Cardinal John Onaiyekan has responded defiantly to the Presidency’s criticism of his public comments about the Catholic bishops’ meeting with President Bola Tinubu, insisting that he is 82 years old and cannot be intimidated into silence. The Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja made the statement in a video shared by Symfoni TV on Wednesday while […]

Cardinal John Onaiyekan has responded defiantly to the Presidency’s criticism of his public comments about the Catholic bishops’ meeting with President Bola Tinubu, insisting that he is 82 years old and cannot be intimidated into silence.

The Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja made the statement in a video shared by Symfoni TV on Wednesday while addressing the controversy surrounding his appearance on Arise News.

Onaiyekan said he did not go on television to please the government or any other individual, but simply to speak the truth about what was discussed during the bishops’ engagement with the President.“I didn’t go to Arise Television to please government, or to just please people, but to tell the truth.

That’s all I stand for,” he said.The 82-year-old cleric dismissed any suggestion that the Presidency’s reaction could embarrass or frighten him, stressing that he was not afraid of anyone.“I cannot be embarrassed. I’m 82 years old; nobody can embarrass me.

And I’m not afraid of anybody,” Onaiyekan declared.He also urged Nigerians to appreciate the freedom to speak openly about those in government, noting that religious leaders in some African countries do not enjoy the same level of freedom.Onaiyekan further clarified that the concerns he discussed publicly were not his personal opinions but the collective position of the Catholic bishops who attended the meeting with Tinubu.

According to him, the bishops jointly drafted a statement containing the issues he later discussed during his television appearance, meaning he was simply conveying the position of the group.

He said other bishops remained free to raise similar concerns in their dioceses and noted that several religious leaders had also expressed support for their position.The cleric pointed to poverty and suffering among Nigerians, arguing that the challenges facing the country affect citizens regardless of their religious affiliations.

The controversy began after the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria delegation met with President Tinubu at the State House in Abuja on July 28.The delegation, led by CBCN President Archbishop Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, included Onaiyekan, Cardinal Peter Okpaleke, Bishop Matthew Kukah and other senior Catholic leaders.

During the meeting, the bishops raised concerns about economic hardship, insecurity, democracy and the 2027 elections, as well as religious freedom and the return of mission schools.Onaiyekan later appeared on Arise News and gave his account of the meeting, saying the bishops had spoken frankly with Tinubu about the condition of Nigerians.

The Presidency subsequently criticised the public disclosure of details from the engagement, with Tinubu’s media aide, Temitope Ajayi, describing it as inappropriate because the meeting was regarded as private.Onaiyekan has nevertheless stood by his comments, maintaining that he spoke truthfully and on behalf of the bishops who participated in the meeting.