Billionaire businessman and philanthropist, Femi Otedola, has extended his heartfelt congratulations to the newly elected Pope Leo XIV, formerly known as Robert Cardinal Prevost, following his historic appointment as the 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church.
Otedola, who serves as the Chancellor of Augustine University, took to Instagram on Friday to share a throwback photograph of Pope Leo XIV during his visit to Nigeria in 2016. At that time, the now-Pope was serving as the Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, and had visited the Augustinian community in Abuja, where he participated in key developmental projects.
“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, Governing Council, and Management of Augustine University Ilara, Epe, Lagos State, I, Femi Otedola CON, Chancellor, proudly congratulate our new Pope, Leo XIV @Pontifex, a devoted Augustinian Priest from whom our University draws its name and heritage,” Otedola wrote in his Instagram post.
The billionaire businessman further highlighted the Pope’s connection with the Augustinian community in Nigeria, expressing pride in the Pope’s visit to Abuja. Otedola recalled, “We are especially proud that His Holiness visited the Augustinian community in Abuja in 2016, where he commissioned key projects.”
Reflecting on the Pope’s new role as the leader of over 1.5 billion Catholics worldwide, Otedola concluded his message with prayers for divine guidance, as the Pope embarks on this sacred responsibility.
Pope Leo XIV, during his 2016 trip to Nigeria, also shared a photo on social media with fellow Catholic leaders. Some of the individuals in the image were believed to have accompanied him from abroad, while others were Nigerian clergy, all dressed in black and white cassocks. The post, dated September 29, 2016, and translated from Spanish, read, “For the first time, General Chapter of the Order of St. Augustine on the African continent — Abuja, Nigeria.”
The visit nearly a decade ago marked an important milestone in the relationship between the Catholic Church and the Augustinian community in Nigeria, with significant projects commissioned during the trip.
As Pope Leo XIV begins his papacy, many, including Otedola, look forward to the Pope’s leadership in tackling critical issues affecting the global Catholic community.
