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Tag: Onaiyekan

  • Address security challenges, Onaiyekan urges Tinubu

    Address security challenges, Onaiyekan urges Tinubu

    Emeritus Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, on Wednesday pleaded with President Bola Tinubu to, as a matter of urgency, curb the security challenges in the country

    The cleric spoke at the 2025 Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) Communications Week Public Lecture, where late media Icon Raymond Dokpesi received a posthumous award.

    Cardinal Onaiyekan demanded that the President deliver more dividends of democracy. 

    He said, “My advice for Mr. President is to find ways and means of finding out what Nigeria is actually going through.

    He pressed for empathy with ordinary Nigerians, adding that, “I am not telling him to go and live in Mpape for two days, which would not be a bad idea. But he should know how people in Mpape survive. He should know how families manage with ₦30,000 salary a day.” 

    Assessing Tinubu’s two-year tenure, the Cardinal stated bluntly: “The government must ensure Nigerians’ well-being is maintained, if not improved.

    “He should just govern: make life livable, deal with security, improve the economy, and fight corruption. These were things his predecessor Buhari promised but didn’t deliver in eight years”.

    Addressing the lecture’s theme, “Media with Gentleness: A Path to Being Narrators of Hope in a Distracted Nation,” the cardinal said everybody relies on the media for information.

    “The question is: what kind do you get? Tell the story while leaving people with hope; it’s not all bad. It’s a task you must find a way to do.”

    Read Also: Onaiyekan urges Christian-Muslim unity during Lent, Ramadan

    Earlier, Rev. Fr. Michael Banjo, Secretary General of the CSN, honoured late DAAR Communications founder Raymond Dokpesi for embedding “African and Christian values” in broadcasting through Ray Power FM and AIT.

    Banjo lamented Nigeria’s media decline, “Today we see high-profile clerics brawling on social media, political debates degenerating into acrimony, and sensational content without accountability, a stark departure from Nigeria’s principled media foundations.”

    While quoting Pope Francis’ 2025 Communications Day message, Banjo warned against media that fuels “aggression, violence, and divisive ideologies,” urging a return to ethics exemplified by Dokpesi. 

    The Communications Week, established by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), aims to leverage media for evangelisation and promote responsible journalism.

    This year’s lecture highlighted the Church’s dual demand: accountable leadership and hope-driven media amid national crises.

  • Onaiyekan laments poor state of nation’s education sector

    Onaiyekan laments poor state of nation’s education sector

    Former president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has attributed mass failures in public examinations conducted by the West African Examination Council (WAEC), National Examination Council (NECO), Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), to neglect of public education in the country.

    Onaiyekan, who lamented the appalling condition of citizens in Nigeria, particularly urged lawmakers to come up with laws that would better the lot of the Nigerian populace instead of anti-people laws and policies that would further impoverish the citizenry.

    He decried the Nigerian situation where children of the poor in rural communities are still learning under trees after about 64 years of Independence of Nigeria as a sovereign nation.

    Onaiyekan, who equated the school leaving certificate in the past to the first degree now, equally called on the federal government to fix the education sector, while paying adequate attention to the delivery of quality education in rural areas.

    The former CAN president spoke at the weekend during the graduation and prize-giving ceremony of Pacesetters’ College, Wuye, Abuja where 320 students and pupils graduated.

    He emphasised the need for unity of the country to create a conducive environment for unfettered development, saying every child must be free to go to any part of the country for education without fear as it was obtainable in the past.

    He admonished the graduating students to show love for the poor while also working to promote the unity and development of the country.

    Onaiyekan said: “The report from WAEC of mass failures calls for concern. If 90% are failing, it is not the children who have failed, it is the system that fails. The system, which includes teaching and teachers, the examination councils and how they run their examinations and so on.

    “It is not possible for children to fail en masse. But we also know that in many places no real teaching is going on in schools. The question you will ask then is, what are the criteria for admitting children to do school certificate? If you mobilise garage boys into the exam hall, of course, they will fail.

    Read Also: NDLEA intercepts N7.35bn codeine consignments in  Port Harcourt

    “Most often, we see failure already in the schools. I was referring the children to schools in villages which are not like this, even if you have children who are brilliant, they cannot learn much. That is where the problem is, and I think we can do better than we are doing now.

    “All those who are ruling us, their children are in big schools where they perform better. Why are they not thinking of the children of those who voted for them? It is not right.

    “We voted for you so that you can take care of our needs. When members of the National Assembly are having their children in Pacesetters or big schools abroad and they go home to their villages to see the children of the poor studying under trees, it should bother them.

    He commended the students of Pacesetters’ College, for the launch of a campaign against bullying, urging the management of all secondary schools in the country to take necessary measures to check the menace.

    Chairman, Board of Directors of Pacesetters’ College, Kenneth Imansuangbon, noted that the school has continued to maintain high standards and delivery of quality education to young Nigerians, bearing in mind that the realisation of the potential of Nigeria as a great country was dependent on the kind of education given to the children.

    He attributed the success story of the Pacesetters’ schools to the help of God, while also commending the talent, commitment and dedication of teachers as well as parents, in ensuring the students and pupils of the College are given the best of education comparable to anywhere in the world.

    He said the 320 students graduating have been unleashed to make a change in the country and across the world having been adequately trained in character and learning.

    Imansuangbon said: “Our children are prepared for the world. Pacesetters students are groomed to make amends for where our generation has failed. We have told them in the classroom to brighten their corner, make a change, show love to the poor just like Cardinal Onaiyekan has said, and let the world be a better place to be.”

  • It’s time to change Nigeria’s governance system –  Onaiyekan

    It’s time to change Nigeria’s governance system –  Onaiyekan

    His Eminence, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has said that it was time for Nigeria to change to a system of government that would reduce corruption and bring government closer to the people.

    The Emeritus Catholic Bishop of Abuja, stated this at a policy dialogue on new governance structure for Nigeria, organised by Abuja School Social and Political Thought (ASSPT), in Abuja.

    “It is time for a change. One thing is definitely sure, we cannot continue the way we are going.

    ”If we decide to retain the system we have now, it must change the way it is been practiced.

    “If the easiest way to change is to change the system, then let’s go ahead and change the system to parliamentary, with all its advantages and disadvantages,” he added.

    According to him, anything that will bring government closer to the people, reduce discretion for stealing and corruption will be good for the nation.

    “My understanding is that the parliamentary system is built in such a way that will not be so easy to steal such humongous sums of money, and misuse of our natural resources legally.

    “The problem of this nation is that government people are stealing legally, they don’t even feel that they are stealing.

    “According to my own understanding, if you take more than you deserve, you have stolen.’’

    Onaiyekan cited the provision of pension for governors, saying it was not fair after being  well paid to be legally entitled to houses, cars and other things, while a retired police officer goes home with meagre sum as pension.

    He also said that restructuring, not constitutional amendment will save Nigeria.

    The Cardinal said that the Nigerian constitution has consistently failed to provide a clear framework for governance and religious affairs, resulting in confusion and inefficiency within the governance system.

    He also advocated decentralisation of power to allow for effective governance and decision-making at the local level.

    The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Mr Kingsley Chinda, an advocate of parliamentary system, said Nigeria needed to move from a system with so much baggage to the one that provides for reward and sanctions.

    Read Also: Kaigama extol Cardinal Onaiyekan’s contributions to national unity

    Chinda is one the 60 members of the House of Representatives that introduced three bills seeking to alter the current Constitution to parliamentary system of government.

    “The presidential system we adopted from US is peculiar to their country, not Nigeria,” he said, adding that the parliamentary would solve most of Nigeria’s problems.

    Chinda said that the members that proposed the bill welcome observations and contributions from Nigerians to enrich its content.

    A representative of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, Dr Akin Fapohunda, called for the provision of clearly defined process for the restructuring of the country.

    “The bottom line is that we have no process. We are seeing the good but we have not defined the process, milestones and timelines that’s what is missing.

    “We agree that the house is rotten and it needs to be pulled down and we should design an alternative model, which you are now selling,” Fapounda said.

    A Catholic priest, Fr George Ehusani, said integrity is key to nation building and national prosperity.

    Ehusani added that “elite idiocy” would ruin any nation, no matter how perfect its structural blueprint.

    The Director of ASSPT, Dr Sam Amadi, argued that the parliamentary system of government was better than the presidential system currently being practiced in Nigeria.

    According to him, the parliamentary system is less expensive to run when compared to presidential system, and provides better mechanisms for peer review and accountability.

    “Evidence shows across the world that only few countries with presidential system of government are doing well economically,’’ he added.

    Amadi said that the school believed it was key to first discuss with critical stockholders before adoption of the parliamentary system of government in Nigeria.

    He said that the discussions would be escalated to include different national institutions, religious groups and regions, so as to agree to a win-win system of government.

    “We want to get more people from the north and the south and the east and the west, to come together and have them shape issues,’’ Amadi added.

    (NAN)

  • Onaiyekan at 80  

    Onaiyekan at 80  

    • We wish the respected moral voice more glorious years

    It was fitting that on his 80th birthday, on January 29, he visited Pope Francis in Rome. In an interview with Vatican News after the visit, he said: “Whatever I have been able to do, or whatever services the Church has made it possible for me to perform, I have now reached the end of the day.”

    It was positive news about Nigeria when John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan was made a Cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in November 2012, demonstrating that the country was not without redeeming features, after all. The singular elevation, which made him qualified for election to the exalted seat of the Vicar of Christ, was indeed a tribute to his devotion and exemplary priesthood.

    Pope Benedict, in January 2013, appointed Onaiyekan a member of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) and a member of the Presidential Committee of the Pontifical Council for the Family, positions he could hold until his 80th birthday.

    He was among the cardinal electors in the papal conclave that elected Pope Francis in 2013.  He has had a remarkable journey on the road of faith since he completed his religious studies in Rome in 1969, and was ordained as a priest in August of that year. He earned a doctorate in 1976.

    He became Bishop of Ilorin in 1984, and was the first Archbishop of Abuja from 1994 to 2019. He is Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja.

    Elected President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria in 2000, and President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) from 2007 to 2010, he made the headlines following his nomination for the globally respected Nobel Peace Prize in 2012. His nomination was even more striking on account of the status of his co-nominee, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, Nigeria’s foremost Muslim spiritual leader. Both religious leaders were prominent among top picks for the award for having “spoken out against the misuse of religion in legitimating conflict.”

    In addition to his efforts in promoting inter-faith harmony in the country, which was a key aspect of his tenure as CAN President, Onaiyekan’s virtuous conduct in the public space, his dignified personality and absolute lack of ostentation, are noteworthy and praiseworthy.

    A respected moral voice, in 2005, he notably counselled the then Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, to “resist the deadly temptation to want to remain in power perpetually by hook or by crook,” during a service with the president in attendance. It was a courageous intervention at a time the country’s democracy was threatened by an exposed plot to give the president a third term. 

    Read Also: Tinubu to University unions: prioritise dialogue to avoid frequent strikes

    Perhaps predictably, as a high-profile Catholic cleric, he publicly opposed the controversial Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) before Nigeria’s 2023 elections. Also, he was reported to have described the party’s victory in last year’s presidential election as “discredited.” The negative views he expressed concerning the election, and the winner, triggered adversarial reactions that questioned his objectivity.  For a man, who, as CAN leader, worked harmoniously with the Muslim leader, the Sultan of Sokoto, S’aad Abubakar III, shocked many for his lack of empathy in the nation’s fractious and religious hour. He exhibited fierce partisanship even after President Tinubu emerged victorious.

     Nevertheless, President Bola Tinubu, whose election he had bad-mouthed,  lauded him as an “exceptional religious leader,” in a birthday tribute. He also praised him for “fighting for the downtrodden and speaking out against the ills in society,” and for remaining “unbending in the pursuit of peace and unity in Nigeria.”  The statement demonstrated Tinubu’s benignity, and also that Onaiyekan’s landmark anniversary was impossible to ignore. 

    The priest from Kabba, Kogi State, has been a worthy ambassador of his place of origin as well as the larger Nigerian society. In the interview with Vatican News to mark his 80th birthday and 40 years as a bishop, he stressed the importance of “a minimum of good governance,” and observed that “Nigeria is becoming very unsafe for everyone.” He complained about political leaders who are “only playing games” and “have no time to even start thinking of how to solve the problems of the poor people.”

    We congratulate Cardinal Onaiyekan as he enters his octogenarian years, and wish him more years of service to humanity.

  • President felicitates Onaiyekan at 80

    President felicitates Onaiyekan at 80

    • Tinubu, Buhari condole with Abdulsalami over sister’s death

    President Bola Tinubu has felicitated Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, on yesterday’s celebration of his 80th birthday.

    A statement yesterday in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, reads: “President Bola Tinubu sends hearty felicitations to His Eminence, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, emeritus Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, as he marks his 80th birthday on January 29.

    “Cardinal Onaiyekan was the Archbishop of Abuja from 1994 to 2019 and also served as president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, and Bishop of Ilorin.

    “President Tinubu celebrates the exceptional religious leader who has used his calling not only to preach the good gospel of Jesus Christ but also followed his example by fighting for the downtrodden and speaking out against the ills in society, yet remains unbending in the pursuit of peace and unity in Nigeria.

    “The President thanks His Eminence for his sacrifices and efforts in peace-building in Nigeria over the years, assuring him that his hope and prayers for a glorious and united Nigeria will be made manifest.

    “President Tinubu wishes His Eminence more prosperous years in the Lord’s Vineyard.”

     Also, President Tinubu has condoled with a former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, on the death of his younger sister, Hajiya Salamatu Asabe.

    Read Also: Ondo public servants accuse Ayedatiwa of extravagant spending

    In a statement yesterday in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu also condoled with other members of the bereaved family over Asabe’s demise.

    “It is with a heavy heart that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu receives the news of the passing of Hajiya Salamatu Asabe, the younger sister of former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar.

    “President Tinubu condoles with General Abubakar, the family, and all those who mourn this painful loss.

    “The President prays that her family is comforted by her legacy and the beautiful memories she left behind.

    “General, please accept my sympathy and condolences. My prayers are with you at this time of mourning. May Almighty Allah grant Hajiya Asabe Al-Jannah fir’daous,” the statement said.

    In his condolence message through his media aide, Mallam Garba Shehu, to General Abdulsalami Abubakar, ex-President Buhari said he and his family were “deeply saddened by the passing of the General’s sister, but we are grateful to Almighty Allah for what she was to her family and her community, where she did everything she could to assist those in need”.

    He added: “We pray for the repose of her soul and fortitude to General Abubakar and the family to bear the loss.”

  • Most Nigerians in need of psychological attention – Onaiyekan

    Most Nigerians in need of psychological attention – Onaiyekan

    Retired Catholic Archbishop of Abuja and former President, Christian Association of Nigeria, Cardinal John Onaiyekan has said lots of Nigerians are in need of psychological attention because of the problems facing the country.

    According to Onaiyekan,  Nigerians are battling socio-economic crises and depression as never before and require the Church to step in to avoid a total breakdown of the fabrics of the nation. 

    Onaiyekan made the remarks in Abuja during the foundation laying ceremony of the Building and Remodeling of the Dominic Cardinal Ignatius Ekandem Villa which houses the Gaudium et Spe Institute, Asokoro Abuja.

    The Abuja Catholic Arch. Bishop, Kaigama Ignatious performed the foundation laying ceremony of the building which would cost the Catholic Community about N1.6 billion. 

    Speaking with newsmen,  Onaiyekan said Nigerians are going through lots of challenges and difficulties beyond spiritual,  health, education and physical problems which had over time engaged the attention of the Church. 

    According to him:” People are facing difficulties,  and there is much problems in our country now,  so beyond spiritual support,  we need to provide psychological support for the people. 

    “The church has always  impacted the lives of the people in many ways,  we build schools to educate children and adults, health facilities to give physical treatment in hospitals, even the major job we do  as religious leaders, we deal with spiritual problem of the people.

    “This particular project is beyond, health, education, spiritual and physical because it is also for psycho-spiritual work to help people who do not have only spiritual problems but have psycho problems.”

    Onaiyekan explained the project when completed would take care of people with various social challenges as the Catholic Community and Church had trained lots of people to attend to such needs. 

    Read Also: Onaiyekan: politics should be for service not investment, war

     Kaigama commended the project Committee headed by Senator Ndoma Egba for their commitment so far,  saying the building was in honour of late Dominic Cardinal Ekandem who devoted his life to the services of the people. 

    “We are hoping by the  grace of God and generosity of good spirited people to erect this building in honour of his eminence, Late Dominic Cardinal Ekandem. 

    “This was where he was to live before he died. This place is being transformed into a spiritual home., where people can come and get help, do retreat and  prayers, and engage in psychotherapy, counseling, amongst others,” Kaigama said. 

  • Onaiyekan: politics should be for service not investment, war

    Onaiyekan: politics should be for service not investment, war

    The Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, has expressed sadness over the rate of violence that occurred during yesterday’s off-cycle governorship elections in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa states. 

    He said political power should not be a do-or-die affair, an investment or a war but a call to serve the people. 

    The former Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) president called for a change of attitude in Nigeria’s politics so that the nation could make realistic progress.

    Onaiyekan spoke when prominent religious and political leaders gathered yesterday in Abuja for the celebration of the 60th birthday of the General Superintendent of Christ Holy Church International and CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh.

    He said: “We are just going through the elections in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa. You can see that there is war going on in the states. 

    “In my own state of Kogi, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) had to deploy 40,000 armed policemen to maintain peace. For what? It’s so that we can chose who will become our governor.

    “If the governor was someone who presented himself to serve the people, there would be no need for all that. Why is there so much fight, struggle for position of leadership? It’s because it is being used to aggrandise people, to capture power, which is used for selfish interest instead of using the power to serve the common good.” 

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    Drawing inferences between him and the celebrant, Onaiyekan said: “Okoh was my deputy when I was CAN president. We did not fight, not even during elections. Let me plead that leadership in Nigeria should be radically restructured in such a way that it is for service. 

    “To be a politician is not a war or an investment to spend millions upon millions so that when you get into power, you will recoup it. And the only way to get the money back is to steal from the public fund. There must be a change.

    “We must change our concept of politics in Nigeria; otherwise, we will remain where we are.”

    Dignitaries at the ceremony included former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon; the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye; the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III; and First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who was represented by the wife of the Senate President, Dame Uloma Ekaette Akpabio.

    Others included ministers, governors, representatives of the diplomatic corps, and traditional rulers from Christian and Muslim communities.

    Senator Tinubu prayed to God to continue to strengthen Okoh and grant him many more years in good health.

    In a goodwill message, Pastor Adeboye told the celebrant: “Your journey may seem challenging at the moment, but God is going to lead you to great places.” 

    The cleric assured Archbishop Okoh of God’s promise to answer when he calls upon Him in times of trouble. 

    In his remarks, the celebrants said: “Personally, I am currently 60 years old. But if this is how 50 feels, I must admit that mentally, I feel more like 40. For now, let’s take pleasure in enjoying ourselves.”

  • Onaiyekan prays against ‘bad advisers’ for Buhari

    With a piece of advice – that Nigerians should remain hopeful for a bright future – and prayers for the President, the May 29 inauguration activities began yesterday in Abuja.

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo delivered the message of hope, saying “the future of our nation is bright”.

    Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese Cardinal John Onaiyekan prayed for President Buhari to:

    • be liberated from bad advisers and unhelpful associated; and to
    • see the wisdom in bringing onboard every segment of the nation for an improved sense of belonging

    Prof. Osinbajo and Cardinal Onaiyekan spoke during the 2019 Presidential Inauguration Interdenominational Church Service in Abuja.  The theme was “Setting the nation on higher levels of peace and development in the fear of God”.

    The Vice President maintained  that Christians are to take the lead in giving hope to others.

    He said: “Our days will be better and better. This is the reason I am so confident; our ministry is that of reconciliation.

    “We must not permit anyone to take advantage of the fault lines. Our country stands at the threshold of phenomenal greatness, the end of the story light and joy.

    “We begin with darkness and confusion but the end of our story is bright, the future of our nation is bright.”

    The message was delivered by the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, representing the President of the Catholic Bishops Conference, Archbishop Augustine Akubeze.

    In a message titled: ”Let us choose life not death taken, from Deuteronomy 30:19, he pointed out that God has set before the nation light and darkness, but that Nigeria should choose light for peace and development.

    He thanked God that Nigeria has remained in peace despite the build up to the 2019 general elections.

    According to him, it is now time for all Nigerians to pool their efforts towards tackling the security and other challenges facing the nation.

    He also noted that it is not time to be pointing accusing fingers as this will not carry Nigeria far.

    Warning that the ranks of the poor were swelling in the land, Cardinal Onaiyekan said it had led to increased anger and criminality.

    But, in his view, “all hope is not lost; it is an opportunity for the country to change its ways, especially as God has blessed Nigeria with resources.”

    Nigerians, he said, must have a change of heart from the top to the bottom.

    He warned that Nigerians should be on guard against those who seek to manipulate religion for their selfish interests, saying they should not be allowed to destroy the nation.

    Noting that Nigeria has been dancing on the brink of chaos, Cardinal Onaiyekan spoke of the need for drastic change of government system.

    He said: “First, we have to thank God. It is the Christian thing to do in all circumstances (1 Timothy 2:1-2). We thank God that, despite much fears and anxieties, we have arrived at this stage in relative peace. The last elections have left behind thick clouds of acrimony that are still to clear. We are still waiting for the final verdict of the tribunals, on which we now rely, in all spirit of peaceful contest, guided by the rule of law.

    “We thank God who has led us thus far. This is no time for celebration of victory or for lamentation over defeat. Rather, it is time to pool efforts together, with the grace of God, to tackle the serious challenges before us.

    “At this moment, we would do well to acknowledge our failure to do things in the right way. Here the words of the psalmist should challenge each of us: “If you Oh Lord should mark our guilt, who would survive?

    “The blame game of pointing accusing fingers at others will not carry us far. For a positive change to take place, we must all be ready for a sincere change of heart, from the lowest to the highest, but especially at the highest levels. Empty boasts and bare-face denial of the realities around us cannot  build a nation.

    “We are in the house is God, and before God we must tell the truth. The Lord Jesus has told us that ‘The truth will make us free.’ The truth is that our nation is not in a state for us to rejoice.

    “The ranks of the poor are swelling by the day, hopeless and helpless, as they watch in frustration the affluence of the very few cruising in a different world. Such wide socio-economic disparity has led to anger, tension, violence and outright criminality in the land. All is not well.

    “But all is not lost either. As we embrace a new term of government, it should be for us a new opportunity to change ways and review habits of governance, for a better Nigeria. We can and we should do this. God has endowed us with adequate resources to achieve this, resources that we unfortunately turn into crises and problems. Ethnicity and religion are two cases in point.

    “In our emerging global world, we should be building on our long experience of living together across ethnic lines, if we are not to allow ourselves to be left behind in our fast developing modern world.

    “We are living in a world where many are abandoning faith in God, at great cost to humanity now and in the future. We do well to commend ourselves for our generally high level of religious fervor. But if this is to translate into a righteous nation, we must all seek the will of God for good human relations.

    “This cuts across our religious differences and affiliations. Religion is good, but not enough. It is useful, and can even be worse than useless. If it does not promote good human behaviour. (James 1: 27). We can not deceive God. We may, by our human failure, give religion a bad name. But God will always be the Holy and Righteous One.

    “Religion evokes  strong emotions that ought to be deployed for solving the ills of our nation, not compound them. Those who manipulate religion for their selfish political interest end up destroying religion and harming the nation.

    “Our constitution is not perfect. But it’s basic provisions about freedom of religion are valid and must be scrupulously respected by all, especially by those who control state instruments of corrosion.

    “The greatest of God’s gift to us, life itself, is in danger all over our land. Gunmen- and women – unknown and known – have been sowing death, destruction and misery almost everywhere. Property, well-being, harmony and peace are endangered by generalised insecurity.

    “Before God, this is the truth and not political propaganda mounted to discredit the government. The nation must be mobilised to join hands to face the disaster looming over all of us,” he said

    He added “Again, here we must tell the truth. For too long, we have been seeing what seems to be a  policy of polarisation of the nation along primordial fault lines of ethnicity and religion. The result is that we have been indulging in the risky game of ’dancing on the brink of chaos’.

    “We do not know for how long we can continue to get away with this. But the handwriting on the wall is quite clear for all who care to see. It is sad that no condition is permanent; certainly not the present state of our nation.

    “In this new term of office, there is need for a drastic change of government system, if our nation is to be saved from imminent chaos. The sad fact is that many have already lost all hope in the future of this nation. According to them, we are to get ready for the worst.

    “Frightful conspiracy theories are making the rounds in the social media., shaping and twisting the attitudes and minds of many people. In this situation, the serious warnings from well-intentioned wise elders should not be ignored, less still denigrated without due respect.

    “There are, we hope, many more people who still believe in our ability to build a united nation under God, and thus to realise the dream of our constitution. Doing nothing but complaining and pointing accusing fingers at others is to wait for the worst to happen.

    “The positive and responsible option is to stand up to be counted and get involved in building the nation of our dreams. The Lord has put before us a choice between death and life. He urges us to choose life, for our own good and for His greater glory.”

    Cardinal Onaiyekan prayed “for the wisdom and the courage to regain and strengthen our sense of national cohesion, in the midst of dangerous rumours of war and chaos, from within and from outside our national borders.”

    He said: “We pray that all those whose duty it is to keep us safe will do their duty, with no more excuses or compromises.

    “We pray for Mr President. May he live up to the Christian and Muslim principle that all authority and power belong to God, and must be exercised under his will. May he be liberated from bad advisers and unhelpful associates.

    “May he see the wisdom of bringing on board every segment of the nation., for an improved sense of belonging, without which the problems of the nation. Will not be successfully addressed. God has given us a beautiful nation and wonderful people. May he give us the wisdom and the good will to make a success of it.”

    Former Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon urged Nigerians to continue to love the country and defend it in whatever way they could.

    The first scripture reading was taken by Justice John Isoho from Habakkuk 3:16-19

    The second scripture reading was taken from Revelations 4:1-11 by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.

    Intercessory prayers were said for the nation, the President, Vice President, other executive members, the legislature, the judiciary and the unity of the church.

    There were also special renditions by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Mass Choir, the Nigerian Tenors, and NCCN Mass Choir.

    At the service were the wife of the Vice President, Dolapo, former Senate President Ken Nnamani and Secretary to the Government of the Federation Boss Mustapha.

    Also there were the Service Chiefs and other dignitaries.

  • Kidnapping, killings: Something is wrong with our security system, says Onaiyekan

    The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, His Eminence John Cardinal Onaiyekan yesterday expressed fear over the rate at which people are kidnapped and killed along Abuja/Kaduna expressed way.

    With the development, Onaiyekan said something is defiantly wrong with the country’s security architecture.

    The clergy man said it is sad that Nigerians are now at the mercy of kidnappers who now carry out their nefarious activities and even demand ransom without fear.

    He spoke while briefing reporters on a conference scheduled to hold next week in Abuja on irregular migration of Nigerians.

    He accused government of not doing enough to tackle the menace adding that: “Government should work hard on the wellbeing of Nigerians. We just have to admit that we have not done well for ourselves. Which is why our home (Nigeria) is no longer our home.

    “I think it is a shame, we have 200 million people and we are been neglected. This is what we have when we neglect education. Our leaders are only taking care of themselves and their children.

    “If you have no idea of how to make Nigeria develop through education, security amongst others then do not go into politics. Unfortunately I cannot say that they should not ask for my vote because they now do not ask for my vote they take it by force. Politics is for people who will organize things for us all.  “This kidnapping issue happened on Kabba road some years back. I could not travel then. I could not understand that 30 kilometres of road cannot be policed. And they are small boys. When government decided to do something then especially when many of the big men were kidnapped. They tackled the menace.

    ” The government and police have told us several times that they have put up high level security checks and that they have cleared Abuja/Kaduna road and the boys have come up and said that they are still operating on the road.  But why is that possible because there is something wrong with the security apparatus of this country. It should not happen that kidnapping has now become a regular business on our high ways. It doesn’t happen in any civilized country.

    “It is sad that the kidnappers operate regularly on the high way and demand ransom and not only that they go to the extent of collecting the ransom. And in all these process there is a government that is not able to do something. We just can’t understand. It just gives you the very sad impression that we are really at the mercy of the criminals. So you get ready to pay them to beg them. This is not the way to live. ”

     

     

  • Sultan, Onaiyekan lead religious leaders’ parley on peaceful polls

    SULTAN of Sokoto Alhaji Muhammed Sa’ad Abubakar III and Archbishop of Abuja Cardinal John Onaiyekan will tomorrow lead religious leaders across the country in a two-day conference on role of interfaith in ensuring peaceful general elections.

    Coming under the auspices of the General Assembly of Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace (IDFP), the conference, which is slated for Abuja, will also discuss the imperative of national security in the conduct of the elections, according to a statement signed by the body’s co-chairmen, Alhaji Ishaq Kunle Sanni and Bishop Sunday Onuoha.

    IDFP is a national interfaith and intercultural dialogue forum that has the peaceful co-existence of government recognised religions as well as ethnic groups in Nigeria as its central objective.

    The statement said other participants at the conference themed, “2019 elections and national security: The role of interfaith communities”, include the leadership of the three arms of government, state governors, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Other participants are heads of security agencies, traditional rulers across the six geo-political zones, chairmen of registered political parties, labour unions, student bodies, NGOs, socio-cultural and women organisations.

    Keynote addresses will be delivered by Mr. J. U. K. Igwe (SAN) and Wazirin Katsina Prof. Sani Lugga.