“Electing a Pope Is Not ‘Emilokan’ Politics” – Bishop Kukah

Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto Catholic Diocese has drawn a sharp contrast between the election of Pope Leo XIV and Nigerian political practices, particularly those associated with President Bola Tinubu’s rise to power.

In an interview with Channels TV, Bishop Kukah dismissed calls for a pope of African descent based on regional rotation or entitlement, describing such expectations as misplaced. “As you know, electing a pope is not like that; it’s not an ‘Emilokan’ scenario in which you say, ‘These people have had their turn, now it’s our turn.’ No, it doesn’t work like that,” he said, referencing the slogan used by Tinubu during his 2023 campaign.

Kukah emphasized that unlike typical political contests, the selection of a pope is a sacred and secretive process, carried out by 133 cardinals who often don’t even know one another. “Every Catholic and every Christian believes that it is the Holy Spirit that does this… God already has an idea about what exactly it is that He wants of His church,” he said, reinforcing the divine nature of the conclave.

He also cautioned against treating papal elections like political forecasts or gambling opportunities. “The pundits who think this is like betting on a horse… always notice that by and large when people begin to make their speculations, they are using human parameters of calculation… But always, people are shocked,” he noted.

Recalling the 2005 conclave following Pope John Paul II’s death, Kukah said many thought Nigeria’s Cardinal Francis Arinze was close to being elected. Still, the outcome defied predictions — a trend that continued with Pope Francis in 2013 and now Pope Leo XIV, who was elected on May 8 as the first American pontiff and 267th pope, despite being considered an outsider.

Commenting on Africa’s readiness to produce a pope, Kukah added wryly, “Well, let’s win the World Cup first. I think we still have a long way to go.”