Monday, 14 April marked eleven agonising years since the abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, by the Boko Haram terrorist group.

What should have prompted a swift, coordinated national emergency response instead revealed deep-rooted inefficiencies, systemic neglect, and an alarming failure of governance — failures that tragically persist.

In the immediate aftermath of the 2014 abduction, both Nigerians and the international community watched in disbelief as the administration of then President Goodluck Jonathan faltered in its response. Despite offers of assistance from countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, China, and France, the Nigerian government hesitated. The president reportedly dismissed the incident as an “internal crisis” he would manage personally. That critical delay gave Boko Haram time to disperse the girls — many of whom were forced into marriage, subjected to slavery, or worse.

More than 90 of the Chibok girls remain missing today. The #BringBackOurGirls movement captured global attention and mobilised support across continents. Yet, even the weight of international advocacy could not compel Nigerian authorities to maintain consistent, effective rescue efforts.

Four years later, another dark chapter unfolded in Dapchi, Yobe State. On 19 February, 2018, over 100 schoolgirls were abducted by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Within a month, all but one of them were returned.

That one was 14-year-old Leah Sharibu, whose continued captivity seven years on is a national tragedy. Her only “crime”? Refusing to renounce her Christian faith. Leah’s ordeal underscores not just religious persecution, but the government’s failure to act decisively and with equity. Despite repeated assurances from top officials, including former President Muhammadu Buhari, Leah remains in captivity. There are no transparent updates. No credible leads. Just a haunting silence.

Successive governments, including the current administration of President Bola Tinubu, have failed to prioritise the rescue of the remaining girls or implement systemic reforms to protect schoolchildren. The statistics are staggering: since 2014, more than 1,600 children have been abducted in mass school kidnappings across Nigeria.

Each new incident reopens old wounds. The consequences for education are dire. Fear-driven dropouts have surged, contributing to Nigeria’s alarming out-of-school population — now the highest globally at 20.1 million.

Programmes such as the Safe Schools Initiative, once launched with optimism and global backing, have stagnated. The Chibok school itself remains in ruins — a haunting symbol of broken promises and unfulfilled obligations.

The continued silence of key figures — most notably Vice President Kashim Shettima, who was governor of Borno State during the Chibok abduction — has drawn sharp criticism. Meanwhile, insecurity in Nigeria has evolved into a full-scale crisis. The country now ranks sixth on the Global Terrorism Index. Terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping flourish under weak intelligence coordination, chronically underfunded security agencies, and pervasive corruption. Despite billions of naira budgeted annually for defense, Nigerians remain unsafe. Their children, even more so.

Eleven years on, the unresolved fate of the Chibok girls and the continued captivity of Leah Sharibu remain indelible stains on the nation’s conscience. They are not just tragic memories but damning indictments of a state that has repeatedly failed its most vulnerable.

As we mark this solemn anniversary, the call for action must rise above the noise. Nigeria needs bold leadership — one that declares a state of emergency on insecurity, invests in grassroots intelligence, and ensures transparency and accountability for every naira spent in the name of security.

We owe it to the Chibok girls. We owe it to Leah Sharibu. We owe it to every child sitting in a classroom, daring to dream. Nigeria must do better — or risk losing an entire generation’s faith in their nation.

** Firdausi Abubakar writes from Abuja and can be reached through: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Pope Francis, Bishop of Rome and Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church, who worked to instill progressive influences on the global church while maintaining unity with conservatives amid years of turmoil, died Monday morning, Vatican camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced. 

He was 88 years old.

"Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church," Farrell announced.

"He taught us to live the values  of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God."

The pope preached frequently on the Catholic virtues of mercy, kindness and humility. He did not shy away from controversy, and American presidents, including Donald Trump and Joe Biden, were not immune from his views. 

Less than a month into President Donald Trump’s presidency, the pontiff criticized the Republican’s plans for the mass deportations of migrants, stressing that the forceful removal of people simply for their immigration status deprives them of their inherent dignity and "will end badly." 

In a strongly worded letter to U.S. Catholic Bishops, the pope appeared to counter remarks made by Vice President JD Vance — who had recently converted to Catholicism — after he suggested Americans should care for family, communities and the country before caring about others. 

"Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups," the pontiff wrote. "Worrying about personal, community or national identity, apart from these considerations." 

Pope Francis in 2015 became the first pontiff to ever address a Joint Meeting of Congress where he spoke on a range of topics including immigration, family, the death penalty, climate change, extremism, religious freedom and the refugee crisis. 

He joined American bishops and urged American leaders to abolish capital punishment and said Congress has a "role to play" in addressing global warming. 

In 2022 he questioned then President Biden's conscience on abortion in an interview during which he described the commander-in-chief's religious identity and views on abortion as incoherent. "A month after conception, the DNA of the fetus is already there and the organs are aligned. There is human life," the pontiff said in the interview with Spanish-language outlet Univision. 

He also weighed in on candidates Trump and Harris during the election campaign, where he bashed them both, saying, "Both are against life, be it the one who kicks out migrants, or be it the one who kills babies,″ he said, according to the Associated Press. 

Just weeks before President Trump’s second inauguration, he appointed Cardinal Robert McElroy to be the Archbishop of Washington. McElroy had been critical of Trump’s immigration policies during his first term as president. 

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936 to Italian immigrant parents in Argentina, Francis made history as the first pope from the Americas — as well as the first Jesuit to hold the office.  

He was elected pope in 2013 after the almost unprecedented retirement of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI.  

Bergolio’s father, Mario, was an accountant for the railway industry, and his mother, Regina, was a homemaker and caregiver for her five children.  

Throughout his early years, the future pope worked a number of menial jobs. He labored briefly in the stocking factory where his father was an accountant before moving on to other opportunities, including jobs as a bar bouncer and janitor.  

He eventually sought a career as a chemical technician, receiving a diploma in chemistry from the secondary school Escuela Técnica Industrial N° 27 Hipólito Yrigoyen. He also worked briefly in a food laboratory. However, his career in chemistry was short-lived. 

He entered the priesthood at the Diocesan Seminary of Villa Devoto in Argentina. Francis was ordained a priest in 1969 and made his final profession with the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits, in 1973. The same year, he was appointed as a provincial for the order.  

His appointment as provincial was concurrent with the Dirty War, a period of intense state-led persecution of left-wing leaders and political dissidents. Bergolio experienced constant threats to his own safety as he worked to hide or aid in the escape of government targets, including many Catholic faithful.  

During that time, two Jesuit priests under his supervision were disappeared by the government, drugged and left barely alive in a field five months after their kidnapping. Pope Francis has said he was forced to negotiate with the regime for their release.  

Bergolio would spend the next two decades bouncing from position to position at the direction of his superiors. He served as a professor of theology, seminary instructor, rector, doctoral student and parish priest.  

In 1992, Pope John Paul II appointed Bergolio as titular Bishop of Auca and as an auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires. This was done at the request of Cardinal Antonio Quarracino, Archbishop of Buenos Aires, who consecrated him to the episcopacy.  

Bergoglio proved vital to the nation’s Catholic community, and he was quickly raised to the dignity of Coadjutor Archbishop of Buenos Aires, serving alongside Quarracino and taking over the archdiocese entirely after his death the following year.  

Bergoglio was given the crimson hat of a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2001.  

In 2013, after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, Bergoglio was elected to the papacy, selecting the pontifical name "Francis" after St. Francis of Assisi — a choice that set the tone for the rest of his papacy.  

Pope Francis’s teachings as a priest, bishop, cardinal and pope were deeply influenced by his Jesuit vocation — viewing each person as a unique creation of God, with whom they can have a personal relationship. His ministry and leadership were committed to keeping doors open and making the church approachable to the public.  

It was not only American politics that he had strong opinions of. 

He faced criticism for specific remarks he made against Israel’s military operation in Gaza, calling the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave "very serious and shameful." During that same speech, he condemned the growth of antisemitism throughout the world, Reuters reported. He also called for an end to the war in Ukraine and expressed concerns over climate change.

In 2023, seemingly looking to strike a balance, he formally allowed Catholic priests to give same-sex couples a blessing, which was seen as being a radical shift in church policy, the Associated Press reported at the time.   

Pope Francis is also remembered for living a life of intense simplicity, denying himself a lavish papal apartment in the Vatican upon his election, and opting instead for a two-room suite in the Domus Santa Marta, a residence built by Pope John Paul II.  

In contrast to his immediate predecessors, Pope Francis eschewed ornate robes or luxurious clothing. His outfit rarely consisted of more than a plain, white cassock tied with a papal fascia.  

Pope Francis even dressed down his Ring of the Fisherman — a piece of gold jewelry worn by popes to signify their office — by having it made with silver and only wearing it for ceremonies.  

Francis’s tenure continued the ongoing efforts to investigate decades of sexual abuse claims against priests across the world, including in the United States, with Francis vowing transparency in 2019. 

"Transparency is now being implemented at the highest level," said Archbishop Charles Scicluna, the Archbishop of Malta and Adjunct Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, after Francis gave legal authorities access to documents about sexual abuse cases and abolished the "pontifical secret" of the cases.  

He continued Benedict's work to root malicious clerics out of the Church hierarchy "with the wrath of God," appointing task forces and establishing victim aid groups.  

Pope Francis proved frustrating for a wide variety of conservatives, liberals, traditionalists and progressives. 

His gentle — at times vague and confusing — language on key social issues, such as sexuality and divorce, frustrated conservatives hoping for a more aggressive champion of Catholic moral teaching. 

In July 2017, a group of Catholic clergy and academics sent Pope Francis a "Filial Correction" document alleging seven serious theological mistakes made by the pontiff in public statements. The document’s assertions proved controversial within the Catholic Church and the document was never explicitly addressed.  

Conversely, his refusal to back down from traditional church teachings on abortion, gay marriage, women’s ordination and priestly celibacy frustrated progressives hoping for a more modern church.  

Echoing his time as a prelate in Argentina, Pope Francis was at times criticized from both sides of the aisle for his heavy hand enforcing Catholic unity on national and international levels.  

Traditionalists voiced intense opposition to his apostolic letter "Traditionis custodes," which restricted the celebration of the traditional Latin mass in an attempt to squash increasingly separatist conservative movements within the Church.

He similarly shut down discussion of many social issues that progressives have sought to reform.  

In 2019, Pope Francis told a nun asking him to approve the ordination of women that "if the Lord didn’t want a sacramental ministry for women, it can’t go forward," adding, "We are Catholics, but if anyone wants to found another church they are free [to do so]."  

The hyper-progressive leadership of the Catholic Church in Germany was a target of his ire after the country’s clerical leaders attempted an upheaval of traditional teachings regarding gender and sexuality. The Vatican issued a series of letters, approved by Pope Francis, accusing the German church of risking separation from the Catholic Communion.  

The conflict with German bishops encapsulated his papacy’s recurring themes of authority and unity, best exemplified in a passage from his "Letter to the Pilgrim People of God in Germany."  

In the letter, Pope Francis wrote, "The universal Church lives in and of the particular Churches, just as the particular Churches live and flourish in and from the universal Church. If they find themselves separated from the entire ecclesial body, they weaken, rot and die. Hence, the need always to ensure that communion with the whole body of the Church is alive and effective."  

Pope Francis visited dozens of countries, including the United States and Cuba in 2015, and went as far afield as Papua New Guinea, as well as visits to predominantly Muslim countries including Egypt, Morocco and Jordan. 

Pope Francis struggled with health complications throughout his reign.  

The pontiff dealt for many years with sciatica, a nerve condition that caused immense pain in his leg and at times hindered his ability to walk.  

In 2021, Pope Francis was hospitalized for an intestinal surgery that removed 13 inches of his colon. 

In March 2023, Francis was again taken to the hospital after experiencing intense chest pain and difficulty breathing. He was treated for a respiratory infection and released after antibiotic treatment. 

In June of the same year, the pope was brought back for another abdominal surgery to repair an incisional hernia. He was released after making a full recovery.  

He took a fall at his residence and suffered a contusion on his right arm in January 2025.   

In February, he was once again hospitalized after a bout of bronchitis.  

Following Pope Francis’ death, the Vatican has entered a time of sede vacante — in English, "empty seat."  

Fox News

Nine major Nigerian banks recorded a combined interest income of N14.26tn in 2024, representing a 119.55% increase from N6.49tn in 2023, according to an analysis of audited financial results filed with the Nigerian Exchange Limited.

This significant revenue boost occurred while manufacturers struggled with rising borrowing costs, with the sector reporting N1.3tn in interest expenses during the same period.

Bank Performance Breakdown

Access Holdings led with N3.11tn in interest income, a 98.69% increase from the previous year. Other impressive performances included:

- Zenith Bank: N2.72tn (up 137.74%)

- First HoldCo: N2.39tn (up 155%)

- United Bank for Africa: N2.37tn (up 120%)

- Guaranty Trust Holding Company: N1.32tn (up 148%)

- Fidelity Bank: N803.05bn (up 85.03%)

- FCMB Group: N621.81bn (up 75.16%)

- Stanbic IBTC: N566bn (up 109%)

- Wema Bank: N354.63bn (up 91.03%)

First HoldCo achieved the highest percentage growth, while Zenith Bank recorded the largest actual increase at N1.58tn compared to the previous year.

Some banks reported interest income from non-performing loans, including Zenith Bank (N18.25bn), UBA (N4.26bn), and Fidelity Bank (N8.10bn).

Monetary Policy Impact

The banking sector's strong performance coincided with the Central Bank of Nigeria's monetary tightening policy. By the end of 2024, the Monetary Policy Rate had increased by 875 basis points, rising from 18.75% in 2023 to 27.50%.

This aggressive stance was implemented to combat inflation, which reached 34.80% in December 2024—a 5.87 percentage point increase from December 2023's 28.92%.

Manufacturing Sector Struggles

While banks prospered, manufacturers faced severe challenges. At a recent Bankers Committee Town Hall in Lagos, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria President Francis Meshioye highlighted the sector's difficulties, noting that manufacturers spent approximately N1.3tn on interest payments in 2024.

"Manufacturers spent about N1.3tn on interest rate; the cost of funds last year, 2024, and that is huge," said Meshioye. "Some are even paying 37 percent. How do you survive this?"

Meshioye urged banks to moderate their profit ambitions and consider the long-term impact on the sectors they serve: "If you kill the place you make the money from, then how will you survive?"

Broader Economic Concerns

Financial analysts warn that Nigeria's high interest rates—with commercial lending rates between 28% and 35%—are worsening poverty and restricting credit access for small businesses and farmers.

While banks report record profits from high-interest lending and risk-free government securities, investment in critical economic sectors like agriculture, manufacturing, and small-scale industries continues to decline.

With the National Bureau of Statistics reporting over 133 million Nigerians living in multidimensional poverty, the rising borrowing costs are making it increasingly difficult for individuals and businesses to access funds for investment, expansion, or basic operations.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has claimed responsibility for a series of deadly attacks targeting Nigerian security forces as well as Christian civilians in Nigeria’s northeastern regions earlier this month.

Through seven messages posted on its news agency "Amaq," ISWAP claimed it conducted these operations, backing up the statements with a video depicting one of the assaults and two photo albums documenting two other operations.

The attacks in Borno state targeted a Nigerian army barracks in Yamtage town where it claimed it killed three soldiers and set the barracks ablaze.

ISWAP also claimed that its fighters captured and subsequently killed four members of pro-government militias loyal to the Nigerian army in the same state.

In Adamawa state, the group claimed responsibility for two attacks on Banga village, a Christian community.

The first, on April 15, allegedly resulted in the deaths of two Christians and the torching of over 30 houses and a church, with "Amaq" publishing photographs of the assault.

The second attack on Banga, on April 16, targeted a Nigerian police patrol in the village, damaging a vehicle and wounding several officers.

It also released a photo album depicting an assault on Lareh village in Adamawa, showing houses belonging to Christians and a church being set on fire but it was not accompanied with a claim.

Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters have mainly operated in northeastern Nigeria and targeted security forces and civilians, killing or displacing tens of thousands of people.

Reuters

Palestinian Red Crescent says Israeli probe into Gaza aid workers' killings not enough

The Palestinian Red Crescent called on Monday for a "serious investigation" into the killing of 15 aid workers in Gaza last month, a day after the Israeli military admitted "professional failures" and disciplinedtwo officers over the incident.

Younish Al-Khatib, chairman of the Palestinian Red Crescent, said he did not consider the measures taken by the Israeli military, which reprimanded one officer and dismissed another from his position, as sufficient.

"This looks like the management of a company taking administrative measures against its employees who made some kind of a mistake," he told Reuters. "When you kill 15 medical staff and civil defence personnel, these can't be called 'measures'."

"There has to be proper accountability and a stop to impunity that Israel has taken for granted for so many years," he added.

On Sunday, the Israeli military said members of a special forces unit in Gaza had made a number of errors in three separate incidents on March 23, during which they fired on ambulances, a fire truck and a UN vehicle.

It issued a formal reprimand to a brigade commander and said the deputy battalion commander who was on the ground when the incident occurred would be relieved of his post over the mix of professional failures and breaches of orders, as well as a failure to fully report the incident.

After initially saying the soldiers opened fire on a number of unmarked vehicles that approached their position, the military confirmed that they were clearly marked as emergency vehicles. The investigation found, however, that the soldiers had been unable to see clearly in the dark.

The military advocate general's office may now take further action, including possible criminal action against the soldiers, the military said.

Killing of the aid workers drew condemnation worldwide, piling pressure on the military to clarify what had occurred and to hold those responsible to account.

Al-Khatib said the army's investigation, headed by former Major General Yoav Har-Even did not match the seriousness of the incident, which added to a toll of more than 400 Palestinian emergency and health workers killed in the conflict, including 44 from the Red Crescent.

"We don't look at it as a proper investigation," Al-Khatib said, urging an independent international investigation. He said the Red Crescent would continue to work in Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem.

Separately, Hamas issued a statement saying the Israeli military investigation was "nothing but a blatant attempt to evade full responsibility for this heinous crime".

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Putin says he is open to direct peace talks with Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed on Monday bilateral talks with Ukraine for the first time since the early days of the war, and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Kyiv was eager to discuss a halt to attacks on civilian targets.

While Zelenskiy did not respond directly to Putin's proposal, he emphasized in his nightly video address that Ukraine "was ready for any conversation" about a ceasefire that would stop strikes on civilians.

The two leaders face pressure from the United States, which has threatened to walk away from its peace efforts unless some progress is achieved.

Russia and Ukraine have said they are open to further ceasefires after a 30-hour Easter truce declared by Moscow at the weekend. Each side accused the other of violating it.

Ukraine will take part in talks with the U.S. and European countries on Wednesday in London, Zelenskiy said. The discussions are a follow-up to a Paris meeting last week where the U.S. and European states discussed ways to end the more than three-year-old war.

Putin, speaking to a Russian state TV reporter, said fighting had resumed after the Easter ceasefire, which he announced unilaterally on Saturday. And Moscow, he said, was open to any peace initiatives and expected the same from Kyiv.

"We have always talked about this, that we have a positive attitude towards any peace initiatives. We hope that representatives of the Kyiv regime will feel the same way," Putin told state TV reporter Pavel Zarubin.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, quoted later by Interfax news agency, told reporters: "When the president said that it was possible to discuss the issue of not striking civilian targets, including bilaterally, the president had in mind negotiations and discussions with the Ukrainian side."

There have been no direct talks between the two sides since the early weeks after Russia's February 2022 invasion.

HALTING ATTACKS ON CIVILIAN TARGETS

Zelenskiy, in his nightly video address, said Ukraine stood by its proposal for an end to attacks on civilian targets and was ready for any form of discussion to achieve it. Previously, the U.S. and Ukraine had framed this as a 30-day ceasefire.

"Ukraine maintains its proposal not to strike at the very least civilian targets. And we are expecting a clear response from Moscow," he said. "We are ready for any conversation about how to achieve this."

He said the London talks "have a primary task: to push for an unconditional ceasefire. This must be the starting point."

Zelenskiy had earlier on Monday said an unconditional ceasefire would be "followed by the establishment of a real and lasting peace".

Washington has said it would welcome an extension of the weekend truce. Zelenskiy said continued Russian attacks during the Easter ceasefire showed Moscow was intent on prolonging the war.

Zelenskiy also said that Ukraine's forces were instructed to continue to mirror the Russian army's actions.

"The nature of Ukraine's actions will remain symmetrical: ceasefire will be met with ceasefire, and Russian strikes will be met with our own in defence. Actions always speak louder than words," he said on X.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio both said on Friday that Washington could abandon the peace talks without progress within days. Trump struck a more optimistic note Sunday, saying that "hopefully" the two sides would make a deal "this week".

Russia's demands include Ukraine ceding all the land Putin claims to have annexed and accepting permanent neutrality. Ukraine says that would amount to surrender and leave it undefended if Moscow attacks again.

"President Putin and the Russian side remain open to seeking a peaceful settlement. We are continuing to work with the American side and, of course, we hope that this work will yield results," Peskov told reporters.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Russian military details outcome of Easter ceasefire

There was a marked decline in the intensity of Ukrainian attacks on Sunday following Russia’s unilateral declaration of an Easter ceasefire, the Defense Ministry in Moscow reported. However, Kiev’s forces continued their operations, logging approximately 4,900 violations during this period.

On Saturday evening, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the 30-hour halt to hostilities, instructing troops to engage only in response to Ukrainian actions. On Monday morning, the Russian military issued a report detailing its observations.

“Overall, the intensity of fire and offensive actions by the opponent significantly decreased along the entire frontline during daylight hours,”it stated. Nonetheless, the lull was only partial, with drone and artillery strikes noted over the weekend, the ministry added.

According to the statement, Ukrainian forces executed six separate offensive maneuvers and deployed 90 fixed-wing drones, eight of which targeted areas outside the combat zone. The predominant violations involved short-range drones attacking Russian positions, with over 3,300 such incidents recorded.

“After the ceasefire term expired, the Russian armed forces resumed the special military operation,” the statement continued, offering a brief overview of combat activities that occurred following the midnight deadline.

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky had assured that Kiev’s forces would refrain from initiating attacks and later claimed that the Russians hadn’t fully observed the ceasefire.

Zelensky contended that Russia could only prove its commitment to peace by accepting an unconditional 30-day truce. Putin has previously remarked that Kiev would exploit a prolonged pause for rearmament and reinforcement, clarifying Moscow’s hesitations.

In mid-March, Putin temporarily suspended attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure at the request of US President Donald Trump, who is seeking to mediate an end to the conflict. 

The Russian Defense Ministry subsequently reported numerous Ukrainian attacks, which it characterized as violations of the agreement that ultimately expired last week.

Reuters/RT

He entered the world with the candescence a meteor, blazing new trails and igniting enough light to show that he wanted any lingering swamps and dark alleys of the Church to be cleaned up. He wanted to reposition the Church.

We all remember that day on 13 March 2013. The world was still recovering from the sight of the white smoke and barely catching its breath from the announcement of the famous words heralding a new pope, Habemus Papuam [We have a Pope!]. Millions strained their eyes to behold who the new pope might be and then, presto, there appeared the new pope draped in his white cassock.

The world stood in shock as Pope Francis waved, but no one was prepared for the first words that came out of his mouth when he bowed and asked the world to bless him! If this was shocking, there was more to come from the new pope.

The world expected the new pope to keep up with over centuries of tradition of what has come to define the papacy at least in its modern form. First, rather than travelling in the special papal vehicle to the papal apartments, his new official residence, Pope Fancis decided to drive with his fellow Cardinals in the same bus right to the Domus Sanctae Marthae (House of St. Martha), less than a hundred meters from the Vatican Sacristy at the back of St. Peter’s Basilica. Domus Sanctae Marthae would remain his residence throughout his papacy. By Vatican standards, the facility represents the quintessence of pleasure, a kind of a local Hilton in the Vatican.

Yet, in reality, the comfort is about what you would find in a modest three-star hotel. I have stayed there several times, even having the luxury of staying in the suites. Again, the modesty of the facility will shock you. You can check online because it is open to guests.

The world had barely settled down to these shocks when it was reported that the Pope had personally called his vendor back in Argentina to cancel his subscription of the local newspaper. More and more evidence would emerge that this pope would be like no other, that he would change the way the world saw the Catholic Church and the way the Church saw itself, its role and place in the world. Of course, becoming pope meant he had to drop his real names, Jorge Mario Bergoglio. His decision to choose the name, Francis, after the famous Italian mystic and poet, the man who abandoned wealth and chose a life of poverty was symbolic.

Pope Francis went on to stun the world in the symbolic choices that he made in the course of his papacy. The world would have to get used to looking at wealth, power, weakness and the poor differently.
I had the rare honour of meeting him several times in his short papacy. On two occasions when I stayed at the Domus Sancta Martha, it was not uncommon to bump into him in the dinning room. He would smile back if you smiled at him, he would shake you if you offered him your hand. He personally went to the tables to help himself in the buffet setting. He ate openly with any guests who were around, the only exception being that his table was separated by an existing wall in the facility. Of course, often he would often have some of his staff, visiting prelates or other guests with him. In his presence, you could feel his translucent and vivacious honesty. His smiles were penetrating in their honesty and simplicity. He was vulnerably present to everyone around him, irrespective of status.

In his presence, you could choose to shake, hug or embrace him. He received whatever gift you offered him. I guess his handlers had already known that this was an official policy. I often watched as people walked up and offered him presents, some looking quite strange. From calabashes, ornaments, woven cloths, books, pictures, Pope Francis would take anything from everyone. He stood still for any photographs and was never in a hurry.

He made the world one huge blackboard on which he scripted so much by his thoughts and actions. He often quoted St. Francis who said: “preach the gospel and only if necessary, use words”. He took those words seriously and used his life as the greatest writings on the blackboard. Actions, not words. When he called the world a field hospital, he wanted the world to appreciate the quantum of wreckage created by the unbridled greed of the powerful whose footprints had turned the world into a crime scene.

In 2023, I was lucky to be asked by the President of the Bishops of West Africa to represent our Conferences during the Pope’s visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in February, that year. After the Mass, there were interactions with the holy father. When I told him I had come from Nigeria, his face lit up and even more so when I told him that the Bishops of West Africa had asked me to represent them and to welcome him. “And you came all the way from Nigeria?”, he asked. When I said “yes”, he looked at me as if I had just scored a goal at injury time as he patted a congratulatory touch and appreciation on my shoulder! Pope Francis spoke during that visit about the threats of the new colonial exploitation in Africa. In Sudan, he lamented the tragedy of the wars and sufferings of our people.

In life, Pope Francis stood with the weak and the poor. He called attention to the threats posed by the environmental exploitation of mother earth. In 2015, he published his earth breaking Encyclical, Laudato Si [On Care of our common home], calling attention to the threats posed by environmental exploitations by the powerful. He was an honest, caring, loving man who placed emphasis on our common humanity.

He called the world’s attention towards the need to raise the bar on friendship, brotherhood, sisterhood and collaboration. He developed a friendship with the Chief Imam of Al-Azhar Mosque which led to the publication in 2020 of his most readable Encyclicals, Fratelli Tutti [All Brothers/Sisters]. He had laid down his pastoral roadmap very early in his papacy with the first encyclical titled, Evangelii Gaudium [The Joy of the Gospel] in 2013.

The world will miss a genuine leader, a very loving and caring man. Pope Francis set Jesus free from the walls erected by those Christians who sought to imprison him in cages of dogma by exploiting the message of liberation. He generated controversies with many of his views and different commentators will focus on the issues that fit their ideological persuasion, but we cannot deny that the world has lost a moral compass.

For the ideological, there are those who will see the death of the holy father as bump on the road for the radicals within the Church. In truth, the real and genuine message of Jesus rises well beyond ideology. The world awaits a new pope, and prayerfully soon.

In 2005, when Pope John Paul 11 died, a British journalist interviewed me in Abuja. He asked me if I thought the world was now ready for an African pope. He was taken aback when I told him that the Catholic Church could not elect an African Pope. But, he said, the world is anxiously waiting and it could be a Nigerian. I still insisted but when he asked why, I told him calmly: An African pope will have to be elected by Africans to govern the African Church. It is true a man of African descent can be elected a pope. He can then be only a pope from Africa, not an African pope! You would have needed to see his reaction when he realised he had framed the issues wrongly.

This idea of an African pope is still popular. However, the Catholic Church does not do, emi lokan. There is no emi lokan in the priesthood, none in the Bishopric or the papacy. The Holy Spirit has no calendar and no standing Electoral Commission. The Holy Spirit has always made the choice in faithfulness to the promises Jesus made to Peter: Upon this rock, I will build my Church [Mt. 16:18). It is not our Church, not a human institution. So only God, through the Holy Spirit will choose who will lead His Church.

** Matthew Hassan Kukah is
Bishop, Catholic Diocese of Sokoto

I just saw a post to the effect that Cardinal Arinze is in the frame to be the new Pope. The poster declared that that Cardinal would, if it turns out to be true, be the first Black pope in history. And then it occurred to me that we’ve had a previous iteration of this frenzy before. Yes, that’s right- in 2005, following the passing of Pope John Paul. It came to nothing.

Two other things struck me. The first is that, in fact, a Cardinal Arinze or Cardinal Lumumba will not be the first Black Pope in history. That honour, from my findings, belongs to Pope Saint Victor I, who led the Roman Catholic Church between 189 and 199AD- more than 1800 years ago. I shall return to him in moment. The second is related to the first: when Pope Saint Victor I became the Pope more than 18 centuries ago, it appeared that it was no more extraordinary than the ascension of his predecessors. In fact, it sounded very ordinary indeed. And as I understand it, other Popes of African origins have followed after him.

Here, then, is my take on this: it is an unfortunate sign of societal regress, certainly not progress, that the prospect of a Black Pope is catching attention as something out of the ordinary. Let’s set aside the fact that majority of Catholic faithfuls today are found in Africa and Latin America. That would be a good enough reason to consider the frenzy around a prospective Black Pope absurd, rather than ordinary and routine. But I am not even looking at this from the perspective of representation and the game of numbers.

Instead, I am starring at a more serious and uncomfortable fact here: that in 1800 years, humanity has in many ways regressed on the front of racial justice and equity- so much so that an event that was probably more ordinary and more routine in AD 189 has attracted so much attention- I mean, even the mere prospect of it- 18 centuries after! The current world order rests on a matrix of domination, sustained by the twin pillars of racial superiority and racial purity-both equally nefarious, both equally toxic.

Don’t get me wrong. I understand why the prospect of a Black Pope has is generating so much frenzy. I am just saying that I don’t see it as a cause for celebration, but a jolt to the sobering reality that this is being seen as an extraordinary prospect- about two millennia after the establishment of the Catholic Church.

Meanwhile, I asked ChatGPT to say something about Pope Saint Victor I. Below is what it came up with. Happy reading:

Pope Saint Victor I: Background and Legacy

Pope Saint Victor I served as Bishop of Rome from approximately 189 to 199 AD, during a formative period in early Christian history. He holds a distinguished place in Church history as the first pope of Black African heritage, originating from the Roman province of Africa (in present-day North Africa). His elevation to the papacy in the 2nd century reflects the early Church’s diversity and the significant role African Christians played in shaping Christian doctrine and practice.

Victor I’s papacy is especially noted for his strong leadership during theological disputes, most prominently the Quartodeciman Controversy, which concerned the appropriate date to celebrate Easter. While Christian communities in Asia Minor observed Easter on the 14th day of Nisan, aligning with the Jewish Passover, the Church in Rome celebrated it on the Sunday following Passover. Victor advocated for unifying the observance of Easter on Sunday across all Christian communities. Although his effort to enforce this practice through threats of excommunication was met with resistance by leaders such as St. Irenaeus, it was a pivotal move toward liturgical unity within the early Church.

Another important contribution of Pope Victor I was the introduction and promotion of Latin as a liturgical language in the Roman Church, replacing Greek in many official functions. This transition was instrumental in establishing Latin as the foundational language of Western Christianity, influencing centuries of Church doctrine, scholarship, and administration.

Victor was also known for his compassionate leadership and advocacy for persecuted Christians. During a time when the Roman Empire remained suspicious and, at times, openly hostile toward the Christian faith, Victor supported imprisoned and oppressed believers, reinforcing the Church’s mission of solidarity and mercy.

Though the exact circumstances of his death remain unclear, Pope Victor I is traditionally considered a martyr for the faith. He was later canonized, and his feast day is celebrated on July 28.

The legacy of Pope Victor I endures not only in his contributions to Church structure and unity but also as a powerful reminder of the deep and early presence of Black leadership in Christianity. His papacy stands as a testament to the global, inclusive, and multicultural roots of the Christian faith.

Taking statins could dramatically reduce the risk of dementia, even in those who already have low cholesterol, a major study has found.

The pill is one of the most commonly-prescribed drugs in the UK, with around seven to eight million people taking them to ward off heart attack and stroke.

Researchers now believe that the medication could reduce levels of harmful cholesterol in the brain — which they say could protect against types of dementia, including the most common, Alzheimer's.

The South Korean scientists found that those with naturally low levels of LDL cholesterol—often referred to as the 'bad' type—who weren't on medication were  less likely to develop dementia, compared to those with higher levels.

But they also discovered the risk of dementia reduced further among people who already had low levels of cholesterol and were taking statins compared to those who were not, suggesting the drugs provide 'additional protective effects'. 

It has long been thought that Alzheimer'sdisease, the most common form of dementia, is caused by the accumulation of toxic proteins in the brain. 

But experts behind the new study said their findings could change the way doctors think about the disease. 

'There is clearly more to the story of Alzheimer's than we first thought,' said Dr Francesco Tamagnini, a neurophysiologist at the University of Reading.

'Alzheimer's disease appears [that it] may be a complication caused by the accumulation of LDL [cholesterol] in the brain.'

Cholesterol is a fatty substance that naturally exists in blood vessels.

However, if levels of the harmful type — called LDL — become too high, it can clog up the arteries that supply the body's tissues with blood, increasing the risk of heart attacks and stroke.  

This can result from a number of reasons, including a genetic predisposition, a high fat diet and obesity. 

Another type of cholesterol, HDL, is often considered the 'good type' as it helps clear LDL away from the arteries and out of the body.

A level of HDL below 4mmol/L (millimoles per litre) is considered healthy.

The new study analysed the health records of 570,000 South Koreans, and found those who had levels of LDL cholesterol below 1.8 mmol/L were 28 per cent less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease, compared to those with twice as much LDL.

Those in the low cholesterol group who took statins were even less likely to develop the disorder, reducing their risk by a further 12 per cent.

The authors said their findings 'underscore the crucial role of managing LDL in lowering dementia risk', adding that statins could be used to improve cognitive function. 

The medicine lowers cholesterol by interfering with an enzyme in the liver that's crucial for making the fatty substance.

Some experts, however, have urged caution over the findings.

Dr Julia Dudley, Head of Research at Alzheimer's Research UK said: 'Dementia risk is complex and influenced by many factors.

'Without a detailed picture of what's going on in the brain, we do not know if there is a direct link between lower cholesterol and reduced dementia risk. 

'Clinical trials will be key to understand what effects statins might be having on disease processes in the brain.

'In the meantime, keeping our hearts healthy remains one of the most effective ways we can protect our brain health. 

'If you have any concerns about your cholesterol levels, you should speak to your GP.'

It is well known that high cholesterol is a risk factor for vascular dementia — a type of the disease caused by several mini strokes.

There are currently around 982,000 people with dementia in the UK. 

This number is expected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040.

Alzheimer's affects around six in 10 people with dementia.

Memory problems, thinking and reasoning difficulties and language problems are common early symptoms of the condition, which then worsen over time.

Previous studies have estimated that around 40 per cent of all dementia cases could be prevented with lifestyle changes.

This includes healthier diets, increased exercise, drinking less alcohol, preventing head injury and using hearing aids.  

Daily Mail