The Digest:
Archbishop Emeritus John Onaiyekan has issued a stark warning to President Bola Tinubu's administration, declaring that Nigeria "cannot continue like this" amid worsening insecurity, economic sabotage, and democratic decline. Speaking following the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria's first plenary meeting, Onaiyekan emphasized that the bishops' communiqué was not a political statement but a prophetic truth spoken with deep love for the nation. He highlighted systemic failures including voter apathy (with only 23% turnout in the last election), persistent massacres, mass burials, and the perception of government complicity in security failures. Onaiyekan criticized the lack of urgency in electoral law reform, the devastation caused by illegal mining and bunkering, and the contradiction of importing food while Nigerian farmers suffer. He called for three immediate presidential actions: making Nigerians safe, tackling corruption decisively, and ending the dangerous polarisation fueled by politics and religion.
Key Points:
- The intervention represents a powerful moral authority speaking truth to power at a moment of national crisis.
- It underscores deep public disillusionment with democratic institutions and electoral credibility.
- The criticism of government's self-congratulatory security briefings highlights a dangerous disconnect between official narratives and ground realities.
- The exposure of illegal mining as a driver of community displacement and environmental destruction adds a critical dimension to the security debate.
- The call for national cohesion addresses the toxic ethnic and religious divisions undermining collective action.
Sources: Catholic Bishops' Conference Communiqué, Arise TV Interview
