'Tinubu Meeting Was Not Secret,' Catholic Priest Rejects Presidency's Attack On Cardinal Onaiyekan
A Catholic priest has defended Cardinal John Onaiyekan against criticism from the Nigerian presidency regarding his public comments on a private meeting with President Tinubu. The priest argues that the meeting was not confidential and that bishops have a duty to speak on national issues.
Why it matters
Reflects the ongoing tension between religious leadership and political authorities regarding transparency and social advocacy in Nigeria.
Ajayi had accused Cardinal Onaiyekan of breaching the confidentiality and dignity of the meeting by granting an interview on Arise Television in which he commented on the discussions with President Tinubu.
A Catholic priest, Fr. Ugochukwu Ugwoke, has defended Cardinal John Onaiyekan over criticism by the Presidency that the former Archbishop of Abuja acted improperly by speaking publicly after a private meeting between President Bola Tinubu and members of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria (CBCN).
In a point-by-point response to an opinion article by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, titled "Cardinal Onaiyekan's Abuse of Clerical Privilege," made available to SaharaReporters, Fr. Ugwoke argued that neither law nor Catholic teaching prohibits bishops from publicly discussing issues of national importance after meeting government officials.
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