The new Pope Leo XIV is not a stranger to Nigeria, as records show that he has visited the country on at least nine occasions between 2001 and 2016. He is mostly related to Nigeria through his conferes of the Order of St. Augustine. In the earlier years, the purpose of his visits was usually to be present at the Provincial Chapters of the Augustinian Province of Nigeria as the Prior General. He would usually visit most of the areas the Augustinians have a community.
These include, Lagos, Jos, Benin, Bida, Ibusa, Iwaro Oka-Akoko, Kano, Warri, Kaduna, Abuja, etc.
1. November 2001: While the General Chapter of 2001 approved the constitution of the Augustinian Province of Nigeria in August, the Prior General (Fr. Robert Prevost) and his council erected the province in November. This was at St. Monica, Jos (The Augustinian Provincialate in Nigeria).
2. August 2003: Visited as the Prior General
3. October 2005: St Monica Catholic Church, Malali, Kaduna
4. August 2007: Canonical visits in 2007 (he visited every part of Nigeria where the Augustinians work: Lagos, Jos, Kaduna, Abuja, Agbor, etc),
5. May 2008: Present for the episcopal ordination of the Bishop of Kano, Bishop John Namaza Niyiring, OSA.
6. August 2008: Visited as the Prior General
7. August 2010: Visited as the Prior General
8. August 2012: Visited as the Prior General
9. September 2016: As the Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, he visited Abuja for the Intermediate General Chapter which was held at DRACC, Lugbe. He was taken on a tour of Abuja with the Major Superiors of the Augustinian Order to places like, the National Stadium, Eagle’s Square and the Ecumenical Centre. They were later hosted to a dinner at the KK Hotel. He had Mass at St. John of the Cross Catholic Church, Maraba.
… At DRACC, Lugbe
After his election, Pope Leo XIV in picture with some of his Augustinian confreres who lived with him in the community in Rome. Two of them are Nigerians. One of his confreres of the Augustinian Order described Pope Leo XIV as “a very simple person, and one who puts you at ease in his presence. A jovial and balanced person, one who stands in the crowd as one among the people. He is courageous, and a man of the missions and of the peripheries. He prefers to drive himself and would eat the most simple or common meals just like the poor and the lowly.”
Another of his confreres described him as “fatherly, humane, gentle listener and a kind hearted simple man of God. He is highly intelligent and a great administrator and manager of people. His smile and his occasional sneeze are his signature. He is indeed a great gift to the universal Church.” Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV have a special meeting point that is on the pastoral field with the poor and suffering lowly people. While Pope Francis worked as a bishop among the very poor people of Argentina, Pope Leo XIV worked as a bishop among the poor people in the very remote villages of Peru.
• Very Rev. Fr. Michael Nsikak Umoh is the National Director of Communications, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN).
