On the dichotomy of kingly power and clerical obligations, there is an undisputed demarcation. Unto kings is given the power to guarantee the orderly governance of the state and the welfare of citizens in a republic. But the ultimate preoccupation of the divine is the good of all humanity....
Catholic Bishops of Nigeria
Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticised what he described as growing intolerance of criticism by the Federal Government, warning that attacking respected religious leaders instead of addressing Nigeria’s mounting challenges reflects a dangerous attitude toward truth. In a post titled “When a Government Declares War...
Former Minister of Transportation and African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate for the 2027 election, Rotimi Amaechi, has come to the defence of Catholic Cardinal John Onaiyekan, insisting the respected cleric is motivated solely by concern for the welfare of Nigerians and not by partisan politics. Amaechi made the...
Former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has commended the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) for what he described as its courage and patriotism in speaking out on the country’s mounting socio-economic and security challenges. In a post shared on his official X account on Tuesday, Kwankwaso...
HISTORY has never been kind to institutions that mistake political opportunism for moral clarity. When the leadership of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), led by Most Rev. Matthew Ndagoso, accompanied by Archbishop Emeritus John Cardinal Onaiyekan, stepped into the State House on July 28, 2026, Nigerians expected...
I read the article titled “Cardinal Onaiyekan’s Abuse of Clerical Privilege” by Temitope Ajayi with great interest. Surely, the article raises important questions about the relationship between the Church and the State. However, I believe some of its conclusions, particularly from the perspectives of constitutional democracy and the Church’s...
Presidential media aide Daniel Bwala has criticised comments by Cardinal John Onaiyekan on Nigeria’s economy, arguing that the Catholic cleric was expressing a political opinion rather than speaking on behalf of the entire Christian community. In a post shared on his X account on Saturday, Bwala maintained that Cardinal...
There is something fundamentally inappropriate about Cardinal John Onaiyekan granting a television interview to offer his own account and interpretation of what transpired during the private meeting between the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria and President Bola Tinubu. It is, in my view, an abuse of clerical privilege. The...
Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his recent remarks on hunger in Nigeria, describing the statement as insensitive to the hardship being experienced by millions of citizens. In a post shared on his official X account on Friday, Obi said...
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Tuesday in Abuja, assured that the ongoing restructuring of security operations and institutions will deliver victory over terrorism, banditry and kidnappings across the country. Receiving the leadership of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), led by its President, Most Rev. Matthew Ndagoso, at...
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday received members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) on a courtesy visit at the State House in Abuja. The delegation was led by the Archbishop of Kaduna and President of the CBCN, Most Rev. Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso,
Catholic Church in Nigeria has announced the death of the Metropolitan Archbishop of Benin City, Most Rev. Augustine Obiora Akubeze, who passed away on Thursday, July 9, 2026, at the age of 69. The announcement was made in a statement issued by the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria and signed...
Former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has expressed deep sorrow over the death of the Catholic Bishop of Abakaliki Diocese, Most Rev. Peter Nworie Chukwu, describing his passing as a significant loss to the Church and humanity. In a condolence message shared on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Obi paid...
There has been widespread excitement within Nigeria’s Catholic community following the appointment of Bishop Matthew Kukah by Pope Leo XIV as a Member of the Council of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development at Vatican City. The appointment was conveyed in an official letter signed by the Vatican...
Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) has issued a strongly worded statement condemning the escalating wave of killings and abductions across the country, warning that Nigeria is fast becoming a “field of grief” as violence continues unchecked. In a joint press statement titled: “ _The Cry of the Innocent: Stop...
In a brazen act of violence, unidentified gunmen ambushed and fatally shot Rev. Fr. Matthew Eya, the dedicated parish priest of St. Charles Catholic Church in Eha-Ndiagu, Nsukka Local Government Area, Enugu State. The attack unfolded late Friday evening as Fr. Eya made his way back to the parish...
▪︎ 32 Others Rescued in Zamfara Catholic Bishop of Maiduguri Diocese, John Bakeni, has commended the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Army for successfully rescuing Reverend Father Alphonsus Afina, who was kidnapped on June 1, by Boko Haram insurgents. Father Afina’s kidnap in Gworza, Borno State,...
The recent statement by the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria condemning the persistent killings in Benue State and the silence—or complicity—of both the Federal and Benue State governments is a just cry. I commend the bishops for rising above denominational and partisan affiliations to speak boldly for the oppressed. This...