Archbishop John Onaiyekan has revealed details of a tense meeting between President Bola Tinubu and Catholic bishops, saying the President rejected their assessment of Nigeria’s economic hardship, insecurity and political climate.
Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, John Onaiyekan, has revealed a sharp disagreement between President Bola Tinubu and Catholic bishops over the state of Nigeria during their recent meeting at the Presidential Villa.
Onaiyekan said the bishops went before the President with what they considered the realities confronting ordinary Nigerians, including economic hardship, insecurity and concerns about the country’s democratic direction.
But according to the cleric, Tinubu did not agree with their assessment.
The bishops met with the President at the State House on July 28, 2026, before Onaiyekan subsequently disclosed details of the encounter during an interview on Arise News’ Prime Time programme.
‘We Told Him the Economy Is Not Helping the Poor’
Onaiyekan said the bishops were blunt in communicating their concerns to the President.
He explained that the delegation did not go to the Villa to praise the government but to draw attention to the hardship and insecurity confronting Nigerians.
According to him, Tinubu responded by insisting that his administration was performing well and that the economy was doing fine.
The cleric said the bishops were not surprised that the President disagreed with their assessment.
He maintained that their responsibility was to deliver their message honestly and ensure that the concerns of Nigerians reached the highest level of government.
Bishops Refuse to ‘Paint a Favourable Picture’
Onaiyekan said the Catholic Bishops’ Conference deliberately presented the difficult realities facing Nigerians instead of giving the President a more favourable picture.
He stressed that the bishops were not politicians seeking elective office but religious leaders who considered it their responsibility to speak about issues affecting the lives of citizens.
The memorandum presented to Tinubu, he said, represented the collective position of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference after consultations across the country.
Onaiyekan Raises Concern Over Government Feedback
The former Abuja archbishop also raised concern over the willingness of people within government to tell the President uncomfortable truths.
He suggested that one of the problems confronting Nigeria is that too few people in positions of authority are prepared to give the President frank feedback about the realities on the ground.
Onaiyekan said the bishops were satisfied that Tinubu listened to their concerns and responded directly, even though he disagreed with their conclusions.
Bishops Raise Fresh Alarm Over Democracy
The disagreement was not limited to the economy and insecurity.
Onaiyekan said the bishops also expressed concern about Nigeria’s political direction and what they described as the danger of an increasingly dominant one-party system.
He argued that democracy requires credible elections and a level playing field for competing political forces.
The cleric further questioned public confidence in the neutrality of the Independent National Electoral Commission, arguing that doubts could persist as long as the commission’s leadership is appointed by the President.
Onaiyekan Calls for Stronger Democratic Institutions
The Archbishop urged the Tinubu administration to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic institutions and focus more heavily on resolving the problems confronting citizens.
He said Nigerians deserve better governance and maintained that government should not become more focused on celebrating its achievements than confronting the difficulties still facing the country.
The comments have opened a fresh window into the discussions between the Catholic hierarchy and the Tinubu administration, with the bishops making clear that their concerns over hardship, insecurity and democratic governance remain firmly on the table.