By Nna Anulumadu
Former Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, has expressed grief over the death of Pope Francis, who passed away at the age of 88. In a statement, Obiano recalled an encounter his family had with Pope Francis at the Vatican on January 15, 2020.
Obiano, a knight of the Pontifical Order of St. Gregory the Great, described the day, which was his investiture day into the Papal Knighthood, as a revelation. “It was a revelation. You expect such a global spiritual leader to be distant, but he was so approachable, so real,” he said.
Obiano said he and his family stayed at Domus Sanctae Marthae, Saint Martha’s house, where Pope Francis chose to live instead of the Apostolic Palace. Obiano stated that he was surprised by the reaction of the late Pope when his son, Chukwudifu, decided to take a selfie with Francis.
“Chukwudifu, then an adolescent, excitedly took a selfie with the Pope, a spontaneous gesture that could have been frowned upon in more formal settings. But Pope Francis, true to his character, smiled and indulged the boy,” he narrated. “That’s who he was. A pontiff who walked the talk, who preached simplicity and lived it.”
He further disclosed that the late Pope presented his family with gifts and gave his wife a rosary. For him, Pope Francis shocked him when he removed his skullcap and gave it to him.
“After the investiture, Pope Francis presented the family with personal gifts — rosaries for my wife, Ebelechukwu; daughter, Dr. Gechi; and young Chukwudifu. For me, the Pope removed his white skullcap, the papal zucchetto, and handed it over,” he said.
“It was a gesture so rare, so deeply moving, that I encased it in a special glass display on our family altar. Not just to preserve it from dust, but to constantly remind us of the humility and grace of the man who gave it,” he stated.
The former Governor of Anambra State noted that Francis wore the face of Jesus Christ. “In the Pope, we saw the face of Christ. And in his memory, we must live out what he stood for,” he added.
