CATHOLIC LAITY COUNCIL OF NIGERIA DEFENDS CARDINAL JOHN ONAIYEKAN AMID PRESIDENCY’S REACTION
By Emeka Amaefula
The National Executive Council of the Catholic Laity Council of Nigeria (CLCN), representing more than 38 million Catholic laity across the country, has declared its unwavering support for His Eminence, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, following the Presidency’s reaction to an interview he granted concerning a recent private meeting between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN).
In a press statement dated August 2, 2026, issued from its National Secretariat and jointly signed by the National President of the Catholic Laity Council of Nigeria, Sir Ambrose Obioha, KSM, JP, and the Secretary-General, Mr. Francis Olayinka Ojo, the council described Cardinal Onaiyekan’s remarks as a faithful expression of the Church’s prophetic and pastoral mission rather than any breach of confidence or abuse of privilege.
According to the council, the Catholic Church in Nigeria, guided by the Gospel and the principles of Catholic Social Teaching, has a God-given responsibility to speak truth to power, defend the vulnerable, and hold those in authority accountable with both truth and charity.
The CLCN rejected suggestions that Cardinal Onaiyekan had violated the confidentiality of the meeting. While acknowledging the importance of respecting the sanctity of private engagements, the council maintained that issues affecting the lives, welfare, and future of more than 200 million Nigerians cannot remain confined behind closed doors. It argued that when matters relating to the economy, security, and justice are discussed, citizens have a legitimate right to know the direction of national leadership.
The statement stressed that the Cardinal did not disclose confidential information but merely articulated the moral concerns raised by the Church and the government’s response to those concerns, describing such disclosures as being firmly in the public interest.
The council further described Cardinal Onaiyekan as a man of peace, dialogue, and integrity whose intervention was never intended to embarrass the government but rather to awaken the nation’s conscience. It added that differences in the interpretation of facts should not be misconstrued as arrogance, nor should a sincere pastoral reflection be portrayed as a breach of trust.
Reaffirming its commitment to constructive engagement between the Church and the State, the CLCN urged both the Presidency and the Catholic Church to sustain open channels of dialogue in the interest of national development. The council noted that Nigeria now needs credible moral voices more than ever to promote justice, peace, and good governance.
The statement concluded by expressing the council’s solidarity with Cardinal John Onaiyekan and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria. It also called on Nigerians to continue praying for the nation’s leaders while supporting policies and initiatives that provide relief for the poor, enhance security in communities, and promote justice, equity, and the common good for all citizens.
Emeka Amaefula
+234 (0) 811 181 3069
