Why Cardinal Onaiyekan Was Right to Speak After Meeting Tinubu

Cardinal John Onaiyekan was right to speak publicly after the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria met with President Bola Tinubu. The meeting was neither a confession nor a legally confidential proceeding. Unless both sides agreed to secrecy, there is no clear moral or legal basis for preventing participants from discussing issues of public concern. Catholic bishops have a pastoral duty to speak on justice, human dignity, security and the common good. Explaining their understanding of a meeting that affects millions of Nigerians is not the same as revealing state secrets. It is part of responsible democratic engagement. Government may have access to intelligence and other privileged information, but this does not invalidate concerns raised by religious leaders, civil society, journalists or citizens. Independent voices remain necessary for public accountability. The real question is whether Cardinal Onaiyekan's comments were truthful, fair and directed at the common good. Respectful dialogue between religious leaders and public officials should not be limited to private meetings when national issues require public discussion.

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