The Nation is bleeding – Cardinal Onaiyekan

By Philippine Duru

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Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, has defended the frank remarks made by the Catholic Bishops during their recent meeting with President Bola Tinubu, insisting that the gravity of Nigeria’s challenges required honesty rather than diplomatic pleasantries.

Speaking during an interview on Prime Time on Arise Television following the closed-door meeting between President Tinubu and members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), the respected cleric said the country was in such a difficult condition that the bishops could not afford to soften their message.

According to Onaiyekan, “when the nation is bleeding, you can’t expect a polite meeting,” stressing that the bishops considered it their moral duty to present the realities confronting millions of Nigerians.

The Cardinal said the delegation raised pressing national concerns, including worsening insecurity, economic hardship, rising poverty, unemployment, and the declining standard of living across the country. He maintained that the church’s intervention was motivated not by politics but by concern for the welfare of Nigerians.

Onaiyekan observed that President Tinubu appeared uncomfortable with the bishops’ assessment, noting that the President challenged many of the concerns raised during the engagement.

He suggested that the President was not accustomed to hearing blunt truths about the condition of the country, adding that many of those around him may not be presenting him with the full picture of the hardship being experienced by ordinary citizens.

“The nation is bleeding,” the Cardinal said, arguing that the realities of insecurity and economic distress could not be ignored or explained away by official statistics.

According to him, while government officials may point to improvements in macroeconomic indicators, millions of Nigerians continue to struggle with soaring food prices, unemployment, and insecurity, making it difficult for many families to survive.

The former President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference said the church would continue to speak truth to power regardless of whose administration is in office, insisting that its responsibility is to defend the poor and advocate for justice.

He emphasized that the bishops’ meeting with the President was not intended to embarrass the government but to offer sincere counsel aimed at helping the administration address the country’s mounting challenges.

The comments have generated widespread public debate after the interview aired, with supporters describing the Cardinal’s remarks as a candid reflection of public sentiment, while government supporters argue that the Tinubu administration has made significant progress in stabilising the economy and improving security.