₦airaland Forum

As Catholics worldwide welcome Pope Leo XIV, a lesser-known detail about the new pontiff has emerged: his visit to Nigeria nearly a decade ago.

Then known as Bishop Robert Prevost, the American-born clergyman travelled to Abuja in 2016 as part of his work with the Order of St. Augustine.

The visit marked a historic milestone for the religious order.

“For the first time, General Chapter of the Order of St. Augustine on the African continent — Abuja, Nigeria,” read a translated caption from a 2016 photo posted on Pope Leo’s X (formerly Twitter) account.


The image shows him alongside Catholic leaders, both foreign and Nigerian, dressed in traditional clerical attire.

At the time of his visit, Leo XIV was serving as Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru.

Before that, he led the Augustinian Province in Chicago and served two terms as Prior General of the global order, known for its emphasis on community life, spiritual reflection, and service.

His connection to Nigeria stands out, especially considering the country’s deep Catholic roots and the long gap since a papal visit.


The last pope to visit Nigeria was John Paul II in 1998.

President Bola Tinubu congratulated Pope Leo XIV on his election, saying the pontiff’s “message of faith and hope resonates across the globe.”

He also expressed joy on behalf of Nigerian Catholics, who now find a deeper link to the Vatican through the pope’s past presence in Abuja.

Pope Leo succeeds Pope Francis, who visited several African nations but never Nigeria during his papacy

richmond500:
The same person that killed, torture and make our parents slaves are thesame people preaching to us about good and bad? What an irony

Mrfeel:
Africans were doing that to each other long before the white man came

Mrfeel:
Africans were doing that to each other long before the white man came

Mrfeel:
Africans were doing that to each other long before the white man came

Nairagistmaniac:
So they came and continued from where Africans stopped abi

richmond500:
The white man came to Africa with two weapon: The bible and the gun.

If he can't humble you with the bible, he will crumble u with the gun.

LLMG:
Stop spreading lies, the ones that came with the gun is different from the ones that came with the Bible, they were two different groups with two different missions..

Mrfeel:
Africans were doing that to each other long before the white man came

Nairagistmaniac:
So they came and continued from where Africans stopped abi

LLMG:
Stop spreading lies, the ones that came with the gun is different from the ones that came with the Bible, they were two different groups with two different missions..

LLMG:
Stop spreading lies, the ones that came with the gun is different from the ones that came with the Bible, they were two different groups with two different missions..

Mrfeel:
Africans were doing that to each other long before the white man came

richmond500:
The same person that killed, torture and make our parents slaves are thesame people preaching to us about good and bad? What an irony

almarthins:
Read about William Wilberforce, how he spearhead a course to end translantic slave trade.

May I also remind you that your rulers were complacent in the whole thing. They(rulers) sold their own people for guns, money and dominance. The white came here and met leaders that have the will to sell his dignity for a morsel of foreign goods.

richmond500:
The white man came to Africa with two weapon: The bible and the gun.

When he knows it became difficult to crumble us with the gub, he had to humble us with the bible to always rule over you.

And somehow some delusional people still believe the ones that came with guns are are different from those that came with bible.

There is no country except Afghanistan that is as religious as Nigeria, Ethiopia and Uganda.

If religion was so good, why are they not at the forefront of it.

LLMG:
Stop spreading lies, the ones that came with the gun is different from the ones that came with the Bible, they were two different groups with two different missions..

mekuso89:
Don't mind those Fuuuls, they're still been controlled by the west.

richmond500:
show me any history where Africans sold black people to other Africans who put them in chains, torture and kill them on special occasions so others could watch the thrill and become amuse?

The white used Africans life as a form of entertainment, I don't have issues with the present white people but I have issues with the religion they imposed on us