Pope Leo appoints two Nigerians to key Vatican roles

Pope Leo has appointed two Nigerians to senior positions within the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization, in a move aimed at strengthening African representation in the Church’s missionary governance.

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According to the Fides News Agency, the appointments were announced alongside those of other senior Catholic leaders from across Africa.

Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins of Lagos was named a member of the Dicastery for Evangelization (Section for First Evangelization and New Particular Churches), a key Vatican body responsible for missionary work and the establishment of new local Churches.

Also appointed was Father Wenceslaus C. Madu, C.M.F., Vice-Chancellor of the Claretian University of Nigeria, Nekede, who will serve as a consultor to the same Dicastery. Other African clerics appointed include Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Archbishop Andrew Nkea Fuanya of Cameroon as members, while Archbishop François Sylla of Guinea was named a consultor.

The Vatican said the appointments reflect a broader effort to enhance African participation in the governance and evangelization mission of the global Catholic Church, particularly in guiding the development of new local Churches.