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“Why I Don’t Feel Safe In Abuja” – Wike

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Nyesom Wike
Nyesom Wike. Minister of the Federal Capital Territory,

By Adesina Soyooye

 

While not saying that the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, where he holds sway as Minister, is not safe, its Minister, Nyesom Wike, has revealed that personally, there have been occasions where he did not feel safe and had to quickly leave.

 

Speaking during his usual Monthly  Media Chat on Tuesday in Abuja, Wike said that on two occasions, he had had to quickly leave because of the crowd who massed on seeing him. Even worse, on one of those occasions, the notorious miscreants waited for him, asking for money. He did not, however, disclose whether he gave them money to appease them or not.

 

The first time, the Minister  said, he had gone alone, without his security details, to a top class restaurant to eat.

 

As he settled in to order his meal, Wike said about  50 people came to him to greet him. They came in a rush. At such times, the Minister noted, one does not know who is who as not all of them will be admirers. All may not have been, he said, because of his popularity.

 

According to Wike, he quickly excused himself and told those who took his order not to bother as he would come back next time.

 

On the second occasion, the Minister said he had gone to the newly refurbished Abuja City Gate to relax.

 

Recall that First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has just honoured Wike with an award for the beautiful job he did at the gate. She told Wike that posterity would remember him.

 

So, this day, to appreciate and enjoy the beauty of the Abuja City Gate, Wike said he went there to relax. But he was not allowed that luxury as he said that suddenly, a crowd surrounded him. He quickly left, out of concern for his safety. The Minister, however, did  not disclose whether he was there with his security aides or not. But he said he left.

 

Wike: “There was a day I went to one of the restaurants to eat, and I didn’t go with security. Upon my arrival, I encountered over 50 people coming to greet me, and I didn’t know what to do. Of course, I didn’t feel safe; you can’t interpret that as people liking you.

 

“I told the restaurant workers that I would come back, but at that point, I was no longer comfortable. As soon as I stepped outside, I saw some miscreants waiting for me to give them money.

 

“I also went to the city gate to sit down and met a few people. Suddenly, as word of my presence spread, people started trooping in, and I had to take off”.

“Remove Rivers From Your Political Calculations, It Is No-go-area For Opposition Parties” – Wike

By
Suleiman Anyalewechi
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Nyesom Wike - FCT Minister
Nyesom Wike

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

 

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has insisted that the votes of Rivers State electorate are exclusively reserved for president Bola Tinubu and candidates of his ” Rainbow Coalition”

 

This is as he remained adamant that former Governor of the State, and Presidential running mate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Rotimi Amaechi,  has no significant electoral value in the oil rich state ahead of the 2027 polls.

 

At his monthly media chat on Tuesday, Wike the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, advised all political actors and their parties to remove Rivers State from their permutations.

 

According to him, his  “Rainbow Coalition” comprising the Peoples Democratic party PDP ,the All Progressive Congress APC , Labour Party LP and the Action Alliance AA has appropriated the votes of Rivers people, with President Tinubu as its preferred choice.

 

“If anybody is counting Rivers, go now and cancel it. The only person that can count Rivers is Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

 

“I am not talking because I want to talk. I am talking as a political realist because I know my people.

 

“Today, we have PDP , APC ,LP and AA all together. We have candidates across different political parties for the House of Assembly, and National Assembly.

 

“We will support the candidate who is most acceptable. Whoever emerges should not be seen as APC or PDP; the person should be seen as coalition’s candidate.

 

“And in the Coalition, we are driven by one common goal – to support and deliver president Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It is all-inclusive, and it is spreading like wildlife”, Wike boasted.

 

He emphasized that the coalition was never formed to promote any one political party ,but to strategically align with like-minded people for the purpose of delivering president Tinubu for second term in office and to protect the wider interest of Rivers state.

 

“For me, what matters is Rivers State. If Rivers State is relevant because projects are coming, and people are benefitting from Government ,then I am satisfied. It is about the interest of the State” the FCT Minister added .

 

Wike insisted that despite being a presidential running mate, Amaechi will not make any impact in Rivers State during the elections.

Kano Lawmakers Suspend Three Local Council Chairmen

By
Suleiman Anyalewechi
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Kano State House of Assembly

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

 

The Kano State House of Assembly on Tuesday August 4, 2026, slammed a three-month suspension order  on three Local Council Chairmen , citing alleged gross misconduct, financial impropriety, abuse of office and other administrative shortcomings as reasons for its action.

 

The suspension was sequel to the adoption of the preliminary report of the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

 

The affected Council Chairmen whose Deputies are to take over immediately, are Bello Abdullahi Gadanya ( Bagwai LGA ) , Alhassan Salisu ( Bebeji LGA) and Abubakar Mustapha (Togo, LGA) .

 

Presenting the report during plenary, the Committee Chairman, Hon Aliyu Muhammad, noted that the panel investigated three separate petitions against the affected Chairmen during its sitting.

 

According to Muhammad, the Committee in the course of its investigation examined documentary evidence submitted by the affected Councils as well as interfaced with members of the legislative branch, and other critical stakeholders before arriving at its conclusion.

 

In the report presented to the Committee of the Whole House, the Committee established several instances of alleged misappropriation of public funds, particularly those meant for the execution of development projects in Bagwai local council

 

Similarly, in Bebeji Council, the Committee said it uncovered cases of  abuse of power, persistent violation  of extant rules and regulations and due process in the awards and execution of contracts, improper sales of council land, diversion of public funds, unlawful deductions from contract payments and other procurement infractions.

 

The Committee particularly noted that contractors, most often than not, were forced to deduct and remit certain percentage of contract sums into accounts of individuals allegedly nominated by the Council chairman.

 

The Committee emphasized that the action of the Chairman offends extant laws governing financial and procurement processes.

 

In the same vein, the Committee accused the suspended Council Chairman of Rogo Local Government of undermining Government policies, violating administrative procedures, abusing his office, and misappropriating funds earmarked for the construction of feeder roads and execution of rural electrification projects in two communities.

 

Consequently, the Committee, relying on the provisions of session 128 and 129 of the 1999 Constitution as it relates to House oversight powers, recommended the suspension of the affected Council Chairmen.

 

The Committee’s recommendations were  subsequently adopted through a voice vote by an overwhelming majority of law makers present.

 

The House Speaker, Rt Hon Ismail Falgore, while proclaiming the suspension order, equally directed the Vice Chairmen of the affected Councils to immediately take charge.

 

He also directed the Committee to ensure the conclusion of investigations and submission of its final report within the next ten weeks.

Terrorists Sack Sokoto Community, Kill 21, Abduct 37 Persons

By
Suleiman Anyalewechi
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Bandits in the North

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

 

The Sokoto State Police authorities have said that security has been enhanced and operatives deployed to the troubled Tsamaye community of Sabon Birni Local Council of the state following sustained attacks and arson by terrorist elements.

 

No fewer than 21 persons were feared killed, and over 37 others kidnapped when the community was invaded by suspected banditry elements between the late hour of Monday and the wee hours of Tuesday.

 

The attack launched by several gunmen  also led to the destruction of several homes, with over one thousand residents displaced.

 

According to eyewitness accounts, a boat laden with about 25  persons fleeing the attack unfortunately capsized midway.

 

While seven of the occupants mostly women and children were rescued,18 others are strongly believed to have drowned or unaccounted for.

 

The victims of the boat mishap, according to locals, were trying to flee to safety after news filtered in that the terrorists were approaching their communities.

 

As at the time of reporting, family members, relations friends and community volunteers were still searching for missing persons.

 

According to some of the locals, the attackers themselves informed family members trying to reach out to victims on phone that they have Intercepted 37 persons.

 

” When we called our relations on phone to know their whereabouts, the bandits answered the call, and informed us that our relations have been kidnapped. They told us they have with them 37 persons”, one of the residents stated.

 

Residents also informed that the attackers also burnt down some houses, including the ones belonging some to operatives of the community vigilante group.

 

Reports indicate that following the attack which lasted for several hours, only a little over 20 residents remain in the community as over a thousand others have fled.

 

According to reports, residents of neighbouring communities of Zango Mallam, Mashaya, Marina, Garin Tudu, Bukka Hamsin, Turkawa, Rumbukawa, Dutsin Na Umma, and others have equally fled their homes out of fear.

 

While confirming the incident, Chairman of Sabon Birni Local Government Area, Hon Ayuba Hashimu, however, said he could not offer a verified account of the number of casualties and other victims.

 

Meanwhile, the Sokoto state police Command’s spokesperson, Ahmed Rufai, informed that adequate personnel have been drafted to beef up security, and prevent further attacks in the affected areas.

 

Details of the attack, he assured, will be provided in due course .

Like The Presidency, Wike Accuses Cardinal Onaiyekan Of Partisanship

By
Suleiman Anyalewechi
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Nyesom Wike - FCT Minister
Nyesom Wike, FCT Minister

By Suleiman Anyalewechi 

 

The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister Nyesom Wike, has said that he was not surprised at the disposition of the Catholic Archbishop Emiretus of Abuja Diocese John Cardinal Onaiyekan towards the President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

 

For him, it has never been in doubt who the revered Cleric is working for within the political circle.

 

The Source reports that Onaiyekan who was part of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, that visited President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa had, in the last couple of days, been in the news for his downright dissecting of what transpired during the visit.

 

According to him, the President did not only dismiss with a wave of the hand the frank, altruistic and patriotic concerns of the Bishops about the state of affairs in the country, he, also, disturbingly showed manifest signs of desperation to cling to power at all costs.

 

Although the Presidency has since joined issues with the Cardinal, describing his position as biased, not a few Nigerians, including both the Christian and Muslim community, and people of other faiths have declared their support for  Onaiyekan and the CBCN.

 

But speaking during his monthly media chat on Tuesday, Wike, re-echoing the Presidency’s position, accused Onaiyekan of being partisan.

 

According to the him, it is a fact known to everyone in the country that Onaiyekan has a soft spot for a particular candidate, and political party, noting that comments from supposed religious leaders could make them lose their moral weight once they are perceived to be biased.

 

While acknowledging the constitutionally guaranteed rights of Clerics to freedom of expression, Wike  expressed serious concern that interventions from religious leaders tend to attract scrutiny when there are widespread beliefs that the commentator is coming from a particular political camp.

 

“If a religious leader is perceived or seen to be taking sides, and it is very clear, it becomes difficult for people to see those comments as helpful or real.

 

“I am aware of Cardinal Onaiyekan’s political leaning. It is not hidden who he supports. Everybody knows that” Wike noted .

 

This is as he stated that what is playing out now within the political horizon is similar to the situation in 2023  when many religious leaders took sides with certain political interests.

Cardinal John Onaiyekan2
Cardinal John Onaiyekan

However ,Wike’s assessment sharply contrast with popular belief among many observers to the effect that the Archbishop Emiretus has, over the years, been known to speak truth to power, even during the dreaded military era.

 

They, also, recall that Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, who recently spoke in support of President Tinubu was, publicly, very critical of then President Goodluck Jonathan’s Government. They note, with nostalgia, that no Aide of Jonathan’s including Ministers, dared talk down on Adeboye. They, also, recall that, at a point, Cardinal Onaiyekan was, also, critical of Jonathan, but received no condescending tackle from any government quarters.

Army Recovers Remains of Murdered  Imo Community Leader From Shallow Grave

By
Suleiman Anyalewechi
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By Suleiman Anyalewechi

 

The 82 Division of the Nigerian Army has announced the exhumation and recovery of the remains of Chief Ibe Agadu, the murdered Aggah community leader  in Ohaji/Egbema Local Council of Imo State.

 

Chief Anyadu was abducted, killed and buried by members of a criminal group operating within the oil rich council.

 

In a statement on Monday, Lt Col Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, spokesperson, 82 Division informed that Anyadu’s body  was exhumed from a shallow grave in one of the forests in Umudike area of the Council.

 

According to him, the recovery process was facilitated by an intelligence volunteered by one of the intercepted suspects in the dastardly incident.

 

The Army spokesperson revealed that the suspect who, incidentally, was  arrested in connection with another case involving the killing of a soldier of the Nigerian Army, confessed to being part of the gang that kidnapped, killed and buried  Chief Anyadu.

 

The suspect subsequently led troops of the 34 Artillery Brigade, under the Operation Udo KA to exhume and recover the remains of the deceased from a shallow grave in the forest.

 

According to  Ayeni, the process of recovery was conducted before some operatives of Ohaji/Egbema Local Council vigilante group, representatives of the Aggah and Umudike communities, as well as the deceased’s family members who also provided a coffin and ambulance services for the conveyance of the remains for burial.

 

“This development follows recent intelligence-driven operations that led  to the arrest of suspects responsible for the killing of a Nigerian Army soldier and the recovery of stolen service weapons.

 

“During interrogation, one of the suspects confessed to involvement in the murder of Chief Anyadu and volunteered to lead troops to the burial site.

 

“On 2nd August 2026, the suspect guided troops to a shallow grave within Umudike forest, one of the criminals’ known camps, where the remains of the late community leader was successfully exhumed”, Col Ayeni stated.

 

The Commander, Joint Task Force South East, Operation Udo KA, Major General Oluremi Ayobami Fadairo, while extending condolences to the deceased’s family, also, assured the people of Aggah community that justice will be served in accordance with the laws of the nation.

 

The Army, similarly, reaffirmed its unflinching determination and commitment towards dismantling all identified criminal networks as well as bringing perpetrators of violent crimes to justice.

 

However, the Commander appealed to the people to always volunteer credible intelligence that could assist the Nigerian Army in its ongoing operations to root out criminalities in the South East region.

Edo Govt Rebuffs Tinubu On Fly-overs: You Are Not Referring To Us

By
James Orji
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Governor Monday Okpebholo

The Edo State Government has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was not referencing Governor Monday in his recent attack against state governors who he accused of wasting public funds on the construction of roads and fly-overs.

the state Commissioner for Information, Kassim Afegbua made this known in an interview, saying the flyovers being constructed by the administration of Governor Okpebholo were necessary for the diversion of floods and smooth traffic in the state

President Tinubu had during a meeting with Catholic Bishops in Aso Rock, Presidential Villa, Abuja the natio nations’ capital berated the state governors for wasting money on the construction of bridges and fly-overs, which he  said are not useful for their states, urging them to embark on projects that can transform their states, and be useful for their people.

Following the president’s remark, the magazine leanrt that some state governors were unhappy with Tinubu despite the public’s support the president has received for making such a daring remarks against the governors who are mostly members of his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Out of the 36 state governors in the country, the ruling APC firmly controls 31 states.

The president’s comment also comes on the heels of the constrcution of two fly-0vers in Benin City, the Edo’s state capital by the Okpebholo’s administration.

Reacting, Afegbua said Tinubu was not referring to Okpebholo saying the two fly-overs the governor have constructed were important because they will assist in decongesting traffic in the state.

“The President was not talking to us because in the entire Edo State, there was no flyover that came in. We are only trying to build two. One is 98% completed, and the other one has taken off. It is too much.

“The Ramat Parkflyover is necessary to checkmate heavy traffic in that axis, while the Adesuwaflyover is meant to checkmate traffic on the Sapele road axis.

“We are also doing lots of roads across the state. We do not fall into the category the President is talking about. We are happy the President is making more money available, and other states should emulate Edo.”

Not a few Nigerians have argued that most of the projects being constructed by state governors are mere elephant projects that do not impact positively to the lives of their people.

State Policing: Cost Will Be Determined By States-Gbajabiamila

By
James Orji
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Femi Gbajabiamila

The Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has diclsoed that the Executive Bill for State Policing will be ready for the review of the president by September 3.

President’s Tinubu  CoS made the revelation on Monday after the inaugural meeting of the committee at the State House, saying the committee is working serious to ensure that the seven-week timeline set for the committee is met.

Recall that President Tinubu had on july 27 set up the committee to develop legal framework for an Executive Bill that will be sent to the National Assembly for deliberations. The president had told the committee that they only have less than two months for their job.

According to Gbajabiamila, the Committee is working not to meet the Deadline so that document can be sent to the president, for his review for onward transmission to the president.

The CoS also stated that the cost of policing will be determined by each 36 states and the FCT, based on their peculiarities, when asked of the financial implications when State Policing finally takes off.

The cost, he explained, will be  “on a state-by-state basis” noting thateach state differs from another in terms of personnel, architecture, infrastructure and local security needs.

“The resulting Executive Bill package is scheduled for presentation to the President on September 3,” Gbajabiamila said.

Adding: “Subject to his approval, a national consultation on the completed draft will follow, after which the text and supporting materials will be revised and prepared for formal transmission to the National Assembly.

“The timetable is demanding, but it is not a shortcut.

On the Cost Per State

“There is no cost to securing life and property. That is the first fundamental reason for being in government.

“At this stage, giving you a cost will be pulling something out of thin air. So we’re not going to be doing guesswork here or guesstimating as to what the cost is.

“The cost will be evidence-based. It will be based on thorough research and on a state-by-state basis because one state differs from another in terms of personnel, architecture, infrastructure and local security needs,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi while speaking at the occasion said the federal government will ensure that state police is not used by state governors for political tool against their opponents, saying the main target is to ensure the safety of lives and property across the country.

“The main thrust of this bill is to ensure security of lives and property, and it is also important that we do not make state policing a weapon of political persecution or oppression,” Fagbemi said.

NIMASA Assures Better Welfare For Seafarers

By
James Orji
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Dayo Mobereola - NIMASA DG

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing the welfare and wellbeing of Nigerian seafarers through stronger collaboration with key maritime stakeholders, including the Mission to Seafarers, MtS.

The Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, made this known while receiving the Chairman, Management Committee of Mission to Seafarers (MtS) Lagos, Chief Adebayo Sarumi, OON, and the Regional Director, Mission to Seafarers Africa, Reverend Cedric Rautenbach, on a courtesy visit to the Agency’s headquarters in Lagos.

Speaking during the visit, Executive Director Operations, NIMASA, Engr. Fatai Taiye Adeyemi who represented the NIMASA DG reiterated the Agency’s resolve to continue implementing policies and initiatives that enhance the welfare and professional development of Nigerian seafarers.

According to him, “NIMASA remains committed to improving the welfare of seafarers through enhanced certification processes, capacity development, and policies that promote their wellbeing and professional advancement. We will continue to collaborate with stakeholders such as the Mission to Seafarers to ensure that seafarers receive the support they deserve both at sea and in port.”

Earlier, the Chairman, Management Committee of Mission to Seafarers Lagos, Chief Adebayo Sarumi, expressed appreciation to NIMASA for receiving the delegation and commended the Agency’s ongoing reforms in the maritime sector. He noted that the Mission to Seafarers has remained committed globally to providing welfare, pastoral care, and practical support to seafarers, while expressing confidence that deeper collaboration with NIMASA would further improve the welfare of maritime professionals in Nigeria.

The Regional Director, Mission to Seafarers Africa, Reverend Cedric Rautenbach, explained that although the Mission to Seafarers and the Port Welfare Committee share the common objective of improving the welfare of seafarers, both organisations operate under distinct but complementary mandates. He emphasized that greater collaboration among stakeholders would strengthen support systems available to seafarers calling at Nigerian ports.

The visit provided an opportunity for both organisations to discuss issues bordering on seafarers’ welfare, decent working conditions, and areas of mutual collaboration aimed at enhancing the wellbeing of seafarers and strengthening welfare support services within Nigeria’s maritime sector.

NIMASA has continued to champion initiatives that safeguard the rights and welfare of Nigerian seafarers in line with international best practices and the provisions of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), 2006. Through sustained stakeholder engagement, strengthened regulatory oversight, and policies that promote decent work, the Agency remains committed to ensuring that seafarers operate in an environment where their rights, welfare, and professional development are adequately protected.

 

Onaiyekan: My First And Final Epistle On The Matter

By
The Source
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Cardinal John Onaiyekan2
Cardinal John Onaiyekan

By Omokugbo Ojeifo

 

The insinuation that Cardinal Onaiyekan is criticizing Tinubu because he is supporting Obi is as lame as the P in Psychology. The only evidence those throwing this false claim have is a group photo of Onaiyekan and other bishops with Peter Obi at Archbishop Alaba Job’s triple anniversaries in Ibadan last month. Nowhere has Onaiyekan promised Obi that he’d fight for him; neither has the CBCN ever said that Obi is the ‘Catholic Church’s candidate’ for the presidency. I think the peddlers of this falsehood can do better!

 

For the records, Cardinal Onaiyekan has earned a solid reputation for prophetic advocacy on behalf of the Nigerian people for nearly 40 years. He has been forthright with every government from IBB and Abacha down to Tinubu’s. In 1994 when he was promoted from Bishop to Archbishop of Abuja, in his homily at his cathedral he fired a salvo at Abacha for creating unnecessary tension in the nation in the aftermath of the June 1993 crisis. Abacha was just next door to him. Even though Abacha considered Onaiyekan quite unsparing in criticizing his regime, when Onaiyekan’s father Pa. Bartholomew died in 1995, Abacha sent a handwritten condolence with a despatch of a major general of the regime to attend the funeral in Kabba. 

 

On December 18, 2005, at the National Christmas Carols at the Ecumenical Center in Abuja, Onaiyekan told President Obasanjo straight to his face to resist the temptation of seeking a third term. Obasanjo was sitting right there in the front row. When El Rufai was going about his demolition spree in Abuja in the 2000s, Onaiyekan stood up to the FCT Minister for treating the poor people in Abuja shabbily and destroying their houses and their means of livelihoods without providing an alternative. Onaiyekan didn’t spare Jonathan for the bogus corruption in his government. Neither did he spare Buhari for the gross ineptitude of his administration. His voice has been consistent right from his days as Bishop of Ilorin in the mid-1980s till date. As President of CBCN for 6 years, he articulated the challenges of the nation with clarity and honesty. 

 

It’s lame to think that he is critical of Tinubu’s regime because of Obi. If Obi were to become president of Nigeria today, what will he give to Onaiyekan? Will he make Onaiyekan vice-president of Nigeria or give him a contract? Onaiyekan does not give a hoot about who becomes president. Neither he nor the other Catholic bishops are eyeing the president’s seat. What they care about is that the country is governed well and that the government serves the common good of all Nigerians. When the Catholic bishops speak about the state of the nation, they are not speaking as partisan chieftains or political lords; they are speaking as prophets and shepherds who are articulating the sufferings of the people. As shepherds at the grassroots, Bishops feel the pulse of what is happening in the most interior villages, slums, and local communities across the country. They have regular pastoral visits to risky and dangerous places that the average Nigerian politician does not dare to go. They experience firsthand the sufferings and miseries of the poor and they consider it their prophetic social responsibility to amplify these concerns to those in power. Telling the bishops to face the pulpit and stay out of politics is both ignorant and dishonest. Are Bishops living in Mars? Aren’t they and the rest of Nigerians affected by the depredations of Nigerian politics?

 

Cardinal Onaiyekan is already 82 years old and God has immensely blessed him. His parents each died at 92, ten years apart from each other. Longevity flows in the Onaiyekan family. But even if Onaiyekan were to die today, he has lived a most accomplished life. He graduated from secondary school in Aliade in 1962 with the best result in the whole of northern Nigeria and turned down a scholarship to study anywhere in the world from the Sardauna and Premier, Sir Ahmadu Bello. He went to seminary and became a priest at 25, finished his doctorate in Rome with first class honors at 32, became the youngest ever rector of a Catholic major seminary in Nigeria at 34, was appointed to two Vatican International Commissions at 36, became a bishop at 38, an archbishop at 50, and a cardinal at 68. He has been auxiliary bishop of Ilorin, bishop of Ilorin, apostolic administrator of Ilorin, co-adjutor bishop of Abuja, bishop of Abuja, and Archbishop of Abuja for a combined period of 36 years. He has been a bishop for 43 years now. On Monday, August 3, 2026, marked his 57th year as a Catholic Priest.

 

Onaiyekan has been CAN Chairman of Kwara State. He has been President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) for two terms. He has been President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). He has been Co-President of the Nigeria Interreligious Council (NIREC). He has been President of the Catholic Bishops Conferences of West Africa (RECOWA) for two terms. He has been President of the Symposium of Catholic Bishops Conferences in the continent of Africa (SECAM). He has been President of the African Council for Religious Leaders (ACRL). He has been Co-President of the World Council of Religions for Peace (WCRL-RfP). He is an Honorary Life President of WRCL-RfP. He has been a Member of the General Council of the Synod of Bishops at the Vatican for several years. He has been a Member of the Global Agenda Council on Religions at the World Economic Forum (WEF). Onaiyekan has been president of every possible national and continental Christian body you can dream of. So why would anyone think he has something to gain for speaking truth to power other than the good interest of the Nigerian people?

 

As he is today, Cardinal Onaiyekan can travel on a Vatican diplomatic passport, if he wants to. He has food to eat; he has clothes to wear; he has a roof over his head; he has access to the best healthcare facilities, if need be. He has a means of mobility. He has been using the only two cars he has for 12 and 13 years respectively and has refused to change them. If he wanted new vehicles today, at the snap of a finger tens of persons will make new ones available. But he has chosen to live a life of simplicity, modesty, and frugality. He spends the gifts he receives doing charity, even to people he doesn’t know and has never met because they are in need of help. He has supported the education of countless numbers of indigent children; given hope and support to families without means of livelihood. When he speaks, he is not speaking for himself. He is speaking for the poor, the suffering, the hungry, the sick, all those whose lives have been put on hold due to the dire economic situation in the country. This is what Jesus would do!

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