The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, has responded to advocates calling for an African pope, suggesting they should first focus on winning the World Cup before aspiring to the papacy.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television's Political Paradigm, Bishop Kukah explained that the process of electing a pope does not follow the 'Emilokan' principle, a Nigerian political term suggesting it is someone's turn to lead.

"Well, let's win the World Cup first. I think we still have a long way to go," Kukah stated. "I did write an article in the course of all of this and I remember remarking on something that happened when Pope John Paul II died and speculators thought that Cardinal Arinze came very close."

He further clarified the papal election process: "But as you know, electing a pope is not like that; it's not an 'Emilokan' scenario in which you say, 'These people have had their turn, now it's our turn.' No, it doesn't work like that."

During the interview, Bishop Kukah also shared his experiences in Rome and discussed the potential impact of the new pope on Africa and the global community.

The bishop's comments come amid ongoing discussions about diversity in the Catholic Church's leadership and the possibility of a pontiff from the African continent, where Catholicism continues to grow rapidly despite declining numbers in traditional European strongholds.

His reference to Cardinal Francis Arinze recalls the 2005 papal conclave following Pope John Paul II's death, when the Nigerian cardinal was considered a potential candidate before Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected as Pope Benedict XVI.