Much Ado about Onaiyekan and Emilokan
Am I the only Nigerian alive who is neither surprised nor stunned by the drama that played out between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Cardinal John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, the archbishop
The recent drama between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Cardinal John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, the archbishop emeritus of Abuja, has left many Nigerians surprised. The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) met with Tinubu at the presidential villa, where they reportedly delivered the "home truths" about economic hardship, insecurity, and the state of democracy.
Cardinal Onaiyekan revealed in an interview that they had informed Tinubu about the country's challenges, to which he allegedly disagreed, stating the economy was doing fine.
The conflict between Tinubu and Onaiyekan is fueled by their differing political affiliations, religious backgrounds, and political ideologies. Tinubu, a Muslim from the southwest, is the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), while Onaiyekan, a Christian from the north-central, is a member of the Catholic Church establishment that views the ruling party as Islamic or even Islamist.
Critics argue that the bishops' intervention has inflamed tensions between Tinubu's supporters and those opposing his policies. They contend that the bishops should have approached the matter with more tact and diplomacy, particularly when discussing the economic hardships faced by ordinary Nigerians. Instead, the bishops' response seems to have only exacerbated the situation, as it led to confrontational remarks from Tinubu's supporters.
Written by urgent.news from This Day's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
