Onaiyekan Defends Comments on Meeting with Tinubu

Cardinal John Onaiyekan, the Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, has rejected criticism from the Presidency concerning his public recounting of a meeting with President Bola Tinubu. Onaiyekan, 82, stated that neither his age nor government officials' reactions would deter him from addressing Nigeria's issues.

His comments followed a July 28 meeting between a delegation from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), led by Archbishop Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, and President Tinubu, where concerns about economic hardship, insecurity, democracy, and other national issues were discussed. Onaiyekan later appeared on Arise News, prompting a response from Temitope Ajayi, Tinubu’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, who criticized the public disclosure of meeting details.

Onaiyekan clarified that his televised remarks represented the collective position of the bishops and asserted his commitment to speaking the truth without fear of repercussions, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the space for public criticism in Nigeria.