Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Chairman of the Northern Christian Association (NCA), Rev. John Joseph Hayab, has mounted a robust defence of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) following the presidency's sharp criticism of their recent engagement with President Bola Tinubu, declaring that the clerics merely echoed the daily realities confronting Nigerians and were unfairly dismissed by the presidency. Speaking on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, during an interview on Trust TV's Day Break programme, Hayab insisted that the bishops' observations reflected widespread public sentiment rather than a denominational or partisan position, and he warned that the President may have been "caged, misinformed or terribly misled" by those around him.
Hayab's intervention came in the wake of a heated public exchange that followed the closed-door meeting between President Tinubu and the Catholic bishops on July 28, 2026. During that engagement, the bishops raised concerns about worsening economic hardship, persistent insecurity, and the general state of governance, with Cardinal John Onaiyekan later revealing in a television interview that the President had rejected their assessment. The presidency subsequently criticised Onaiyekan for publicly disclosing details of the private meeting, with some aides accusing him of an "abuse of clerical privilege" and suggesting that the Catholic Church was politically aligned with opposition figures.
Hayab rejected those characterisations, stressing that the bishops' message was not a Catholic position but a Nigerian reality. "Anything the Catholic bishops said is not just a Christian position; it is a Nigerian feeling. It is a Nigerian reality," he said. He questioned whether anyone could genuinely dispute the existence of hunger, insecurity, and economic hardship across the country, insisting that the bishops merely conveyed what ordinary Nigerians had been telling them. "They reminded the president of what they are hearing from Nigerians because people go to their bishops and ask, 'Aren't you watching? Nigerians are hungry. There is insecurity. Everything seems to be moving towards a one-party state,'" the cleric said.
Hayab criticised President Tinubu's response to the bishops' observations, describing it as unnecessary and suggesting that those advising the President were doing him a disservice. "If he actually read it from his prepared speech, then his speechwriters have a serious problem because they are not helping this president," Hayab said. He maintained that the President should have simply acknowledged the concerns raised and expressed willingness to engage further, rather than dismissing the bishops' input. "All he needed to say was, 'I have heard you. We are doing our best, but your further information will help us identify where the gaps are so we can correct them,'" he said.
Instead, Hayab said, the tone of the response raised questions about the quality of advice reaching the President. "To use such language against people who were not seeking contracts, political appointments or personal gain, but were genuinely concerned about the country, shows that our president has either been caged, misinformed or terribly misled by some people, so that he does not understand what Nigerians are going through," Hayab declared. The statement, which has been widely reported across Nigerian media, represents one of the most direct criticisms of the President's inner circle from a prominent northern Christian leader.
The NCA chairman also rejected attempts to portray the controversy as a dispute involving only the Catholic Church, stressing that Christian leaders across denominations command respect because of their spiritual roles rather than their church affiliations. "We respect our bishops, just as we respect Pastor Kumuyi, Pastor Adeboye, Bishop Oyedepo, the Anglican Primate, the Methodist Prelate, the Baptist President and many others," he said. "We respect them because they preach Christ, not because of the denomination they belong to." Hayab argued that attaching political motives to the bishops' comments was unfair and distracted attention from the substantive issues they raised.
Hayab's remarks were also aimed at Daniel Bwala, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Policy Communications, who had earlier accused Cardinal Onaiyekan of being "more political than spiritual" and of rooting for Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). The NCA chairman described Bwala's comments as "shameful and a disservice" to President Tinubu, insisting that the bishops offered honest counsel intended to help the President succeed and move the country forward. "Honest counsel has been given to Mr President for his own good and for a better Nigeria," Hayab said.
The NCA chairman further warned that any government official who chooses propaganda over addressing the genuine concerns of citizens was doing more harm than good to the nation. "Any voice of greed, propaganda or disconnect with the citizens by any government appointee like Bwala should be seen as those destroying the country for their selfish interest, not minding the larger population," he said. He cautioned that unless the country's challenges were addressed, all Nigerians, irrespective of political affiliation, would bear the consequences. "Sadly for people like Bwala, if things do not improve, we shall all suffer together and live to see our country not growing as it should be," he stated.
Hayab reaffirmed the association's confidence in the Catholic bishops, describing them as patriotic leaders whose intervention was motivated by genuine concern for both President Tinubu and the nation. "The NCA knows that our Catholic bishops mean well and love the President and the country more than those insulting their honest counsel," he said. He emphasised that acknowledging achievements recorded by the Tinubu administration should not prevent the government from confronting the suffering experienced by millions of Nigerians. "No one is saying this government has done nothing," he said. "But despite whatever has been achieved, we must ask whether the ordinary Nigerian can feel the impact."
The NCA's intervention comes amid a broader groundswell of support for the Catholic bishops from various quarters, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who had earlier condemned the presidency's attack on Cardinal Onaiyekan, and Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, who described the Catholic bishops as "the conscience of the country." The Northern Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has also rallied behind the bishops, urging other faith leaders to emulate Cardinal Onaiyekan's courage in speaking truth to power. The escalating war of words between the presidency and religious leaders underscores the growing political tensions ahead of the 2027 general elections, as the Catholic Church and other religious institutions increasingly assert their moral authority in the face of what many perceive as a governance crisis.
For Hayab and the Northern Christian Association, the message is clear: the bishops have done their duty by speaking truth to power, and it is now up to the government to respond with action rather than attacks on the messenger. As one observer put it, the controversy has exposed a presidency that appears increasingly defensive in the face of legitimate criticism, and a religious community that is unwilling to remain silent in the face of mounting hardship. Whether the Tinubu administration will heed the bishops' concerns or continue to dismiss them as partisan remains to be seen, but Hayab's warning that the President has been "caged, misinformed or misled" has added a powerful new voice to the growing chorus demanding accountability and honesty from those in power.
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