Who go be di next pope? See key candidates for dis unpredictable contest

Who go be di next pope?

Di decision go get ogbonge impact on di Catholic Church and di 1.4 billion pipo wey be baptised Roman Catholics.

E also to promise to dey very unpredictable and open process for plenty reasons.

Di College of Cardinals go meet for di Sistine Chapel in di Vatican, wia dem go debate and vote for dia preferred candidates until one pesin go win.

Wit 80% of di cardinals wey Pope Francis appoint by imsef, dem no dey only elect a pope for di first time, but go offer a broad global perspective.

For di first time in history, fewer Europeans dey qualified to be voted for, and even though say na Pope Francis bin appoint dem plenty of di cardinals, dem no be exclusively "progressive" or "traditionalist".

Dis na why e dey hard to even predict who dem go elect as di next pope.

Shey di cardinals go elect African or Asian pope, abi dem go favour one of di old hands of di Vatican administration?

Here na some of di names wey don dey come up as Pope Francis potential successor.

Pietro Parolin

Nationality: Italian

Age: 70

Di soft spoken Cardinal Parolin from Italy na di Vatican secretary of state under Pope Francis – dis mean to say im na di chief adviser to di pope.

Di secretary of state na also di head of di Roman Curia, wey be di central administration of di Church.

As e don dey act as deputy pope, pipo dey consider am as a frontrunner.

Cardinal Parolin na pesin wey some dey see as say e dey prioritise diplomacy and a global outlook more dan di purity of Catholic dogma. Im critics no like dis but im supporters see am as strength.

But e bin dey critical of di legalisation of same-sex marriage around di world. In 2015 wen di Republic of Ireland bin vote in support of same-sex unions, Cardinal Parolin describe am as "a defeat for humanity".

Even though pipo dey point am to be di next pope, but di Cardinal suppose dey aware of one old proverb for Italy wey tok say: "Pesin wey enter di conclave as a pope, go comot as cardinal."

Out of di previous 266 popes, 213 of dem na Italians, but for di last 40 years, we neva get Italian Pope, so e fit kontinu like dat for now.

Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle

Nationality: Filipino

Age: 67

Di next pope fit come from Asia?

Cardinal Tagle get decades of pastoral experience – which mean to say im na active Church leader among di Pope, no be just diplomat for di Vatican or expert on Church law.

Di Catholic Church get massive influence for di Philippines, wia about 80% of di population na Catholic. Di kontri currently get five members for di College of Cardinals, and if all of dem support Cardinal Tagle, dia lobbying power dey significant.

Tagle dey considered as a moderate Catholic, and some pipo dey call am di "Asian Francis" bicos of im dedication to social issues and sympathy for migrants wey di late pope also get.

E dey oppose abortion rights as e tok say na "form of murder" – a position wey dey in line wit di Church teaching say life start from conception. E don has also speak against euthanasia.

But in 2015, wen e be Archbishop of Manila, Cardinal Tagle say di Church suppose reassess dia "severe" stance towards gay people, divorcees and single mothers.

E say di harshness wey di church dey show pipo like dat don cause plenty harm and and dat evri human being deserve compassion and respect.

Even as far back as 2013 for di conclave wia dem elect Pope Francis, pipo don dey consider Cardinal Tagle as candidate to be pope, but e tok say "I treat am like a joke! E dey funny".

Fridolin Ambongo Besungu

Nationality: Congolese

Age: 65

E dey very possible say di next pope fit be from Africa, wia di Catholic Church kontinu to dey add millions of members. Cardinal Ambongo from di Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) na leading candidate.

E don be di Archbishop of Kinshasa for seven years, and na Pope Francis appoint am as cardinal.

Im na cultural conservative wey oppose di blessings for same-sex marriage, as e tok say "unions of pesins of di same sex dey contradictory to cultural norms and intrinsically evil".

Even though Christianity na di majority religion for di DRC, Christians dia dey face death and persecution for di hands of jihadist group Islamic State and associated rebels. Sake of dat, many pipo dey see Cardinal Ambongo as fierce advocate for di Church.

But for one 2020 interview, e tok in favour of religious plurality, and say: "Let Protestants be Protestants and Muslims be Muslims. We go work wit dem. But everyone suppose keep dia own identity."

Dis kain tok dem fit make some cardinals to wonder if e dey fully embrace dia sense of mission - wey be for Catholics to spread di throughout di world.

Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson

Nationality: Ghanaian

Age: 76

If dem choose am, di influential Cardinal Turkson go be di first African pope for 1,500 years.

Like Cardinal Ambongo, e don claim say e no want the job. "I no dey sure say anybodi dey aspire to bicom pope," e tell di BBC for 2013.

Wen dem ask am weda Africa get good case to provide di next pope based on how di church dey grow for di continent, e say e no feel say dem suppose select di pope based on statistics, bicos "dose types of considerations dey muddy di waters".

Turkson na di first Ghanaian to become cardinal back in 2003 unda Pope John Paul II.

Like Cardinal Tagle, dem also consider Cardinal Turkson as potential pope in 2013 wen dem choose Francis. In fact, im na one of di favourites ahead of voting.

A guitar player wey bin dey play for one funk band, Cardinal Turkson dey known for im energetic presence.

Like many cardinals from Africa, he dey lean towards conservative. However, e bin oppose di criminalisation of gay relationships for African kontris including im native Ghana.

For one BBC interview in 2023, wen di Ghana parliament bin dey discuss a bill to impose harsh penalties on LGBTQ+ pipo, Turkson say im feel say homosexuality no suppose dey treated as offence.

In 2012, dem accuse am of making predictions wey cause fear sake of di spread of Islam for Europe for one conference of bishops for di Vatican, and e later apologise.

Peter Erdo

Nationality: Hungarian

Age: 72

Peter Erdo don be cardinal since di age of 51 and e dey highly regarded for di Church for Europe. E don lead di Council of European Bishops' Conferences two times from 2006 to 2016.

E dey well known among African cardinals and e bin don has work on Catholic relations wit di Orthodox Church.

Erdo na di archbishop of Budapest and primate of Hungary. E grow up for a Catholic family under communism, and e dey considered as a potential compromise candidate.

Di cardinal bin play major role as Pope Francis visit Hungary two times for 2021 and 2023, and e follow for di conclaves wia dem elect Francis and im predecessor Pope Benedict XVI.

Im conservative views on di family dey totori plenty pipo for di Church, and for Hungarian politics, e don find ways to navigate di "illiberal democracy" of Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

During Europe migrant crisis for 2015, Cardinal Erdo say di Church no go take in migrants as e go amount to human trafficking.

Angelo Scola

Nationality: Italian

Age: 83

Only cardinals wey dey under 80 years fit vote for di conclave, but Angelo Scola fit still dey elected.

Di former Archbishop of Milan na one of di frontrunners for 2013 wen dem chose Francis, but e be like say e don fall victim to di proverb about entering di conclave as Pope and leaving as cardinal.

Im name don come up again ahead of dis conclave, bicos of a book wey im dey publish dis week on old age. Na Pope Francis bin write di preface for di book bifor dem admit am for hospital, wia e write say "death no be di end of everything, but di beginning of something".

Francis words show genuine affection for Scola, but di college of cardinals fit no see im focus on old age as ideal for a new pope.

Reinhard Marx

Nationality: German

Age: 71

Germany top Catholic cleric na also ogbonge insider for di Vatican insider.

Di Archbishop of Munich and Freising na one of di advisers wey Pope Francis bin choose afta e bicom pope for 2013. For 10 years e dey advise di Pope on Church reform and e still dey oversee financial reform of di Vatican.

Cardinal Marx na advocate for a more accommodating approach towards homosexuals or transgender pipo for di Catholic teaching.

But in 2021 e bin offer to resign sake of serious mistakes in tackling child sexual abuse for di Catholic Church in Germany. Pope Francis reject im resignation.

Two years ago, e comot from di Council of Cardinals, wey be di most important advisory body for di Pope, and many pipo see am as a setback for im career for di Church.

Marc Ouellet

Nationality: Canadian

Age: 80

Two times, speculations don dey say Cardinal Ouellet fit be candidate for Pope, in 2005 and 2013.

For years im na di head of di Vatican Dicastery for Bishops, wey dey choose candidates who go bicom bishop around di world, so e don dey play important and formative role in vetting di future members of di Catholic hierarchy.

Unto say im don reach 80 years, e no go fit play any part for di conclave, and dis fit hinder im chances.

Ouellet dey viewed as a conservative wey get modern outlook, and e dey strongly in favour of maintaining di principle of celibacy for priests.

E dey opposes di ordination of women priests, but e don also call for a greater role for women in running di Catholic Church, as e tok say "Christ na male, di Church dey feminine".

Robert Prevost

Nationality: American

Age: 69

Di papacy fit go to an American for di first time?

Chicago-born Cardinal Prevost na certainly one pesin wey many believe say e get di necessary qualities for di role.

Two years ago Pope Francis chose Prevost to replace Marc Ouellet as prefect of di Vatican's Dicastery for Bishops, which mean to say na im task to dey select di next generation of bishops.

E bin work for many years as a missionary for Peru before e bicom archbishop for dia.

Prevost no just be American, but e bin don head di Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

Pipo see am as a reformer, but at 69 some dey consider am too young for di papacy.

Im period as archbishop for Peru bin also dey clouded wit accuse say e cover up sexual abuse claims, but di diocese bin deny am.

Robert Sarah

Nationality: Guinean

Age: 79

Cardinal Sarah dey well-liked by conservatives for di Catholic Church, and e dey known for im adherence to doctrine and traditional liturgy, and some dey consider say e dey opposed to Pope Francis's reformist leanings.

Di son of a fruit-picker, Sarah bicom di youngest archbishop at di age of 34 wen Pope John Paul II appointed am prelate for Conakry in Guinea.

E don get a long and impressive career and e retire for 2021 as head of di office wey dey oversee di Catholic Church liturgical rites.

Even though e no dey considered a favourite to be pope, e fit attract strong support from conservative cardinals.

Michael Czerny

Nationality: Canadian

Age: 78

Na Pope Francis appoint Czerny as cardinal, and both of dem na Jesuits.

Dem born am for di former Czechoslovakia, but im family bin move to Canada wen e dey just two years old.

E don work wella for Latin America and Africa, wia e start di African Jesuit Aids Network and also teach for Kenya.

Czerny dey popular among di progressives for di Church and pipo consider am close to Pope Francis.

E be di current head of di Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Human Integral Development.

Although im na strong candidate, e dey unlikely say di cardinals go choose anoda Jesuit pope back to back.