The Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has declared that he is neither intimidated by the Federal Government nor embarrassed by official criticism of his public remarks following a high-level meeting between Catholic bishops and President Bola Tinubu.
The 82-year-old cleric addressed the controversy in a video shared on Wednesday, responding to pushing back from the Presidency over his account of the State House engagement. Onaiyekan explained that his subsequent television interview was intended to articulate the collective concerns of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), rather than to seek government approval or air personal grievances.
“I didn’t go to Arise to please government, or to just please people, but to tell the truth. That’s all I stand for,” Onaiyekan said.
Dismissing the Presidency’s adverse reaction, the Cardinal remarked: “I cannot be embarrassed. I’m 82 years old; nobody can embarrass me. And I’m not afraid of anybody. Nobody, at this stage now, are they going to arrest me, carry me to where?”
The dispute follows a 28 July meeting at the State House in Abuja, where a CBCN delegation led by its President, Archbishop Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso of Kaduna and including Onaiyekan, Cardinal Peter Okpaleke, and Bishop Matthew Kukah of Sokoto confronted President Tinubu over pressing national issues. The delegation raised grave concerns regarding pervasive economic hardship, widespread insecurity, democratic governance, religious freedom, and the restoration of mission schools.
Three days after the delegation met with the President, Onaiyekan appeared on Arise News, disclosing that the clerics had addressed the head of state frankly regarding the severe socio-economic conditions facing citizens. In response, the Presidency criticised the broadcast. Temitope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, condemned the public disclosure, arguing that details from what he characterised as a private audience should not have been shared publicly.
Onaiyekan stressed that his media appearance reflected a joint declaration prepared by the participating clerics, rather than an isolated opinion.
“No, mind you, I didn’t talk on my own now. I spoke on behalf of my fellow bishops. We drafted a statement which contained all that I said in the interview. So, all the bishops of Nigeria spoke that way. It was their voice I was echoing,” Onaiyekan stated.
The Cardinal noted that bishops across Nigeria remain free to reiterate these concerns within their respective dioceses, adding that various other religious leaders share their assessment of the nation’s hardships.
“I cannot speak on behalf of other religious leaders. Everybody has their own job to do, but many of the other religious leaders have supported us,” he said, adding: “When it comes to what is happening to Nigeria, the poverty, the suffering, we are all in the same boat now, abi?”
Furthermore, Onaiyekan urged Nigerians to safeguard their freedom of expression, pointing out that religious figures in several other African nations do not enjoy similar liberties.
“And we are still lucky in this Nigeria that we can still talk. We shouldn’t take that for granted. There are many countries in Africa where no bishop dares to talk like we do here,” he concluded.