Nigerian Cardinal Urges President to Engage with Protesters, Blames Leadership for Country’s Woes
In a stern rebuke, the Emeritus Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has called on President Bola Tinubu to take the initiative in dialogue with unarmed protesters who recently took to the streets to demand change in Nigeria.
The protesters, under the tag #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria, staged a 10-day protest against the hardship and suffering in the country. During the protest, they made several demands from President Tinubu, including dialogue.
In a nationwide broadcast, Tinubu expressed interest in dialogue with the protesters. However, Cardinal Onaiyekan faulted the president’s approach, saying that it was not enough to simply express willingness to dialogue. The cardinal urged Tinubu to take the initiative and engage with the protesters.
According to Cardinal Onaiyekan, the protesters are not the cause of Nigeria’s problems. “It is not unarmed protesters who are the cause of our problems,” he said. “Our president told us he is ready to dialogue with all those who are unhappy, but he needs to take the initiative now.”
The cardinal also criticized the government’s attitude towards the protesters, saying that it was essential to change the way they approached the issue. “Is this how to ask for dialogue? There is a need to completely change our attitude. The people (protesters) were just ordinary young people who are hungry,” he said.
Cardinal Onaiyekan emphasized that the government’s primary responsibility was to alleviate the suffering of the people. “The only way to show that you feel our pain is to do things that will relieve the suffering and pain of the people. That is what the government is there for,” he said.
The cardinal also highlighted the importance of engaging with the youth, who are often misunderstood. “When we talk about youth nowadays, we are not talking about small boys or girls; we are talking about people who are 35 and below. Most of them have graduated, and most of them have skills,” he said.
The cardinal’s comments have sparked a heated debate in Nigeria, with many calling for the government to take concrete steps to address the country’s challenges.
