GNL Zamba
Following the reported death of Pope Francis two days ago, speculation is swirling about the possibility of the world electing its first Black pope.
Among the African contenders are Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Cardinal Robert Sarah of Guinea.
But rapper and cultural critic GNL Zamba has cast doubt on whether the Catholic Church is ready to make such a historic shift.
“I understand the optimism, but I must express my skepticism—not out of cynicism, but out of a historical understanding of the Catholic Church’s past,” GNL said.
He argued that the Church, which once justified colonialism and slavery through theological doctrine, has yet to fully acknowledge or redress its historical injustices against Africans.
“The institution that once endorsed the transatlantic slave trade has never truly regarded Africans as equals within its hierarchy,” he said, pointing to early examples of enslaved Africans being “donated” to Catholic institutions as laborers.
GNL also cited 15th-century papal bulls, such as Dum Diversas (1452) and Romanus Pontifex (1455), which gave Portugal religious license to enslave non-Christians in Africa, effectively granting divine sanction to slavery.
He noted that Catholic orders like the Jesuits owned plantations and enslaved Africans in the Americas, justifying the practice by claiming to be saving souls while profiting from forced labor.
While the Church has issued statements of regret in recent decades, GNL said it has fallen short of true accountability or reparations.
“There have been Black cardinals—like Emmanuel Wamala of Uganda and Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria—but none have ever come close to becoming pope,” he said, adding that the College of Cardinals remains largely European and male.
He also pointed out the growing demographic weight of African Catholics, who are projected to make up one of the largest Catholic populations globally by 2050, yet still lack significant representation in Vatican leadership.
“I was born and raised Catholic. The matriarch of our family got work that supported us after being widowed young, thanks to the Church. I only criticize what I love, and I demand accountability,” he said in a statement released on Wednesday.
