Pope Francis Gives International Appointment to Bishop Matthew Kukah
The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, has been appointed by Pope Francis as a member of the Dicastery for the promotion of human integral development at the Vatican City in Rome.
Kukah’s appointment was made public in a statement by a spokesperson for the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Rev Fr. Christopher Omotosho.
The Vatican City has recognised Bishop Matthew Kukah’s passion for defending human rights. The cleric was recently in the news for criticising President Muhammadu.
The new recognition from the pope will require the bishop to take part in international engagements.
Omotosho said the appointment was contained in a letter to Bishop Kukah dated December 11, 2020, and signed by the prefect of the Dicastery, his eminence, Peter Cardinal Turkson. He explained that with the new position, Bishop Kukah will take an active part in advising the pope on human rights-related matters.
The spokesperson said: “By this appointment, Bishop Kukah will join other members of the Dicastery drawn from different regions of the world to advise and promote the Holy Father’s concerns on issues of justice and peace, human rights, torture, human trafficking, care of creation and other issues related to the promotion of human dignity and development.” The statement noted that the appointment is for an initial period of five years, while it is renewable thereafter.
