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Filipino cardinal, the ‘Asian Francis’, is papal contender
By Francesca Hangeior
Asia’s front-runner for the papacy, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines is a charismatic moderate often dubbed the “Asian Francis”.
Tagle, 67, who shares with Pope Francis a history of advocating for the poor, migrants and other marginalised people, is known for his missionary spirit and pastoral focus.
Wearing glasses with a youthful air and ready smile, the cardinal nicknamed “Chito” is a popular figure among the fervently religious country’s more than 90 million Catholics.
Born into a working-class family near Manila, Tagle was ordained as a priest in 1982 and became archbishop of the nation’s capital in 2011, a politically influential post in one of the largest dioceses in Asia, where Catholicism is growing.
He was made cardinal by former pope Benedict XVI in 2012.
A fluent English speaker, Tagle has been mentioned as a possible papal contender since the last conclave in 2013, when Francis was elected, and his name is on everybody’s lips this time around.
Underscoring the close ties between the late Argentine pontiff and Asia’s most prominent bishop, Tagle was appointed in 2019 head of a key Vatican department, the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples.
After Francis reformed the department, he named Tagle “pro-prefect” in 2022, leading the section for “First Evangelisation and New Particular Churches”, with responsibility over new dioceses.
As a bishop, Tagle was known for chatting with the faithful after mass and even inviting beggars to dine with him at his residence.
The adjustment to life in Rome and the formalities of the Vatican was not easy — he told theology graduates soon after arriving in 2020 that he “makes the Italians suffer” when he speaks their language.
He also once forgot to wear his clerical collar to a meeting.
An eloquent speaker with a soothing voice, Tagle giggles at his own jokes and injects self-deprecating humour into his homilies.
But he is also known for being outspoken.
As archbishop of Manila, Tagle criticised the bloody war on drugs waged by Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippines’ president at the time.
“We cannot allow the destruction of lives to become normal. We cannot govern the nation by killing,” Tagle said in a pastoral letter in 2017.
Tagle has called for a humbler Church more open to the concerns of its members, and at a 2019 Vatican summit on fighting child sex abuse he pointed the finger at the Church’s top ranks.
“Wounds have been inflicted by us bishops on victims and in fact the entire body of Christ,” he told the delegation.
“Our lack of response to the suffering of victims, and yes even to the point of rejecting them and covering up the scandal to protect perpetrators and the institution, has injured our people, leaving a deep wound in our relationship with those we are sent to serve,” Tagle said.
However, he has been accused of failing to tackle the issue sufficiently in the Philippines.
Questions have also been raised over what he knew about the employment in the Central African Republic of a Belgian priest, Luk Delft, by the Vatican’s Caritas Internationalis charity.
Delft had previously been convicted of child sexual abuse and banned from contact with children for 10 years.
Tagle served as president of Caritas Internationalis, the world’s second-largest charitable association, from 2015 until 2022.
In 2022, Tagle and the rest of the leadership team were removed by Francis after a Vatican-led audit found “deficiencies” in management and procedures.
In June 2023, the pope appointed Tagle as his special envoy to the National Eucharistic Congress of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He carried out a similar role for the pontiff at the General Conference of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) in Bangkok in October 2022.
The cardinal has said he never saw himself as a high-ranking man of the cloth.
“If I were God, I would not choose me to be a bishop or a cardinal,” he said in a 2018 interview.
“But since I’m not God, God sees something in me probably that I don’t see in myself and I just have to trust God’s knowledge of me.”
News
2027: Ogor visits IDU, Monarchs, declares intention to contest Delta South senatorial district
The immediate younger brother of Hon. Leo Ogor, Barr. Jay Ogor has officially declared his intention to contest as Senator for Delta South senatorial district in the forthcoming 2027 general elections.
Barr Jay Ogor made this declaration during his official consultation visit to Isoko Development Union (IDU) leadership headed by Prof. Chris Akpotu and some Isoko traditional rulers at Chief Iduh Amadhe Hall, Oleh.
The consultation visit which occured on the 16th of April attracted a mammoth crowd of IDU delegates, Clan PGs, including women and youth groups, has been the single-ethnic consultation so far in his 2027campaign.
While addressing the leadership of the IDU and traditional rulers, Barr. Jay Ogor, restated the message he first delivered at the NUJ, Warri chapel, where he, Ogor emphatically noted that, the Delta South senatorial district was vacant due to poor representation.
“As far as am concerned, the Delta South senatorial district is vacant” as he echoed his earlier declaration to the audience.
He noted that, his mission is rooted in inclusiveness and people driven-policy.
Barr. Jay Ogor observed that, one of the things millitating against the progress of Delta South senatorial district is lack of understanding and unity. He identify disunity as the greatest problem of the district.
“One of the major thing that bothers me most about Delta South is unity. We lack unity. We can not develop without unity”.
Barr. Jay Ogor, while speaking about the issues affecting Isoko Nation and entire Delta South senatorial district, he promised to adopt a different style of representation built on the tripod of accessibility and constant engagement with the people he represent.
“I want to say that, in my first 30 — 60 days in office, I will hold town hall meetings with the Ijaws, the Itsekiris, the Urhobos and you, my Isoko people, so that everyone will understand the unique challenges, we all face ” Barr. Ogor while criticizing the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), he noted that the IOCs have taken advantage of it, while the Communities remains underdeveloped. ” I intend to correct this because I know how to go about it as a lawyer “.
On the issues of federal presence and empowerment, Barr. Jay Ogor promised to engage and attract federal presence to Delta South senatorial district with meaningful empowerment deals from federal agencies such as the ministry of women affairs, NELFUND, BOI, NNPC, NDDC, and many others for infrastructural development, especially in the areas of electricity distribution and noted that the current deficit in women and youths empowerment shall be redressed.
While still speaking, he used the medium to appeal to the media houses and traditional institutions to always as point of duty to vet aspirants first, noting that, if an aspirant does not have a good character, such aspirant should not be encouraged as he can not represent the collective interests and aspirations of the people.
The president -General of the Isoko Development Union World-wide, Prof. Chris Akpotu, while appreciating Barr. Jay Ogor consultation visit entourage for the recognition, he wished him success in his political journey, while reminding him and other aspirants that Isoko Nation expects more than promises, stressing that “actions are louder than words”.
Prof. Akpotu referenced the Union’s standing demand for greater involvement in “Oil and Gas” governance, infrastructure and resolution of Land disputes affecting the 19 Kingdoms —– from Uzere, Oleh, and OZORO to Irri, Ellu, Ofagbe, Okpe-Isoko, Emede, IGBIDE and others.
The Chairman of the Isoko traditional rulers council, HRM, (Barr.) Uvietobore Anthony Ogbogbo of OZORO Kingdom led other traditional rulers to pray for Barr. Jay Ogor, the prayer urged him to always remember home.
News
INSULT! Boko Haram Faction Picks 68 Girls From Over 400 Captives For Distribution Among Fighters –Borno Group
A faction of Boko Haram, officially known as Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS), has reportedly selected 68 women from a group of 416 abducted victims, with plans to distribute them among its members.
The alarming disclosure was made on Thursday by the President of the Borno South Youth Alliance (BOSYA), Samaila Ibrahim Kaigama, who told SaharaReporters that he was directly contacted by one of the insurgents detailing their next line of action amid what they described as government inaction.
According to Kaigama, the contact occurred around 8:00 PM on April 23, when individuals identifying themselves as members of JAS reached out regarding the abducted Ngoshe victims.
“During the communication, they claimed that they have selected 68 women out of the reported 416 captives and intend to distribute them among their members, similar to previous abduction cases,” Kaigama said.
He added that the insurgents issued a threat, indicating that some of the captives could be harmed or killed based on their internal selection process.
The terrorists also indicated that between 50 and 60 individuals could be targeted for execution.
The development has heightened concerns over the fate of hundreds of women, children, and other vulnerable individuals still held by the insurgents in Borno State.
Kaigama described the situation as a grave humanitarian emergency, urging immediate intervention from Nigeria’s security architecture, including the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Department of State Services (DSS), and military authorities.
“Given the seriousness of these claims and the immediate danger to innocent lives, we strongly believe that all relevant security agencies should urgently become involved,” he said.
He called on authorities to deploy all lawful means to gather intelligence, verify the threats, and secure the safe release of the captives.
“This is beyond politics. This is a humanitarian emergency involving innocent citizens whose lives may depend on urgent intervention,” Kaigama stressed.
The BOSYA president reaffirmed the group’s commitment to advocating for the safe return of all abducted Southern Borno indigenes through lawful and peaceful means.
As at Thursday at least 12 of the victims had reportedly escaped captivity following a military offensive on the insurgents’ hideout.
Out of the 416 abducted persons, 404 are still believed to be in captivity.
A community source from Pulka said the escapees, 10 men and two women, regained freedom amid the chaos triggered by the bombardment.
Kaigama also confirmed the development, noting that the victims escaped on Wednesday and were safe
News
Ibadan declaration: Opposition standing on quick sand– Presidency
The presidency has said that opposition political parties are standing on a quick sand while President Bola Tinubu is standing solidly on the rock of competence.
Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, stated this on Sunday in an interview on Arise Television.
The presidential spokesman, who was reacting to the Ibadan declaration by the opposition to field one presidential candidate, described the summit as a collection of recycled politicians.
He said they are people who have been ministers, governors, and political actors for years, stressing that a closer look at their recent performances, whether in executive or legislative roles, there is little evidence of fresh thinking.
According to him, the individuals have nothing new to offer Nigerians.
He said, “They are free to field five, seven presidential candidates. But I said they’re standing on the sinking ground.
“That is the beauty of democracy. You have the opposition, you have individuals, political leaders decide on what they want to do.
“But that does not diminish the fact that there is a government in place that is functional, that has measured outcomes in what it has been doing. It does not take that away.”
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