in the Catholic Church by Pope Francis.
Bishop Okpaleke becomes the fourth Cardinal from Nigeria. Others before
him are Francis Arinze, Anthony Okogie and John Onaiyekan.
He is among the 21 new Cardinals Pope Francis announced on 29 May.
President Buhari commended the Pope for finding a capable Nigerian in
the person of Bishop Okpaleke to be one of the two nominees from the
African continent and congratulated the Nigerian Christian Community on
this choice, describing the Cardinal-designate as ably qualified, and
that having him in that position will benefit the country.
The President also commended the commitment of the Catholic Church to
the unity, peace, and progress of the Nigerian state.
He also highlighted the effort of the Church in combatting the COVID-19
pandemic as well as its support and commitment in favour of the poor and
most vulnerable members of the society.