Top African Cardinal In Vatican Abruptly Offers Resignation

By John Ikani 

Ghana’s Cardinal Peter Turkson has reportedly abruptly offered his resignation from his key Vatican position.

Turkson has been a key adviser to Pope Francis on issues such as climate change and social justice, and is the only African to head a Vatican department.

He heads a large Vatican department known as the Dicastery for Integral Human Development. It was formed in 2016 to merge four offices that dealt with issues such as peace, justice, migration, and charities.

The 73-year-old is seen by many as favourite to become the first African Pope in about 1,500 years.

Reports said Turkson had become “fed up” with internal disputes.

His offer to resign follows two high-level departures from the department over the summer, one because of retirement and another sudden and unexplained.

Vatican sources say even though the resignation has been tendered, the Pope would decide whether to accept it.

His departure would leave the Vatican with no African heading a major department, following the retirement of Cardinal Robert Sarah of Guinea earlier this year.

The Catholic Church had several popes of north African origin early in its history, the last in the 5th century.

Even if he leaves his Vatican post, until he turns 80, Turkson would still be eligible to enter a conclave of cardinals to elect the next Pope after Francis dies or retires, according to Church rules.