Catholic Bishop’s Conference Visit To Tinubu And Other Matters -By Hajia Hadiza Mohammed

Since the Catholic Bishop Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) paid a visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Aso Rock Villa, on the 28^th of July 2026, there have been intense debate in public space about the outcome of the visit made public by Cardinal John Onaiyekan, the archbishop emeritus of Abuja archdiocese. While Tinubu’s media aides and his propaganda team and hack writers are accusing the Catholic leaders of partisanship and abuse of ecclesiastical authority, members of the concerned public have risen in defense of the Catholic clergies led by Most Revd. Matthew Ndagoso of Kaduna Archdiocese.

The text of the message from the Catholic bishops to Tinubu was terse and clear. Without being confrontational, they told him bluntly: “You can’t expect a polite meeting when the nation is bleeding”. They told him told him to fear God because the people of this country are starving and life has become an unbearable struggle. Secondly, they told the President to get out of the justice system, keep your hands off the laws and the courts. Thirdly, they demanded that the President stop interfering with elections. The electoral commission needs to be independent so that when the next election comes, every single person’s vote will count. They looked him in the eye and said Nigeria is not safe. People are living in constant terror and fear. It is your absolute duty to provide security and peace.

The president was obviously not comfortable with the visit. He tried vainly to defend his policies by making unsubstantiated claims about the economy stabilizing. Tinubu’s response is contradictory, hypocritical and insensitive to the plight of the nation. Tinubu and his men seem to be living in a fool’s paradise. Their response to the visit and message of the Catholic Bishops shows lack of respect to our religious institutions. They responded like people with poor sense of history.

In a sensitive and religiously volatile environment, such reckless response can ignite riot and public disturbance. Some insinuated that he was trying to impress the Muslim community but if that is the case, they have failed even Muslims are not in any way pleased with the state of the nation even with the Muslim-Muslim ticket used to cajole them. The Muslim-Muslim ticket has not improved the welfare of the citizens neither has it guaranteed security nor restored normalcy in the country. The Muslim-dominated areas are marginalized in this administration; their territory is still ravaged by insecurity and poverty.

Clearly, the response from the Tinubu’s stooges show total lack of respect to the Church that has over the years played neutral role in matters of politics in the country. Available records show that the Church leaders have in the past criticized what they saw as wrong policies of previous governments. Tinubu and his group when they were in opposition applauded Onaiyekan and his team when they criticized the Goodluck Jonathan’s government. Tinubu and his team seem to respect the Church institution when it suits their purpose. During the campaign preparatory to the 2023 presidential election, they organized some faceless unidentified bishops to show endorsement. On May 18, 2025, during the inauguration of the Catholic pontiff, Pope Leo XIV, Tinubu was in attendance in Rome and everyone knows that it was image laundry purposes. But, now the Church leaders spoke about the state of the nation and Tinubu’s men have bared their fangs.

It is evident that Tinubu and his gang of political hangers-on have refused to admit that they have failed the nation by plunging the nation into a deep socio-economic and political crisis. They have failed to take responsibility for their wrong policies and actions and have continued unashamedly to blame others for their failure and ineptitude while they reel out fake statistics about imaginary growth in the economy. Tinubu has continued to chase shadows while the nation reels precariously on his obnoxious policies. Trillions are budgeted every year for defense and yet Nigerians cannot sleep with their closed because of crime, banditry and insecurity as terrorists control a huge swathe of Nigeria territory including our major highways. Rather than articulate good policies that will transform the fortunes of the nation, Tinubu is wasting public funds fighting opposition and suppressing civil advocacy and public discourse. Rather than engage experts to help articulate good policies, Tinubu would prefer to work with mediocre and never-do-well loyalists and praise singers that would never tell him the truth. Rather than invest in the welfare of the citizens, Tinubu would fritter tax-payers money to hire PR firms to lobby to launder his battered image. Tinubu has shown that he did not want to hear the truth and has continued to play the ostrich while the nation groan.

I am a Muslim but I doff my heart for the Catholic Bishops for their courage; for speaking truth to power. They didn’t go cap in hand to beg for contract, favor or appointments. They didn’t go for the brown envelopes but to deliver the message from not just the Catholic faithful nay but for the suffering Nigerian masses who have been condemned to a life of misery by Tinubu’s obnoxious self-serving policies. The Catholic Bishop has the moral duty to speak out and condemn what is not right in the country as they have always done. In this case, they have performed their moral duty as expected. It is left for Pharaoh of Lagos to heed the voice of reason or harden his heart.

While I thank the Catholic Bishops for speaking out, I would also ask others: the civil society groups, trade unions and inter-faith organizations and other pressure groups to play their role; speak to those in power and sensitize the public to hold those in power accountable. The people should be made to know their civic duties. Voting out a bad government is a task that must be done. Nigeria, the choice is yours to make.

Hajia Hadiza Mohammed
hajiahadizamohammed@gmail.com
An actress, social activist, politician

London, UK