Cardinal Onaiyekan Reacts to Presidency's Criticism of His Account of Bishops' Meeting With Tinubu
- Cardinal John Onaiyekan responded to the Presidency's criticism of his public account of the Catholic bishops' July 28 meeting with President Tinubu
- The 82-year-old cleric said he spoke on behalf of all Nigerian Catholic bishops, not in a personal capacity, after appearing on Arise TV
- The Presidency had described Onaiyekan's disclosure of the meeting details as inappropriate, calling it a private engagement
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Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has pushed back against criticism from the Presidency over his public comments on a meeting between Catholic bishops and President Bola Tinubu.
82-year-old Cardinal Onaiyekan said he is unafraid and cannot be embarrassed.
Source: UGC
As reported by The Punch, he made the remarks in a video shared by SYMFONI TV on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, responding to a question about the Presidency's reaction to his account of the engagement.
"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 went further to say that:
"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?"
Onaiyekan says he spoke for Nigerian bishops
According to Nigerian Tribune, the cleric was clear that his comments on Arise TV were not his personal views but reflected a collective position agreed upon by the bishops who attended the meeting.
"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 also pointed to the broader importance of religious leaders being free to criticise those in power, noting that such freedoms were absent in several African countries.
"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."
On the condition of ordinary Nigerians, he said other religious leaders shared the bishops' concerns.
"When it comes to what is happening to Nigeria, the poverty, the suffering, we are all in the same boat now."
Source: Facebook
Wike hits back at Cardinal Onaiyekan
Recall that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, fired back at Cardinal Onaiyekan after the cleric made comments about Tinubu's government.
Wike questioned the credibility of religious leaders who openly back political candidates and then offer public commentary.
The minister made the remarks at his monthly media chat in Abuja on Tuesday, August 4, 2026.
Atiku hits Tinubu over attack on Onaiyekan
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Atiku Abubakar condemned the Presidency for attacking Cardinal John Onaiyekan after the cleric spoke to the press about his meeting with Tinubu.
Atiku's aide, Phrank Shaibu, issued a statement on August 2, 2026, calling the Presidency's language unbecoming of a government.
Atiku urged the Presidency to apologise to the Catholic Church and demanded it address the substance of the bishops' message rather than attack the messengers.
Source: Legit.ng
