The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, has stated that the expectations of teeming African Catholic faithful of producing a Pope will happen anytime soon.
Kukah stated that those advocating for the election of an African pope to first pray that Africa wins the World Cup.
According to Kukah, electing a pope is not like that; it’s not an ‘Emilokan’ affairs. Where people claim it is their turn.
The Catholic bishop made the remarks while fielding questions on Channels Television’s Political Paradigm.
Kukah also spoke about his experience in Rome and the possible impact of the new pope on Africa and the world in general.
On whether it’s palatable to hold on to the argument that there should have been an African pope, Kukah said:
“Well, let’s win the World Cup first. I think we still have a long way to go. I did write an article in the course of all of this. And I remember remarking on something that happened when Pope John Paul II died and speculators thought that Cardinal Arinze came very close.
“But 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.
Recall that after the death of the last Pope speculations were high that the next Pope will be a black African.
However, thousands of the Catholic faithful in Africa were disappointed when the lit fell on an American Pope.