Published April 23rd 2025
By Chinwendu Eugene
A total of 18 Africans are among the 135 cardinals eligible to elect the next Pope.
Though there are 252 cardinals, only 135 cardinals have voting status and are eligible to vote for the next Pope when the conclave begins.
Europe has the highest number, with 53 cardinals of voting status.
Asia, with 23, has the next highest number of cardinal electors, followed by Africa with 18 voting members of the College of Cardinals.
South America follows with 17, while North America has 16 cardinal electors.
Oceania and Central America, with four each, have the lowest number of electors at the forthcoming conclave.
The Cardinal electors of African origin are Fridolin Besungu (DR Congo), Ignace Dogbo (Ivory Coast), Stephen Brislin (South Africa), Arlindo Furtado (Cape Verde), Antoine Kambanda (Rwanda), Jean-Pierre Kutwa (Ivory Coast).
Others are John Njue (Kenya), Dieudonne Nzapalainga (Central African Republic), Peter Okpaleke (Nigeria), Nakellentuba Ouedraogo (Burkina Faso), Protase Rugambwa (Tanzania), Robert Sarah (Guinea), Berhaneyesus Souraphiel (Ethiopia).
The list of Africans also includes Desire Tsarahazana (Madagascar), Peter Turkson (Ghana), Jean-Paul Vesco (Algeria), Cristobal Romero (Morocco), Stephen Mulla (South-Sudan).
Interestingly, 108 of the electors were appointed by Pope Francis; 22 by his predecessor, Pope Benedict; and five by Pope John Paul II.
All cardinals under the age of 80 can take part in the secret ballot to be held in the conclave. They need a majority of at least two-thirds plus one to elect the new pope, so the voting can take several rounds spread over numerous days.
The cardinals considered to be the leading candidates to succeed Pope Francis are Peter Erdo (Hungary), Matteo Zuppi (Italy), Robert Sarah (Guinea), Luis Tagle (Filipino), Malcolm Ranjith (Sri Lanka), Pietro Parolin (Italy), Pierattista Pizzaballa (Jerusalem), Fridolin Besungu (Congo), Willem Eijk (Netherlands), Anders Arborelius (Sweden), Charles Bo (Myanmar), Jean-Marc Aveline (France).
More Cardinals have arrived at the Vatican following the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday.
Approximately 60 cardinals gathered at the Synod hall for the first congregation of the College of Cardinals on Tuesday morning, led by the Camerlengo of the Roman Catholic Church, Cardinal Kevin Farrell.
The Cardinals had at the general congregation, on Tuesday, confirmed Saturday as the date for the funeral of the late Pope.
More Cardinals are billed to participate in the second general congregation scheduled to be held on Wednesday afternoon.
Wednesday morning will be dedicated to the ceremonial transfer of the Pope’s body to the Basilica, where he will lie in state.
Presently, general congregation is being held to discuss the Pope’s funeral but, in the coming days, it will progress to pre-conclave preparatory meetings leading up to conclave itself.
[4/23, 12:18 PM] Kukuruku Radio 105.9 FM: Market Rally Gains Momentum as Trump Backs Powell and Eases Tariffs
Published April 23rd 2025
By Chinwendu Eugene
Equities rallied with Wall Street on Wednesday after Donald Trump said he had “no intention” of firing the head of the Federal Reserve and that eye-watering tariffs on China would be slashed drastically.
Global markets, already upended by a trade war, were battered further at the start of the week by fears the US president was looking to remove central bank boss Jerome Powell for not cutting interest rates, calling him a “major loser” and “Mr. Too Late”.
Observers warned such a move would have dealt a blow to the Fed’s independence and sparked a crisis of confidence in the world’s top economy, sparking a sell-off of US assets and another global crisis.
However, Trump looked to temper those fears on Tuesday, saying: “I have no intention of firing him.”
“I would like to see him be a little more active in terms of his idea to lower interest rates — it’s a perfect time to lower interest rates,” he said.
“If he doesn’t, is it the end? No.”
The remarks gave a much-needed shot of relief to investors, helped by the president’s comments later indicating a more conciliatory approach to the trade war with China.
Washington has imposed tariffs of 145 per cent on a range of products from China, while Beijing has replied with 125 per cent duties on imports from the United States.
But Trump acknowledged on Tuesday that the US levies were at a “very high” level, and that this will “come down substantially”.
“They will not be anywhere near that number,” he said, but added that “it won’t be zero”.
That came after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told a closed-door event in Washington that he expected a de-escalation soon in the United States’ tariff standoff with China, which he said was not sustainable.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said later, “The president and the administration are setting the stage for a deal”, noting that “the ball is moving in the right direction”.
Chinese President Xi Jinping also warned on Wednesday that tariffs and trade wars “undermine the legitimate rights and interests of all countries, hurt the multilateral trading system, and impact the world economic order”.
However, foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said later in the day that “the door for talks is wide open”.
