Tag: Catholic Bishops

“We’re done talking; govern better”, Onaiyekan tells Presidency

Aminu Imam
Onaiyekan tells Presidency

Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, has dismissed criticisms from the Presidency over the recent engagement between President Bola Tinubu and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), saying the bishops have said all they needed to say, and are now waiting to see whether their message will influence governance. Speaking during an interview during a radio programme, the cardinal said the Catholic bishops would not be dragged into a public exchange with presidential aides, stressing that their responsibility was to present the realities facing Nigerians to the President.…

Read More

Atiku slams Presidency over attack on Catholic bishops

Aminu Imam
Atiku slams Presidency

…Defends Cardinal Onaiyekan Former Vice-President and Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the Presidency over its response to comments made by Cardinal John Onaiyekan, accusing the Tinubu administration of showing increasing hostility toward dissenting voices instead of addressing the concerns raised by respected national figures. In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the Presidency’s reaction to the Catholic Church and Cardinal Onaiyekan as inappropriate, arguing that the focus should have been on the issues highlighted…

Read More

“Nigeria’s trouble is over, prosperity ahead” – Tinubu tells Catholic Bishops

Aminu Imam
IMG 20260729 WA0024

…Says Nigeria has recovered from bankruptcy President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) that the worst of the country’s economic challenges is over, declaring that his administration has pulled Nigeria back from the brink of bankruptcy and laid a solid foundation for lasting prosperity. Speaking while receiving a delegation of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the President acknowledged that the sweeping economic reforms introduced since he assumed office had imposed short-term hardships on Nigerians but insisted…

Read More

“Poor leadership to blame for Nigeria’s hardship, insecurity” – Catholic Bishops

Aminu Imam
Catholic Bishops

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has blamed Nigeria’s deepening economic crisis and persistent insecurity on poor leadership and a flawed understanding of politics. In a communiqué issued on February 26 at the end of their first plenary meeting of the year, the bishops said the nation’s challenges stem largely from what they described as a “wrong idea of politics” that prioritises election rigging and personal gain over service to the people. The weeklong meeting was held at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria Resource Centre in the Abuja Archdiocese.…

Read More

Tinubu meets Catholic Bishops in Vatican, urges unity across diversity

Aminu Imam
Tinubu meets Catholic Bishops

In a powerful moment that transcended religion and politics, President Bola Tinubu met with members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria during his visit to Rome for Pope Leo XIV’s installation mass. The meeting, held on the sidelines of the papal inauguration, brought together some of Nigeria’s most revered spiritual leaders and reaffirmed the nation’s commitment to interfaith harmony and national cohesion. President Tinubu, a devout Muslim, used the occasion to deliver a message rooted in peace, purpose, and progress.  Speaking to the bishops, he said: “If we use…

Read More

Catholic Bishops lament Nigeria’s worsening poverty

Aminu Imam
Catholic Bishops lament

The Catholic Bishops of the Lagos, Ecclesiastical province, have called on the federal government to transition from short-term palliative measures to sustainable empowerment strategies aimed at improving the quality of life for Nigerians. In a communiqué issued at the end of their first plenary meeting for 2025, the Bishops expressed deep concern over the state of the nation. Highlighting the need to address the underlying structures that perpetuate poverty and inequality in the country, the Bishops emphasised the importance of implementing long-term solutions to enable financial independence and restore dignity…

Read More

Economic Hardship: “All Nigerians are corrupt; hunger, self-inflicted” – Catholic Bishops

Aminu Imam
Catholic bishops

Catholic Bishops in Nigeria have declared that the poverty, hunger, and insecurity, amongst others bedevilling the country, are self-inflicted due to corruption by both the leaders and the citizens. This was stated in an issued communiqu, jointly issued by the CBCN president and Archbishop of Owerri, Lucius Ugorji, and the CBCN Secretary and Bishop of Uromi, Donatus Ogun, on Thursday. The communiqu was issued at the end of the second plenary meeting of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), which was held from August 22 to 30, 2024, in…

Read More

Costly Presidential System: “Restructure Nigeria to regional govt.”, Catholic Bishops urges Tinubu

Aminu Imam
Catholic Bishops

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) on Sunday, called for a return to regional government, noting that 25 years of a presidential system was not beneficial to the country. The bishops, who stated this at the opening ceremony of the ‘2nd CBCN Plenary’ meeting in Auchi, Edo State, decried the alarming rate of corruption in Nigeria, as well,as the huge debt burden, which they said could be cleared by stolen monies stashed away by politicians in foreign countries, and the issue of hunger in the land. President of CBCN,…

Read More

‘Samoa Agreement, threat to Nigerias sovereignty’ Catholic Bishops

Aminu Imam
Catholic Bishops

Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, (CBCN), has described the recent Samoa Agreement as a threat to the sovereignty and values of Nigeria. This was part of a 25-point communiqu issued yesterday after their meeting, signed by the President and Secretary, Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji and Most Rev. Donatus A. The Bishops said: The Agreement looks innocuous and attractive on the surface, but underneath it is carefully blended with post-modern secularistic ideologies that significantly undermine the moral, cultural, and religious beliefs of Nigerian citizens. We are concerned that our civil…

Read More

“Why we can’t bless same-sex marriage” – Nigerian Catholic bishops

Aminu Imam

Nigerian Catholic Bishops have expressed strong opposition to the recent directive by Pope Francis that priests should bless same-sex marriage. The clergymen, under the aegis of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), argued strongly that blessing same-sex marriage is against Gods law, the teachings of the Church, the laws of the country and the cultural sensibilities of Nigerians. Recall that Pope Francis had on Monday formally permitted Catholic priests to bless same-sex unions. However, the Pope, in the declaration, noted the doctrine regarding marriage does not change, and the blessing…

Read More