Emeritus Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has firmly pushed back against criticisms from the Presidency following his recent appearance on Arise News.
He declared that his comments reflected the collective stance of the Catholic bishops of Nigeria on the socio-economic hardship and governance challenges facing the country.
Speaking in an interview with journalists, after an event, in a video seen by SaharaReporters, the 82-year-old cleric addressed the pushback and statements from presidential aides, asserting that he went on national television strictly to speak the truth and had no intention of pleasing the government or seeking approval 
“I didn’t go to Arise TV to please government or to just please people, but to tell the truth. That’s all I stand for,” Cardinal Onaiyekan stated. “I cannot be embarrassed. I’m 82 years old. Nobody can embarrass me. And I’m not afraid of anybody. At this stage, are they going to arrest me and carry me to where?”
Addressing the wave of criticisms from government representatives and social media commentators following his broadcast, the prelate noted that he felt no need to engage in a back-and-forth because ordinary citizens had already stepped in to defend his position.
“I don’t have to [feel embarrassed], because there were other voices now on the social media,” Onaiyekan said. “So I didn’t even have to reply to anything. Other people have spoken on my behalf.”
Reflecting on the state of civil liberties in the country, the Cardinal observed that despite the harsh rhetoric from political figures, Nigerians still enjoy a degree of free expression compared to citizens in more authoritarian regimes across the continent.
“We are still lucky in this Nigeria, we can still talk. We shouldn’t take that for granted,” he remarked. “There are many countries in Africa where no bishop dares to talk like we do here. That we can still talk, and all they do is to insult you. They don’t carry you and lock you up in an unknown dungeon. That means we are not doing badly.”
Clarifying that his media appearance was not an isolated personal rant, Onaiyekan emphasized that his statements were drawn directly from a joint document prepared by the leadership of the Catholic bishops in Nigeria.
“Mind you, I didn’t talk on my own now. I spoke on behalf of my fellow bishops,” he explained. “We drafted a statement which contained all that I said in the interview. So all the bishops of Nigeria spoke that way. It was their voice I was echoing. And each of them is free to say the same thing in their dioceses. And they are doing it.”
The Cardinal added that concerns over the economic climate extend far beyond the Catholic hierarchy, pointing out that religious leaders across Christian and Muslim denominations share similar worries regarding public welfare.
“I cannot speak on behalf of other religious leaders. Everybody has their own job to do. But many of the other religious leaders have supported us,” Onaiyekan added. “Non-Catholic leaders, Muslim leaders, they have all spoken. When it comes to what is happening to Nigeria, the poverty, the suffering, we are all in the same boat now.”
Cardinal Onaiyekan’s televised remarks came amid heightened national debate over economic reforms, inflation, and public living standards across Nigeria.
Religious bodies, including the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), have routinely issued communiqués urging the federal administration to implement targeted interventions to cushion economic shocks for vulnerable populations
The Presidency’s response to the Cardinal’s television appearance generated widespread public debate on social media and across traditional news platforms, drawing varied reactions from civil society groups, political analysts, and inter-faith leadership across the federation.
