Nigerian archbishop named by Pope Benedict XVI to the Vatican's College of Cardinals

Nigerian Archbishop John Onaiyekan named by Pope Benedict XVI to the Vatican's College of Cardinals

 Archbishop John Onaiyekan, Metropolitan and Archbishop of Abuja Ecclesiastical See, is now a cardinal designate. The Pope will grant Onaiyekan and five others the red hat in a consistory that will be held on November 24, 2012.
Archbishop Onaiyekan becomes the fourth Nigerian to attain the position of a Cardinal after Dominic Cardinal Ekanem, who died in 1995, Francis Cardinal Arinze and Anthony Cardinal Okogie.
"I see the elevation as a great honour to Africa, Nigeria, my country and (Nigeria's capital) Abuja," the 68-year-old told AFP by phone from Rome.
"It is an encouragement for me to continue the good works that I have been doing for humanity," he added.
Onaiyekan has won widespread respect for his efforts to ease religious tensions in Africa's most populous nation, where divisions have led to deadly clashes.