The Pope, the head of the Catholic Church, is considered one of the world’s most powerful personalities, heading the largest Christian congregation of 1.4 billion people globally, giving the pontiff immense spiritual, cultural, and diplomatic influence.

The funeral of Pope Francis was attended by 130 foreign delegations, including US President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. An estimated 250,00 people attended the funeral mass, while another 140,000 lined the streets of Rome to watch the funeral procession. How the Pope conducts himself, and what he says is of huge global significance. He is also backed by the enormous resources of the Church.

He’s widely lauded for deploying this force for bettering the world, and being a voice for the poor and downtrodden. African leaders have a lot to emulate from Pope Francis.

First is inclusivity. Pope Francis fought partisanship and exclusion. His mantra was that Jesus Christ came to the world for the salvation of everybody. So Pope Francis hobnobbed with those whom society had rejected. He kept pushing the Church to be kinder and gentler with those whom it felt had fallen short. It made him many enemies even within his congregation.

Second, Pope Francis was a champion for the environment. He raised the profile of environmental issues and climate change to a major mandate of his papacy, even unveiling a blueprint called “Laudato Si” to frame care for the environment as a religious imperative of care for God’s earth. By becoming an advocate of the environment, he was seen as the first “climate Pope”.

Third, he was a champion for peace. Pope Francis consistently spoke against conflicts in countries like Ukraine, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar and Palestine.

Indeed, the horrific war in South Sudan was such a huge concern to him that he invited the two antagonists – President Salva Kiir, and Vice President Dr Riek Machar – to the Vatican to implore them to make peace. The Pope even bent down and kissed their feet, a shocking act of supplication. Sadly, the two leaders have maintained their hard stances, and that country is no nearer peace.

Fourth, humility and simplicity. Pope Francis was the very embodiment of humility and simplicity. He refused to move into the luxurious papal apartments, preferring to stay in a two-roomed apartment in the Vatican guesthouse. He lived by example. This was in stark contrast to the luxury that many Parish priests of his congregation lavish upon themselves even in impoverished communities – living luxuriously, and driving fuel-guzzling SUVs. To Pope Francis, the Church must eschew materialism, as this disconnects it from the poor it is meant to serve.

One of the most enduring images of his papacy will remain the very modest saloon car that he used when he came to Kenya, a deep contrast to the luxurious vehicles that some of his local priests drive.

Lastly, Pope Francis was a man of courage. He was a change agent, and wanted the Church to reset back to the basic doctrine of why Jesus Christ set it up. Given set mindsets and embedded structures, he faced a gargantuan task in taking them head-on.

Take them head-on he did, and the Church was able to tackle some of the biggest controversies to confront it. All because he was courageous enough to challenge problems that others preferred to avoid, or feared to face.

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