Cardinal Onaiyekan engages President Tinubu over economic hardship

A delegation from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) recently met with President Bola Tinubu to present a document addressing widespread economic hardship, security challenges, and social distress in the country.

Cardinal John Onaiyekan reported that during the meeting, President Tinubu emphasized macroeconomic gains and expressed disagreement with the bishops' assessment of the current economic state. Onaiyekan suggested that the president may not be receiving accurate information regarding the daily struggles of ordinary Nigerians.

The interaction has drawn significant political reactions. FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has criticized the Cardinal, leading former PDP Deputy National Chairman Olabode George to urge Onaiyekan to continue speaking truth to power despite the attacks. George defended the cleric, noting that the concerns raised regarding anti-people policies affect all citizens regardless of faith.