In a moment of global mourning, Peter Obi, the former Governor of Anambra State and 2023 presidential candidate, joined thousands of mourners yesterday at St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, to pay his final respects to Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21.
The late Pontiff’s lying-in-state ceremony marks the beginning of a series of solemn events leading up to his funeral scheduled for Saturday, April 26. His coffin will remain open to the public for viewings over the next three days.
A procession to the basilica initiated the three-day mourning period, allowing the faithful worldwide to say their final goodbyes. The funeral mass, which will be presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, is expected to draw cardinals, world leaders, and pilgrims in large numbers.
In a heartfelt tribute, Peter Obi described the moment as one of deep reflection. He praised the Pope’s legacy of humility, service, and his steadfast commitment to the poor and marginalized. Obi shared insights from his personal encounters with Pope Francis, emphasizing the moral impact they had on his own leadership journey.
Obi, a former member of Scholars Occultantes—an international think-tank founded by the Pope—highlighted the importance of ethical leadership and truth-driven social transformation. He urged leaders across Africa, including political, religious, and community heads, to embrace the Pope’s values of justice, peace, and human dignity.
As the world prepares to bid farewell to a spiritual giant, tributes like Obi’s reflect the far-reaching influence of Pope Francis’s vision and values.
