The National President of the Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN), Most Rev. Dr. David O. C. Onuoha, has criticised the reaction of the Presidency to the recent submission made by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), describing attempts to attach political motives to the bishops’ remarks as unfortunate and misplaced.
Speaking with journalists in Owerri on Wednesday, Archbishop Onuoha said the bishops were speaking on behalf of Nigerians and not merely for the Catholic Church or any particular religious group.
According to him, the issues raised before President Bola Tinubu reflected the realities confronting citizens across the country, regardless of ethnic, religious or regional background.
“The truth remains that the Catholic Bishops’ Conference spoke not for the Church alone, but for the entire nation,” he said. “The concerns they presented before the President are real and affect every Nigerian, irrespective of tribe, religion or ethnicity.”
The cleric argued that the Federal Government should see the Church as a partner in nation-building rather than respond defensively to criticisms concerning insecurity, poverty, economic hardship and the general suffering being experienced by citizens.
“Instead of castigating the bishops or denying the pain, suffering, hardship, poverty and insecurity that Nigerians are currently facing, government should recognise the Church as a partner in the search for a Nigeria that works for everyone,” Onuoha stated.
He said religious leaders were uniquely positioned to assess the impact of government policies because they lived among the people and interacted daily with citizens in both urban and rural communities.
“Religious leaders are in constant touch with the people. They live among them, listen to their complaints, share in their struggles and witness firsthand the effects of public policies. Their assessment should therefore be trusted as sincere and unbiased,” he added.
Archbishop Onuoha also cautioned President Tinubu against relying on aides who, according to him, might be shielding the administration from the true state of affairs in the country.
“The President should be wary of assistants and officials who make enemies for the administration in the guise of defending government,” he said. “Those who present false pictures of the situation in order to retain their positions are the real enemies of the people.”
Responding to another question, the CCN President said any leader genuinely committed to the welfare of the people must be willing to accept honest criticism, regardless of the source.
“Any leader whose interest is the good of the people must have the courage to accept the truth, no matter who speaks it,” he said. “As the Bible says, ‘You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.’”
Onuoha commended the Catholic Bishops’ Conference for what he described as its consistent and courageous interventions on national issues.
“The bishops deserve commendation for their bold and principled interventions in matters affecting the wellbeing of the nation,” he said. “To single out any of them for vilification is not the way to go.”
He warned that ignoring voices of wisdom and reason could result in policies that fail to address the needs of citizens.
“The implication of refusing to listen to sincere counsel is that government may continue to pursue policies that do not benefit the people, and the consequences of such a course are better imagined than experienced,” he said.
The archbishop further argued that many Nigerians had experienced greater hardship rather than improvement under recent government policies and reforms.
“For the avoidance of doubt, many of the policies and reforms introduced in the last three years have produced more adversity than prosperity,” Onuoha said.
He urged the Federal Government to review its policies to ensure that they have a more positive impact on the lives of ordinary Nigerians and to prioritise the security and welfare of citizens.
“To review these policies for a more positive impact on the lives of the people and to ensure that Nigerians are safe and secure is not only desirable; it is the basic expectation of the citizens,” he added.
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