Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has declared that he is not intimidated by the Federal Government or concerned by criticism over his public disclosure of issues discussed during a meeting between Catholic bishops and President Bola Tinubu.

Onaiyekan said he spoke publicly about the July 28 meeting to present the concerns of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), insisting that his intention was to tell the truth rather than seek the approval of the government or any individual.

The 82-year-old cleric made the remarks in a video shared by SYMFONI TV on Wednesday while responding to questions about the Presidency’s reaction to his account of the bishops’ engagement with Tinubu.

“I didn’t go to Arise to please government, or to just please people, but to tell the truth. That’s all I stand for,” he said.

Onaiyekan dismissed suggestions that the criticism directed at him could embarrass or frighten him, stressing that his age and experience had made him less susceptible to intimidation.

“I cannot be embarrassed. I’m 82 years old; nobody can embarrass me. And I’m not afraid of anybody. Nobody, at this stage now, are they going to arrest me, carry me to where?” he said.

The cleric also urged Nigerians to value the freedom to criticise government officials publicly, warning that such liberty should not be taken for granted.

According to him, religious leaders in several African countries do not enjoy the same latitude to speak openly about governance and national challenges.

“And we are still lucky in this Nigeria that we can still talk. We shouldn’t take that for granted. There are many countries in Africa where no bishop dares to talk like we do here,” Onaiyekan said.

He further clarified that his comments on the meeting were not a personal position but reflected the collective views of the bishops who participated in the engagement with the President.

“No, mind you, I didn’t talk on my own now. I spoke on behalf of my fellow bishops. We drafted a statement which contained all that I said in the interview. So, all the bishops of Nigeria spoke that way. It was their voice I was echoing,” he explained.

Onaiyekan said the bishops remained at liberty to communicate their concerns to Nigerians in their respective dioceses, adding that several other religious leaders had also expressed concerns about the country’s challenges.

“I cannot speak on behalf of other religious leaders. Everybody has their own job to do, but many of the other religious leaders have supported us,” he said.

He particularly pointed to the economic difficulties confronting Nigerians, including poverty and hardship, stressing that the challenges affect citizens across religious and social divides.

“When it comes to what is happening to Nigeria, the poverty, the suffering, we are all in the same boat now, abi?” he added.

The controversy followed a meeting between Tinubu and a delegation of the CBCN at the State House in Abuja on July 28.

The delegation, led by the CBCN President and Archbishop of Kaduna, Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, included Onaiyekan, Cardinal Peter Okpaleke, Bishop Matthew Kukah of Sokoto and other senior Catholic clerics.

During the meeting, the bishops raised concerns over the state of the Nigerian economy, insecurity, democracy, the 2027 general elections, religious freedom and the return of mission schools.

Three days after the engagement, Onaiyekan appeared on Arise News, where he discussed the meeting and said the bishops had spoken frankly to the President about the difficulties facing Nigerians.

His public account subsequently drew a response from the Presidency, with President Tinubu’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, faulting the decision to disclose details of what he described as a private engagement.

However, Onaiyekan maintained that his intervention was intended to communicate the collective concerns of the Catholic bishops and reaffirmed his willingness to speak openly on issues affecting the country.