The Nigerian who could be pope

As the Cardinals set to elect a new pope in Rome. This afternoon the 115 cardinals will process into the Sistine Chapel to begin their secret deliberations. They will vote four times daily until two-thirds can agree on a candidate to succeed pope Benedict XVI.

Milan's Cardinal Angelo Scola and Brazil's Cardinal Odilo Scherer are the top names that keep cropping up on the lists of papabili, but NBC News Vatican analyst George Weigel says no fewer than 20 men could get votes when balloting starts Tuesday in the Sistine Chapel.
Let's look at the Nigerian who could be pope.

Hailed as "the Timothy Dolan of Africa" by the National Catholic Reporter for his big personality. John Onaiyekan, the archbishop of Abuja in Nigeria carries a message of reconciliation. Bishop Onaiyekan is the Co-Chair of the Council of Religious Leaders in Africa. He has been working for years to promote human rights and interfaith dialogue. Considered a conservative, Archbishop of Abuja denounces homosexuality, seeing an "unnatural sexual orientation "There's nothing to stop an African from being the pope," the 69 year old said in Rome last week.

'Pope' come from the traditional bastions of Italy, from growth areas like sub-Saharan Africa, even from the United States. It is only a matter of time and a puff of white smoke will reveal which one will emerge as leader of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics.