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Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI Dies At Age 95

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3 years ago

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Pope Benedict XVI, who served as leader of the Catholic church from 2005 until his resignation in 2013, has died aged 95, the Vatican has announced.

A statement from Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said: “With sorrow, I inform you that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI passed away today at 9.34 in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican. Further information will be provided as soon as possible.”

His death comes after Pope Francis announced during his weekly audience on 28 December that Benedict was “very sick”.

Benedict’s death brings to a close an unprecedented period in recent history where two popes have co-existed, a situation that has caused tensions within rival camps in the Vatican. It paves the way for his successor, Pope Francis, to consider whether to follow Benedict by retiring at some point – impossible while the outcome would have been three popes.

Benedict, born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger in Germany in 1927, was a deeply conservative pontiff, whose tenure was overshadowed by sex abuse scandals in the church. He retired leaving a chequered reputation after a papacy that was at times divisive.

The results of a German investigation published in January 2022 said Benedict had failed to act against four priests accused of child sexual abuse when he was archbishop of Munich.

The son of a policeman, he grew up in rural Bavaria and at the age of 14 joined the Hitler Youth, a requirement, and served in the German army in the second world war. Towards the end of the war he deserted, and was briefly held as a prisoner of war by American forces.

He later became a major figure in the Vatican and, as Cardinal Ratzinger, served as a right-hand man to his predecessor, Pope John Paul II. He headed the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, a Vatican department once known as the Inquisition, for 24 years, a position that earned him the nickname “God’s Rottweiler”.

During his tenure, allegations of clerical sexual abuse and its cover-up began to surface. His critics said he failed to grasp the gravity of the crimes and the scale of the crisis, which reached a peak several years after he was elected pope in April 2005.

As well as the flood of allegations, lawsuits and official reports relating to sexual abuse and the priests’ complicity in covering it up, the Vatican was also rocked by the theft of confidential documents, many of which later appeared in an exposé of alleged corruption. In October 2012, a Vatican court convicted the pope’s personal butler, Paolo Gabriele, of stealing the papers. He told the trial he had been acting against “evil and corruption”.

Benedict was a theological conservative, holding uncompromising positions on homosexuality and contraception. He had strongly opposed liberation theology, a radical movement that began in South American in the 1960s and advocated clerical social activism among the poor and marginalised.

His sudden resignation, at the age of 85, in February 2013, the first pope to do so since the middle ages, left the church reeling. He said at the time that he did not have the strength to carry on as leader of the world’s estimated 1.2 billion Catholics. “I have had to recognise my incapacity to adequately fulfil the ministry entrusted to me,” he said.

He took the title of Pope Emeritus, and pledged to remain “hidden to the world”, devoting himself to private prayer. He retired to in a monastery in Vatican City, where he read, wrote letters and articles, received guests and played the piano.

But the former pope remained a powerful conservative influence and a focus for opponents of Francis’s efforts to reform the church and redirect it to serving the poor He repeatedly made his views known through letters, articles and interviews. In April 2019, two months after Francis convened a groundbreaking Vatican conference on sexual abuse, Benedict published a 6,000-word letter saying abuse was a product of a culture of sexual freedom dating from the 1960s.

In January 2020, Benedict publicly defended clerical celibacy, as Francis was considering allowing married men to become priests in limited circumstances. “I cannot keep silent,” he wrote in a book, From the Depths of our Hearts: priesthood, celibacy and the crisis of the Catholic church, arguing that priestly celibacy protected the mystery of the church.

In the resulting furore, Benedict asked for his name to be removed as co-author with Cardinal Robert Sarah, a key conservative tipped to succeed Francis.

The controversy, which erupted just before the Two Popes, a film about the apparently warm relationship between Benedict and Francis, was aired on Netflix, exposed tensions between rival Vatican camps.

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How Rivers Women Spread Wrappers For Wike’s Motorcade During Port Harcourt Visit

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January 10, 2026

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The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, on Saturday visited Port Harcourt City Local Government as part of his “thank you” visit across Rivers State.

 

Upon his arrival, a group of women displayed a symbolic gesture of loyalty by spreading their wrappers on the ground for his motorcade.

 

The women and supporters of the Minister were in a jubilant mode as Wike drove on the wrappers.

 

Wike has been going around local governments in the state to appreciate them for their support while reeling out moves ahead of the 2027 general elections.

 

In the course of his visits, the Minister had fired several salvos at political actors in the state, warning that their sudden support for President Bola Tinubu won’t secure them any ticket in 2027.

 

Wike also renewed rivalry with Governor Sim Fubara over the leadership control of the political space in the state.

 

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Impeachment Proceedings Against Fubara, Deputy Still Active – Rivers Assembly

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1 day ago

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January 10, 2026

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The Rivers State House of Assembly has officially reaffirmed that the impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, are ongoing and have not been suspended.

 

The Assembly said the process is still ongoing and is being conducted strictly in line with constitutional provisions.

 

This was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Petitions and Complaints, Hon. Enemi George.

 

According to the statement, the impeachment process, which began on Thursday, January 8, 2026, remains on course in line with the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

 

The lawmakers disclosed that separate notices of allegations bordering on gross misconduct have been served on both the governor and his deputy in line with Section 188 of the Constitution.

 

“The notices of allegations of gross misconduct against the Governor and the Deputy Governor have been duly forwarded to them by the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule, and the House is awaiting their responses,” the statement said.

 

The Assembly maintained that it is constitutionally obligated to act in the interest of the rule of law and ensure that no public office holder acts outside legal boundaries.

 

Reacting to reports suggesting that the impeachment move had been halted, the House accused some individuals and media outlets of deliberately spreading misinformation to mislead the public and stir tension between the legislature and Rivers residents.

 

The lawmakers described such reports as false and insisted they would not succumb to intimidation, threats, or blackmail.

 

“We are aware of renewed attempts by certain persons and media platforms to misinform the public by claiming that the impeachment process has been discontinued. The public should disregard such falsehoods, as the process remains active,” the statement added.

 

The Assembly reaffirmed its commitment to democratic principles and constitutional responsibilities, stressing that it would not be distracted by what it termed “cheap propaganda.”

 

It also appreciated the people of Rivers State for their support and prayers amid the ongoing political developments and extended goodwill to Nigerians committed to the nation’s democratic journey.

 

JomogNews reports that during Thursday’s plenary session, presided over by the Speaker, the Majority Leader, Major Jack, formally read the notice of allegations of gross misconduct against Governor Fubara on the floor of the House.

 

 

 

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Your Second Coming Was A Chance To Avoid These Political Mistakes – Fayose To Fubara

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1 day ago

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January 10, 2026

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Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, says the second coming to office of the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, after the elapsing of the state of emergency should have made him better.

 

Fayose’s remarks come as the Rivers State House of Assembly has initiated impeachment proceedings against Fubara as of January 8, 2026.

Speaking in an interview on ‘Politics Today’, a programme on Channels Television on Friday, Fayose said he was removed as governor and went to exile but became a better person upon his return.

Fayose said that President Bola Tinubu hates ingratitude just like any other person else does.

The former Ekiti governor also dismissed the claim that what is happening in Rivers state is politics taken too far.

According to him, the constitution provides rules of engagement for every politician, stressing that it is when one gets out of the rule that he begins to look for public sympathy.

“The coming back of Governor Fubara should have made him a better person .If you made a mistake the first time, the second time you are not supposed to go through that route.

“Politics is a power game. Nobody solves political game for you. With due respect, let me tell you. Fubara is the one enjoying the office of the governor of Rivers state. It’s not the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

“Some people are saying it’s about Tinubu’s election. No! Because Tinubu’s election will come first, don’t forget that. Both Wike and Fubara will all work for Tinubu. Two weeks after, there will be an election for Rivers state,” he said.

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