.

Last year, military personnel had invaded the Igbomotoru community in search of a militant kingpin accused of masterminding the killing of 17 soldiers in Okuama community, Delta State.

When contacted on Sunday, the spokesperson for the NSCDC in Bayelsa State, Solomon Ogbere, confirmed the attack but stated that he had not yet received a comprehensive report.

He said, “The information, sincerely speaking, we’ve gotten it but I’m still waiting for the OC to give me a comprehensive report. But you are not actually far from the truth anyway, but I can’t actually speak on it because I have not gotten the exact details. By tomorrow (Monday), I will be speaking on good authority to tell you exactly”

There are indications that suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is warming up to making concessions to ease the political tension in the state.

This followed Fubara’s meeting with President Bola Tinubu in London during the latter’s 18-day retreat in Europe.

The meeting, confirmed by The Africa Report, was at the request of Governor Fubara, who first came into office in May 2023.

Although The PUNCH could not confirm details of the meeting at press time, a senior presidential adviser told the Paris-based publication that, Fubara “pledged to make certain concessions in a bid to ease tensions.” 

“It is true. Governor Fubara held a private meeting with the president last week.

“Fubara has promised to make some compromises. Negotiations are ongoing, but from all indications, his suspension will be lifted before the six-month deadline,” said an adviser to the president who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The official hinted that negotiations are ongoing and that his six‑month suspension could be cut short.

Another aide added that Fubara is weighing a switch from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party to the ruling APC to get on the good side of the president.

“If Fubara joins the APC, it means the president’s chances of winning Rivers State are much higher,” the aide told the French magazine.

Presidential aides contacted by our correspondent said they were not on the latest private trip with the President and, therefore, did not witness the closed-door meeting.

It is first face‑to‑face since Tinubu invoked Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution on 18 March, declaring a state of emergency in Rivers and ousting Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu.

Tinubu’s national broadcast on March 18 cited “months of intense political instability” that had “paralysed governance” and “threatened national stability.”

He installed former Navy Chief, Vice‑Admiral Ibok‑Ete Ekwe Ibas, as sole administrator.

Opposition governors from seven PDP‑ruled states immediately filed suit at the Supreme Court, challenging the decree’s constitutionality and demanding a return to democratic rule.

The political crisis, which has paralysed governance in the oil-rich state, stems from a power struggle between Fubara and his estranged godfather, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

The turmoil escalated after Fubara demolished the state’s House of Assembly complex in December 2023, leading to a prolonged battle over the legitimacy of the legislative arm.

Things went further south when 27 lawmakers, loyal to Wike, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress, prompting legal disputes over their status.

On February 28, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled that the lawmakers remained valid members of the Assembly, faulting the governor’s actions as unconstitutional and tantamount to despotism.

The judgment noted that Rivers State had effectively collapsed into one-man rule due to the absence of a functioning legislature.

Despite the ruling, governance remained stalled, with the Assembly and executive failing to cooperate.

As of March 2025 the state’s annual Appropriation Bill had not been passed.

Hours before Tinubu declared emergency rule, an explosion rocked a section of the Trans Niger Pipeline in Bodo Community in Gonna Local Government Area of Rivers State.

A second explosion ruptured a pipeline manifold in the Omwawriwa axis of Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of the State.

Citing fresh security reports at the time, Tinubu expressed concern over recent vandalisation of oil pipelines by militants, allegedly acting in support of Fubara.

The President, who had been in Paris, then London since April 2, agreed to meet Fubara in an attempt to defuse the lingering crisis.

The duo discussed restoring functional government in the oil‑rich state, officials say.

Neither side disclosed details, but sources said the talks may see Fubara back in power before his six-month suspension elapses in September.

It was learned that Fubara’s estranged political godfather now FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, was not part of the meeting and was nervous about such an arrangement holding without him.

However, Tinubu is expected to meet Fubara, Wike, and the Rivers State lawmakers to chart a lasting solution to the political crisis in the state.

Harvard University sued several United States agencies and top officials for freezing billions of dollars in federal funding, significantly intensifying a high-stakes showdown with the President Donald Trump-led administration.

LEADERSHIP recalls that the Trump administration accused the nation’s oldest and richest university of failing to combat anti-semitism on campus.

Trump escalated his fight with Harvard after the school refused to bow to his administration’s demands.

Since threatening its funding, Trump suggested that the Internal Revenue Service should tax the university as a “political entity.”

Senior administration officials, including Vice President James D. Vance have criticised tax breaks given to the school’s $53 billion endowment.

The government suspended Harvard’s funding after it refused to comply with “unconstitutional demands” to overhaul governance, discipline and hiring policies, as well as diversity programmes, lawyers for the university argued in a lawsuit filed Monday in federal court in Massachusetts.

“Over the course of the past week, the federal government has taken several actions following Harvard’s refusal to comply with its illegal demands,” the university’s president, Alan Garber, said.

“We filed a lawsuit to halt the funding freeze because it is unlawful and beyond the government’s authority.”

In his statement on the university’s website, Garber cited the Trump administration’s pause on $2.2 billion in federal funding, threats to block an additional $1.1 billion in grants, a crackdown on foreign students, and the possible revocation of Harvard’s tax-exempt status.

The administration is pushing for sweeping changes at the most elite US universities and has frozen or is reviewing federal funding to Princeton, Cornell, Northwestern, and Columbia universities.

On April 14, the government halted $2.2 billion of multi-year grants to Harvard, claiming the school failed to enforce civil rights laws to protect Jewish students.

Harvard’s lawsuit claimed that the funding freeze violated its First Amendment guarantee of free speech and the Administrative Procedures Act.

It asked a judge to block the US from freezing the funding and declare the government’s actions unconstitutional.

“The government has not, and cannot, identify any rational connection between antisemitism concerns and the medical, scientific, technological, and other research it has frozen that aims to save American lives, foster American success, preserve American security, and maintain America’s position as a global leader in innovation,” the lawsuit claimed.

Five days after the killing of over 50 farmers in Ukum and Logo local government areas of Benue State, suspected armed herders in the early hours of Tuesday attacked Afia Community in Ukum, killing eleven (11) residents.

The Ter Ukum, His Royal Highness Iyorkyaa Kaave who disclosed this on Tuesday in Makurdi during a security meeting, decried the unprovoked attacks on his subjects by the marauding herdsmen.

The monarch alleged that the attackers plan was to displace the farmers to subsequently return afterwards to occupy their land.

According to him, “As I speak with you, these attacks started on Thursday in Logo and spread to communities in Ukum on good Friday. We are still counting losses and more corpses are being recovered and some people are still missing.”

Ter Ukum added, “Today which is Tuesday 22nd day of April, the herders invaded Afia in the early hour of today, shooting sporadically at anyone in sight, killing eleven people on the spot, while several others sustained varying degree of injuries with scores still missing.

“We want the President to know that these Fulani people are different from the ones we settled with in the 70s and 80s. Those ones do come in the dry season with their wives children and cattle to stay with us; but in recent times, these Fulanis are coming with cattle and AK-47 only to attack our people in their sleep and flee, after a while come back and occupy their homes,” he said.

Addressed President Bola Tinubu, the monarch stated, “The president should get this clear, we don’t want to settle with murderers. These people are coming with a hidden agenda to kill and occupy, which they are no longer hiding.”

Details later…

A coalition of 100 civil society groups, known as the Civic Room for Rule of Law, has thrown its weight behind human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), over his call for the removal of Rivers State’s Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (rtd.).

The groups claimed that Ibas has breached presidential orders and disregarded the rule of law.

According to the Official Gazette dated March 18, 2025, the Sole Administrator was supposed to operate on the basis of regulations issued by President Tinubu.

However, the groups alleged that Ibas has made appointments and removed officials appointed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara without any regulatory framework from the President.

In a statement signed by Barrister Maxwell Egboh, President of the Civic Room for Rule of Law, the groups expressed deep concern about the implications of Ibas’ actions on the stability and security of Rivers State.

They urged President Tinubu to take swift and decisive action to address the situation and uphold the law.

Egboh added: “This blatant disregard for the President’s orders is a clear indication of the Sole Administrator’s contempt for the rule of law and the limits of his authority.

“By acting in this manner, he has compounded the illegality of his appointment and undermined the very fabric of our democratic institutions.

“The people of Rivers State deserve better than to be governed by an unelected official who disregards the law with impunity.

“We are deeply concerned about the implications of these actions on the stability and security of Rivers State. The Sole Administrator’s arbitrary decisions have created an atmosphere of uncertainty and tension, which can only be resolved by his immediate removal.

“We urge President Tinubu to take swift and decisive action to address this situation and uphold the law.”

The groups commended the Ad-Hoc Committee of the House of Representatives on Rivers State for summoning Ibas for a comprehensive interactive session.

They urged the legislative Committee to thoroughly investigate Ibas’ actions and take necessary steps to ensure that justice is served.

The groups reiterated their commitment to promoting transparency, accountability, and good governance in the country.

They vowed to continue to monitore the situation in Rivers State and advocate for the rule of law to be upheld.

Pope Francis who died yesterday morning, April 21, at the age of 88 was a trailblazer in more than one respect and definitely one of the most influential figures of the 21^st century: the first priest of the Jesuit Order (Society of Jesus) to occupy the Throne of St. Peter as sovereign of the Vatican State, Bishop of Rome, and leader of all Catholics worldwide (1.4 billion of them across the world). He was the first Pope from the Americas and the Southern Hemisphere, and the first Pope to have been raised outside Europe since Pope Gregory III in the eighth century. It may be said that Pope Francis’ death was not shocking, but it was unexpected at the time it happened, the suddenness of it was more telling, He was 88, and at that age, it is common opinion that anything could indeed happen, mortality being a fact of existence, and death, a debt that all living things owe. 

Besides, the Pope had been ill since February. He spent five weeks in the hospital - the Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital in Rome (February 14 – March 23) where his doctors treated him for a case of double pneumonia, which later resulted in other complications: bronchitis, respiratory issues and aneamia. His doctors discharged him in March, and advised him to take a two months’ rest from duty, to convalesce properly. Since his return, there had been hope that the Pope was on the mend. On Easter Sunday, he greeted crowds at the St. Peter’s Basilica. He was seen without the nasal casula, a breathing aid that his doctors had given him. He wished the about 35, 000 Catholics that had gathered “Happy Easter” and blessed the crowd, including children.  His Easter message – Urbi et Orbi (“To the City and the World”) was delivered on his behalf, a message striking the same notes of concern that formed a major plank of his papacy: peace, humanism and love. On Easter Sunday, he also met with the American Vice President who visited him. J.D. Vance is now recorded in the history books as one of the very last world leaders and diplomats to have spent some time with Pope Francis in his last hours on earth, a great privilege, that is. For a man, a once upon a time evangelical Christian, and an atheist, who converted to the Catholic faith in 2019, Vance may well read more than an ordinary meaning into that last encounter. 

The Holy Father has now gone to be with the Lord, and the tributes have been pouring in from virtually every part of the world - a testament to the impactful tenure of the 266^th Pope of the Catholic Church, and of the force of his character and leadership. The symbolism and the significance of the time of his passing – right at the end of the Holy Week, on Easter Monday, seem imbued with deeper meaning. The Catholic Church is now in mourning as the Church slips into an interregnum, that is the time between the death of one Pope and the emergence of another. The Holy See has already declared the Novendiale, nine days of mourning, and daily prayer services and requiem masses have already begun at Catholic churches worldwide, as the Church prepares for the burial of Pope Francis. Within the next 15 - 20 days, the Sacred College of Cardinals from all over the world (136 of them currently – those under the age of 80 are eligible to vote) will convene at the Sistine Chapel of the Vatican City to choose a new Pope. During that period, marked by secrecy, ritual and tradition, there will be rounds of voting by the Cardinals until a candidate wins two thirds of the vote, and a white smoke emerges from the chapel to herald the emergence of a new Pope to the shouts of “Habemus Papum!” among the faithful. The secrecy and the politics of this process are well dramatized in a movie titled The Conclave (2006), and also in another movie of exactly the same title, that is- The Conclave (2024), (adapted from Robert Dennis Harris’s 2016 novel still of the same title) - winner of the 97th Academy Award for Best Writing and the BAFTA Award for Best Film. The period of the burial and the emergence of a new Pope should be a season of reflection and introspection for the Catholic Church, and an appreciation of the legacy and example of Pope Francis. 

When Jorge Mario Bergoglio (real name of Pope Francis) ascended the Throne of St. Peter on March 13, 2013, following the resignation and retirement of Pope Benedict XVI who died later in 2022, the new Pope had chosen the name Francis in honour of St. Francis of Assisi, the Italian mystic and poet who founded the Order of the Franciscans. This gesture was meant to underscore the 266^th Pope’s commitment to a life of poverty, chastity and the defence of the interest of the poor, the powerless, and the underprivileged members of the community. Pope Francis was a transformative leader who modernized the Catholic Church, an Outsider with a liberal disposition who dispensed with convention. He inherited a papacy that was mired in controversy, doubt and debate. He provided greater clarity with his humility, kindness, concern for the poor, commitment to inter-religious dialogue and continuous emphasis on the supremacy of God’s mercy. Born on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the eldest child of Italian immigrants, Jorge Bergoglio came to the papacy well prepared within the Church and in the world of practical experience. He once had a girlfriend – Amalia Damonte – who did not marry him. He also once worked as a bouncer in a night club! He loved football.  But as fate would have it, he joined the Jesuit Order in 1958, and was ordained a priest in 1969, armed with a philosophy degree from the Catholic University of Buenos Aires. He rose through the ranks within the Catholic priesthood in Argentina, becoming coadjutor archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1997, and eventually Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998. He was quite a controversial figure in the Catholic Church in Argentina, and in the politics of the country especially during his term as provincial superior in the late 70s, and his fierce criticism of the government of the country, although he was criticized for not doing enough to oppose military dictatorship in Argentina.  It is instructive that after becoming Pope, he never went back to that country. He had become famous by 2001 when Pope John Paul II elected him to the College of Cardinals. In 2005, his name had come up at the Conclave as a potential Pope, but it was not until 2013 when Benedict XVI resigned that he became Pope. 

His papacy was characterized by the courage with which he stood up to the Conservative wing of the Church who resisted his attempts at reform, and insisted that he was not “a true Pope” having not arrived at the position by way of tradition, rather through the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. This did not deter Pope Francis. He also boldly confronted his critics including American Cardinal Raymond Burke whom he had to demote twice. The church is probably one of the most political organizations in the world. The Catholic Church is not an exception in this regard. What endures however is Pope Francis’ commitment to service – his projection of the ideal of servant leadership, and the view that the church is for the poor who needed to be saved. He shunned luxury and preferred the common touch. He was willing to walk with the poor, live among them and fight for social and economic justice. He shunned the palatial residence of the Pope, any form of ostentation, and lived instead in humble surroundings of his choice, a small room in a guest house at the Vatican – the Casa Santa Maria. He was interested in service and making an impact, and he proved this again and again in the course of his 12-year papacy. His liberalism and belief in inclusive humanity could be seen for example in his defence of the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. He argued that even gay persons deserved the blessing of the church, because like everyone else they are the children of God. As he put it: “if a person is gay and seeks out the Lord and is willing, who am I to judge that person?” Pope Francis also supported climate change initiatives, and the urgent need to save the Earth. He also defended the plight of migrants and refugees in his support for refugees in Lampedusa, and the Greek island of Lesbos. He had the common touch either when seen identifying with the homeless in Washington DC, or the migrants in Lampedusa or washing and kissing the feet of South Sudanese war mongers.  He was an apostle of peace, and unity, on the questions of South Sudan, Iraq, Egypt, Myanmar and every other troubled spot in the world. It was most instructive in his last Easter message this past Sunday, that the Pope condemned the deplorable situation in Gaza, anti-Semitism and the worrisome state of the world. Two years earlier, he apologized for the role played by the church in “cultural genocide” especially in Canada. He was also the first Pope to address a joint session of the US Congress, and on that occasion, Thursday, September 25, 2015, he defended the rights of immigrants “to travel North”.  He was in the forefront of the campaign for vaccination during the COVID pandemic in 2021. He initiated reconciliation with the Eastern Orthodox Church, the first time since the schism of 1054.  He reached out to Muslims and persons of other faiths as well.  He was the “Pope of the peripheries”. He was the “Pope of Peace.”

Pope Francis did his best to reform the Vatican curia, but he did not succeed in every endeavour. His effort for example to promote women in the Church to the diaconate and the Bishopric level was widely questioned by the conservatives. When he tried to change the rules about divorced couples, he caused another threat of schism in the Church. He wanted divorced couples to take the Holy communion without the formal annulment of marriage. He had tried to address the challenge of sexual abuse in the church and among the priesthood – the Dirty Dozen affair- but he did not make any progress with that either, what he got instead was a rebellion within the church. Whatever may have been his omissions, however, Pope Francis was all things considered a traditionalist. He upheld the position of the Church on euthanasia, abortion, death penalty and celibacy. He also projected a positive vison of the Church, and was loud and articulate in defending peace and human progress.  He leaves behind a message of hope, humanism and simplicity. Other Popes before him were buried in style, he has left word that he should be buried very simply – in one coffin made of wood and zinc. He wants to be buried as an ordinary pastor not as a powerful figure in the world! That should happen within the next six days according to tradition. 

Pope Francis was a moral exemplar about the vanity of all things. He will certainly be remembered kindly and positively for his evangelism, his support for the poor, marginalized populations of the world. He will also be remembered for his projection of the Church as a prophetic church, and for his exhortations and encyclicals which raise fundamental questions about the place of the Church in a modern world as in these writings - “Lumen Fidei” (2013), “Evangelii Gaudium” (2013) “Amoris Laetitia” (2016), “Laudato Si” (2015), “Fratelli Tutti” (2020), “Laudate Deum” (2023) and “Dilexit Nos” (2024). For ordinary folks, there is perhaps an additional lesson here about the importance of health. The same ailment that has now resulted in the death of Pope Francis first showed up in 1957 when he was 21 years old. He had pneumonia then, and he had to undergo surgery. Doctors removed one of his lungs, and throughout his life, he struggled with respiratory illnesses. But with the grace of God, and with spartan self-discipline, paying attention to his health condition, he lived to the ripe age of 88, and has left a remarkable legacy. 

It is now up to the Sacred College of Cardinals to elect a new Pope, and this obviously would be a question of whether the Cardinals would choose a liberal Pope who would extend Pope Francis’ modernization of the church or a hardline Conservative whose emergence would be a return to the authoritarianism of the Church, or perhaps a moderate who would unite all sides. There is also the question about age. In 2013, Bergoglio was 76. But despite the fact that the election of a new Pope is shrouded in secrecy until the Cardinals decide, this has not stopped the media and pundits from speculating about likely successors, and the big question has been: are we likely to have a Pope for the first time from Asia or from Africa? A certain Cardinal Adeyemi almost made it to the papacy in the movie, The Conclave (2024), but Africa happened to him. As the Catholic Church prepares for a post-Francis papacy, may the good Lord choose his own Bishop for the Throne of St. Peter. Farewell, Franciscus…Our Heavenly Father, we bow in submission to Thy Will…     

Nigeria’s broad money supply has increased to N114.22 trillion in March 2025, defying the Central Bank of Nigeria’s monetary policy tightening in the last quarter.

This is according to the latest money and credit statistics released by the apex bank for the first quarter of 2025.

The figure represents a 24 percent increase when compared to N92.19 trillion recorded in the same month of 2024, despite the CBN Monetary Policy Committee pegging the country’s Cash Reserve Ratio at 50 percent.

On a month-on-month basis, the figure also rose by 3.2 percent from N110.71 trillion in February.

The increase comes amid a sharp rise in net foreign assets, which rose by 38.9 percent to N45.17 trillion, which portends stronger capital inflows on the back of possible revaluation gains.

Meanwhile, in contrast, net domestic assets declined by 11.7 percent to N69.05 trillion, reflecting tighter liquidity within the domestic financial system.

Despite efforts to reduce inflation, which stood at 24.23 percent in March, and control liquidity through the imposition of the highest CRR in the world, Nigeria’s monetary base continued to surge.

The rise in broad money supply may be due to foreign asset holdings and government credit.

In the first quarter of the year, M3 grew by 2.8 percent, from N111.11 trillion in January to N114.22 trillion in March.

The CBN data indicated that the volume of currency circulating outside the banking system rose to N4.6 trillion in March, out of a total currency in circulation of N5 trillion.

The implication is that 91.9 percent of all cash in the economy was held outside the banks.

It further represents a 26.7 percent increase compared to N3.63 trillion held outside the banks in March 2024, when total currency in circulation stood at N3.87 trillion.

The increased demand for cash has remained consistent throughout the first quarter of 2025, with January figures showing N4.74 trillion in cash outside banks (90.5 percent of total) and N4.52 trillion in February (89.6 percent of total).

Recall that in February 2025, the MPC retained the interest rate at 27.50 percent and retained the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) at 50 basis points and other variables.

The apex bank is billed to hold its next MPC meeting on May 19 and 20, 2025

The leadership of the Obedient Movement led by Alhaji Ahmad Abulfathi, at the weekend, reached the decision to collapse its national, zonal, state, local government, and ward political structures into the Nationwide Tinubu Connect Associates (NTCA).

The decision was reached following a strategic high-level and exhaustive meeting held in Lagos with the National Leader of NTCA, Henry Nwabueze.

Represented by the 36 State coordinators of the Obedient Movement, they all agreed to merge their structures at the various levels into NTCA to support President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.

A statement by Ahmad Abulfathi said the lead representative of the movement said: “We are proud to align with the Nationwide Tinubu Connect Associates to ensure that Nigerians benefit from the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu while completing two terms in office.

“In the spirit of fairness and unity, we urge Mr Peter Obi and other intending contestants for the 2027 presidential election to jettison their ambitions for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“We cannot afford to distort and discontinue these laudable structures of development courageously built by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu like removal of subsidy, local government autonomy, tax reforms, revival of refineries, student loans, establishment of ministry of livestock (to regulate the rearing of Cattle etc), establishment of regional development commissions, electricity reforms, increased GDP and foreign reserves, establishment of over 8,800 new primary healthcare centres across the country, upgrade of existing tertiary institutions to

handle trauma, oncology, and infectious disease control. And lots more.

“It is simple. Go And verify, as Mr Peter Obi would fondly say. We Nigerians are called upon to support the administration of President Bola Tinubu, despite these initial challenges being faced, no pain, no gain. Continuity is the intention and our sincere conviction. In a show of solidarity, the movement has pledged to mobilize all youth and women leaders across the nation into the NTCA framework, which it now recognizes as a stronger and more inclusive platform to achieve this Nigerian HOPE.

“Sequel to this alignment agreement, the Obedient Movement will adopt the identity and operational direction of Nationwide Tinubu Connect Associates, to demonstrate its commitment to unity, progress, and national development.”