Cardinal Turkson's Former Schoolmate Speaks About Him, Shares Why He's the Best Candidate for a Pope

• A former schoolmate of Cardinal Peter Turkson has opened up on some qualities of the renowned Ghanaian Catholic leader
• He said they had been friends for decades and shared which characteristics made the Cardinal the best candidate for a Pope
• Netizens who saw the video of Turkson's friend speaking about his nature expressed views in the comments section

A former schoolmate of Ghana's Cardinal Peter Turkson has explained why he would be a good candidate to succeed Pope Francis.

Candidate for the papacy, Cardinal Turkson has been praised by many as a humble leader with integrity and deep spiritual insight.

People said a wide range of positive things about the Cardinal, especially regarding his character, leadership, and suitability for higher roles in the Catholic Church.

Similarly, a close friend has given more details on why Turkson should take over as the head of the Catholic Church after the passing of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025.

The man, identified as Joseph Danquah, said he had been friends with the Cardinal since childhood, explaining that they were schoolmates who became good friends.

Aside from the positive qualities he mentioned, Danquah said his good friend had good knowledge and cared deeply about the poor and would excel as the Pope.

"He’s also somebody who is abreast of the economic situation in the world as far as the marginalised and the poor countries are concerned," he said.

The video of Joseph Danquah speaking about Cardinal Turkson is below:

Who is Cardinal Peter Turkson?

Cardinal Turkson is one of the potential candidates to succeed Pope Francis. Born Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, he is a prominent Ghanaian Catholic leader and one of the most high-profile African cardinals in the Roman Catholic Church.

He's known worldwide as His Eminence Cardinal Peter Turkson. Born on October 11, 1948, the Cardinal is a proud Ghanaian who hails from Western Ghana. He speaks multiple languages, including English, French, Italian, and Fante.

Cardinal Turkson was ordained a Catholic priest in 1975. He became the Archbishop of Cape Coast (Ghana) in 1992 and was elevated to the position of Cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2003.

Additionally, he served as President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace (2009–2016) and became the Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development (2017–2021), overseeing issues like migration, health, ecology, and peace.

Netizens react as Cardinal Turkson's friend speaks

Netizens who saw the video of Cardinal Turkson's former schoolmate speaking were impressed and expressed mixed reactions on his possibility of becoming Pope.

@aim0177 wrote:

"I hope all dreamers are now cooling down."

@Mini-14_Attorney_at_Law wrote:

"0% chance. Dream on, Africans. Pope Francis was an Italian (Bergoglio) who was born in a "Latin American" country that is known to vie for Caucasian immigration. He wasn't a sign that the Vatican was changing its operations model of mandatory Caucasian leads, and that's their choice to make."

@richardgyamfi9640 wrote:

"Pope Appiah Turkson is on."

@westtxmutt wrote:

"The Black Pope."

@AS0ul wrote:

"No his is not. Thank God."

@macmackenzie8896 wrote:

"Nope, the African did not become the Pope. That was obvious from the start."

Ghanaians hold a funeral for Pope Francis

Earlier, Yen.com.gh reported that Catholics in Kumasi mourned Pope Francis by holding a special ceremony.

The Pope passed away on Easter Monday (April 21), leaving the world, especially Catholics, deeply sorrowful.

Netizens who saw the video of Catholics in Kumasi mourning Pope Francis have reacted to their ceremony.

Source: YEN.com.gh