TheCable

Pope Francis knows a lot about happenings in Nigeria, Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the house of representatives, said on Thursday.

The pontiff met with Dogara on Wednesday, at Saint Peters Square, Vatican city, Rome.

The speaker led a Nigerian delegation to the Holy See.

In a statement after the meeting, Dogara described the encounter with Francis as “awesome”.

He said he was surprised and delighted to know that the pontiff is “well informed about the happenings in Nigeria”.

“The moment I was introduced to him as the speaker of the Nigerian Parliament, he said ‘how is Nigeria and how are you working for the peace of Nigeria? Pray for me also,” Dogara said.

Francis was quoted as telling Dogara that he always prays for the peace of Nigeria.

“I pray for the peace of Nigeria and pray for me also,” he reportedly said.

The speaker was accompanied by George Umo, Nigerian ambassador to Vatican.

Umo said the pope had been holding mass in honour of the 26 Nigerian girls who died in the Mediterranean sea.