Bola Tinubu, the president of Nigeria, has congratulated Robert Prevost, the recently elected pope, on his appointment as the church’s new leader.
The first American pope was Robert Prevost, also known as Leo XIV, who was just elected.
Prevost, 69, only became a cardinal in 2023 after serving as a missionary in Peru for the majority of his career. In 2023, he was brought to the Vatican by the late Pope Francis to take on the role of the influential head of the office that reviews international candidates for bishops, one of the most significant positions in the Catholic Church.
Bayo Onanuga, the president’s spokesperson, said in a statement on Thursday that his principal hoped for the next Pope to have a prosperous term.
“The President felicitates the Conclave for electing the American Robert Francis Cardinal Prevost as the 267th Bishop of Rome.
“President Tinubu rejoices with the leadership of and congregants of the Catholic Church in Nigeria on the historic election of the new Pontiff, whose message of faith and hope already resonates across the globe, with a reassurance from the scriptures of a more peaceful world,” the statement partly read, as Bola Tinubu congratulates the new pope.
