Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has rejected criticism from the Presidency over his public comments on a meeting between Catholic bishops and President Bola Tinubu.
Onaiyekan said neither his age nor criticism from government officials would stop him from speaking openly about issues affecting Nigeria.
Onaiyekan Defends Comments on Tinubu Meeting
The 82-year-old cleric made the remarks in a video shared by Symfoni TV on Wednesday. His comments came days after the Presidency criticised his decision to publicly discuss parts of a meeting between Catholic bishops and Tinubu.
The controversy followed a July 28 meeting between a delegation of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) and President Tinubu at the State House in Abuja. The delegation was led by CBCN President and Archbishop of Kaduna, Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso. It included Onaiyekan, Cardinal Peter Okpaleke, Bishop Matthew Kukah of Sokoto and other senior Catholic clerics.
Bishops Raised Concerns Over Nigeria’s Challenges
During the meeting, the bishops raised concerns about economic hardship, insecurity, democracy, preparations for the 2027 elections, religious freedom and the return of mission schools.
Three days after the meeting, Onaiyekan appeared on Arise News, where he discussed parts of the engagement and spoke about the bishops’ concerns over the state of the nation. His comments later drew criticism from the Presidency. President Tinubu’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, criticised the disclosure of details from the meeting. Ajayi described the disclosure as inappropriate, arguing that the meeting was a private engagement.
‘I Didn’t Go to Arise to Please the Government’
Responding to the criticism, Onaiyekan said he went on television to speak about what he believed was the truth.
“I didn’t go to Arise to please the government, or to just please people, but to tell the truth. That’s all I stand for,” he said.
The cleric also dismissed suggestions that the criticism could embarrass or intimidate him. He said his age had made him less concerned about the consequences of speaking openly.
“I cannot be embarrassed. I’m 82 years old; nobody can embarrass me. And I’m not afraid of anybody,” Onaiyekan declared.
He added:
“Nobody, at this stage now, are they going to arrest me, carry me to where?”
Onaiyekan Urges Nigerians to Protect Freedom of Speech
Onaiyekan also urged Nigerians not to take the country’s remaining space for public criticism for granted. He noted that the situation was more restrictive in some other African countries, where religious leaders may not have the freedom to publicly criticise government policies.
“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 said.
‘I Spoke on Behalf of My Fellow Bishops’
The former Abuja Archbishop further clarified that his comments were not based on a personal disagreement with the Tinubu administration. According to him, he spoke on behalf of the Catholic bishops who participated in the meeting.
“No, mind you, I didn’t talk on my own now. I spoke on behalf of my fellow bishops,” he said.
Onaiyekan explained that the bishops had prepared a joint statement covering the issues he discussed during the television interview.
“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,” he stated.
He said the bishops remained entitled to express their concerns within their respective dioceses. Onaiyekan also acknowledged that other religious leaders had spoken about the challenges facing the country.
“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.
Onaiyekan Speaks on Hardship in Nigeria
Addressing the broader situation in the country, Onaiyekan said the hardship facing Nigerians should not be reduced to a disagreement between religious leaders and government officials. He said poverty and suffering affect citizens across the country.
“When it comes to what is happening to Nigeria, the poverty, the suffering, we are all in the same boat now, abi?” he asked.
Read also: Catholic Laity Council defends Onaiyekan after Presidency’s criticism
