Pope Benedict yesterday named Archbishop of the Abuja Diocese John Onaiyekan among six new cardinals, an addition to the ranks of those who will elect his successor. In a brief interview with Daily Trust from Rome last night, Cardinal Onaiyekan, who is former president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, said his elevation was an encouragement to continue working for the benefit of mankind. "There have been speculations for about ten years now about this happening but it wasn't something I was working towards. Becoming a cardinal is not something one makes an ambition of or plans for. So I would say it was a very pleasant and welcome surprise when I was told on Tuesday about it." He added: "Nigeria is an absolutely blessed nation to have four cardinals so far. The elevation is a great honour to Africa and an encouragement for me to continue the good works that I have always done for the benefit of mankind." Benedict, 85, announced the new cardinals during his weekly general audience and said they would be elevated formally at a consistory November 24. The nominations help even out the geographic distribution of cardinals, which had tilted heavily toward Europe in general in the last few consistories and Italy in particular.
With the new cardinals, there will be 120 cardinals under age 80 and thus eligible to vote in a conclave to elect a new pope. Europe still has the most, with 62, but with the new additions, the College of Cardinals is a tad more multinational: Latin America will have 21, North America 14, Africa 11, Asia 11 and Oceana one.
In addition to Archbishop Onaiyekan, the new cardinals are Archbishop Ruben Salazar Gomez of Bogota, Colombia; Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila; His Beatitude Bechara Boutros Rai, patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites in Lebanon; and His Beatitude Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal, the major archbishop of the Trivandrum of the Siro-Malankaresi in India.
Cardinals are the pope's closest aides in the Vatican, where they run its key departments, and around the world, where they head dioceses to administer the 1.2 billion members of the Roman Catholic Church.
President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday congratulated Onaiyekan on his elevation to the rank of cardinal.
"President Jonathan believes that Bishop Onaiyekan's elevation to the highest echelon of the Catholic Church by the Pope clearly shows that the exemplary diligence, dedication and commitment with which he has gone about his labours in the Lord's vineyard since his ordination in 1969 has been recognised and appreciated," Presidential spokesman Reuben Abati said in a statement.
"President Jonathan prays that God Almighty will grant Bishop Onaiyekan continued good health and the strength, wisdom and Divine Guidance he will require to discharge his new responsibilities to the Glory of God and his fatherland. He wishes him a very successful tenure as Cardinal."
In his reaction, president of Youth Wing of Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN), Mr Simon Dolly, said, "I am very happy. Onaiyekan is a nice man." Mrs Veronica Enwongulu, a parishioner in SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church Nyanya Abuja, said, "It's a good thing. We wish him the best. He is now for the entire world—not Abuja alone. He is a true servant of God almighty."
Onaiyekan was born on January 29, 1944 in Kabba, Kogi State, and was ordained a Catholic priest in 1969.
Nigeria has had three cardinals: Ignatius Cardinal Ekandem, Francis Cardinal Arinze and Anthony Cardinal Okojie.
Daily Trust
I say congratulations to all of them.It's a great honour for each and everyone of them
Congratulations to all of them.They all deserve it.
Very nice one
a big congratulobid to cardinal onaiyekan.it is a great honour