Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has urged Nigerians to reject what he described as a culture of helplessness and demand greater accountability from public officials.
Onaiyekan spoke at the Law Campus of Ave Maria University in Abuja during a ceremony marking the 70th birthday of the Bishop of Nsukka Diocese, Prof. Godfrey Onah.
The Catholic cleric stressed that elected officials are in office to serve citizens and should therefore be answerable for their decisions, policies and actions.
He called for stronger mechanisms that would enable Nigerians to hold public officials accountable at every level of government, from councillors to the President.
His remarks come amid continuing public concerns over governance, economic hardship and the ability of citizens to influence decisions made by those in political office.
Onaiyekan’s central message was that Nigerians should not see themselves as powerless in a democratic system, but should actively demand transparency and responsible leadership.