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Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has said he is neither afraid of the Federal Government nor embarrassed by the criticism that followed his public comments on a recent meeting between Catholic bishops and President Bola Tinubu.
The 82-year-old cleric said he appeared on television to present the concerns raised by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, stressing that his intention was not to please the government or any individual but to speak honestly about the issues discussed.
Onaiyekan made the remarks in a video shared by SYMFONI TV on Wednesday while responding to questions about the Presidency’s reaction to his account of the bishops’ meeting with Tinubu.
“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.He dismissed suggestions that the criticism had embarrassed him, pointing to his age and long public service.
“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 former Abuja archbishop also urged Nigerians not to take the freedom to criticise those in authority for granted. According to him, religious leaders in some African countries do not enjoy the same level of freedom to openly speak about the actions of government.
“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.
Onaiyekan further clarified that the issues he raised publicly were not simply his personal opinions. He said he was reflecting the position of the Catholic bishops who took part in the meeting with President Tinubu.
“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,” he said.
He added that the bishops remained free to raise the same concerns in their various dioceses, noting that other religious leaders had also expressed worries about the state of 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.
“When it comes to what is happening to Nigeria, the poverty, the suffering, we are all in the same boat now, abi?”
The controversy followed a July 28 meeting between President Tinubu and a delegation of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria at the State House in Abuja.
The delegation was led by the CBCN President, Archbishop Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso of Kaduna, and included Onaiyekan, Cardinal Peter Okpaleke, Bishop Matthew Kukah of Sokoto and other senior Catholic clerics.
During the meeting, the bishops raised concerns about economic hardship, insecurity, democracy and the 2027 elections. They also discussed religious freedom and the proposed return of mission schools.
Three days later, Onaiyekan appeared on Arise News and publicly shared his account of the meeting, saying the bishops had spoken frankly with the President about the difficulties facing Nigerians.
His comments subsequently drew criticism from the Presidency. The President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, described the decision to publicly disclose details of what he regarded as a private engagement as inappropriate.
Despite the reaction, Onaiyekan has maintained his position, insisting that the bishops’ intervention was driven by their concern over the hardship, insecurity and suffering being experienced by Nigerians, rather than any political motive.
