Cardinal Onaiyekan Says Tinubu Is Being Fed a False Picture of Nigeria by Aides
The Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, has claimed that people surrounding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are shielding him from the harsh realities facing Nigerians by presenting an overly positive view of the country.
The respected Catholic cleric made the remarks during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time, where he reflected on the recent meeting between the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) and President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Onaiyekan Says Tinubu Is Not Seeing Nigeria’s True Reality
According to Cardinal Onaiyekan, one of the major concerns raised during the meeting was that the President may not be receiving accurate information about the country’s current situation.
He explained that many of those around Tinubu appear to paint a picture that does not reflect the daily struggles experienced by millions of Nigerians.
“That is one of the things that worries us: there are so many people hanging around Mr President, giving him a rosy picture of what the country is, which it is not.”
The cleric said the bishops considered it their responsibility to present an honest assessment of the nation’s condition, even if it was uncomfortable for the President to hear.
Catholic Bishops Wanted Tinubu to Hear the Truth
Onaiyekan said the delegation believed it had a moral obligation to help President Tinubu understand the true state of the country instead of allowing him to rely solely on optimistic reports from those around him.
He noted that the message delivered by the bishops was intended to reflect the realities Nigerians are facing across the country.
“We felt that indeed, we have the obligation to help him appreciate the reality of the situation in which we find ourselves.”
According to him, the issues raised during the meeting were candid and were not designed to please the President but to provide a clearer understanding of the nation’s challenges.
President’s Response Suggested Disagreement
Cardinal Onaiyekan also hinted that President Tinubu’s response during the meeting suggested he was not entirely comfortable with the concerns raised by the bishops.
“That is the reality that we painted, which I know is not the kind of thing that he wanted to hear. And his reply showed that very clearly.”
His comments come amid growing public debate over Nigeria’s economic situation, rising cost of living, and concerns about the effectiveness of government policies.
The remarks have since sparked fresh discussions about whether President Tinubu is receiving accurate feedback from those closest to him as his administration continues to tackle the country’s pressing economic and social challenges.
