Tinubu: Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown, by Kola Amzat 

Ordinarily, it is supposed to be a cordial meeting. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) were reportedly to have sought an audience with the president. By virtue of their eminent status in Nigeria as a key bloc in Christendom, the president promptly granted their request.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces could have denied them the audience. He could have avoided them by citing very busy state schedules. He could have also decided to embark on unscheduled foreign trips.

But, he was magnanimous. He allowed the meeting to be held.

Curiously, they came with an intimidating team of twenty high rated Archbishops, Bishops and Cardinals drawn from their churches across the federation. Yes, a very intimidating team! It’s now very obvious what they intended to achieve with the high powered team.  May be, they were also aggrieved with the repeated APC Muslim-Muslim ticket for the forthcoming polls.   

This writer is of the opinion that a meeting of this nature aimed at discussing key issues of national importance didn’t require that crowd. Key executive members (EXCO)-president, vice president, secretary general and publicity secretary would have suffice.

Despite this and characteristics of who he is, the president remained himself-ever confident, brave, audacious, dominant and witty.

Then, they made their presentation that was arranged in a carefully packaged document which according to them reflected the position of the Catholics’ Conference as well as representation of the views of their members across the federation.

The carefully arranged and orchestrated document which was presented on their behalf by the president of the body, Archbishop Matthew Ndagoso highlighted concerns over security, poor leadership, tertiary education, democratic stability and credible elections and poverty. 

From their presentation, it’s apparent that they came to the meeting with PREJUDICE.

A discerning and well-informed mind could easily decipher that they were frontally, as the objective of their well-packaged presentation was aimed at putting the president on EDGE and UNEASY MODE throughout the meeting.

But, as I earlier submitted, he outmaneuvered and outwitted them.

Readers should imagine the implications of presentation like the followings to the president of Nigeria who magnanimously granted them audience: economy is in a parlous state and that it is crushing ordinary families, with president responding that economy is on rebound on account of his administration’s reform measures even though the benefits are yet to cascade way down; expression of concerns about public confidence in INEC to conduct a free and fair election. They went further that there may not be a level playing field in next year’s general elections, a remark that attracted this response from the president “Whoever wants power should be ready to wrestle for it”

It’s clear from the above that visitation of the Archbishops and Bishops was more than meets the eye.

Despite their premeditated intention to cast doubt and aspersions on him and his administration, the president displayed equanimity with his unmistakable responses to all questions posed at him, pointedly making them see reasons why some tough decisions had to be taken.

With all intents and purposes, no association or body no matter highly revered should engage in such abuse of privilege as exhibited by the Catholics Bishop. After-all, the president could as well make that BETTER-FORGOTTEN meeting impossible. It’s not compulsory that the Commander-in-Chief should interact and interface with every association or body or group of individuals particularly as the nation inches to another general election. .

Despite all the misgivings that attended the meeting, it could be inferred that the meeting closed on a FRIENDLY NOTE.

Not until Archbishop Onayekan appeared on Arise TV program where he came blackmailing the president and attempted to ridicule and subject to scorn and contempt the office Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria.   

Below is the account of Archbishop Onayekan’s presentation during the Arise TV program:

“The bishops expressed concerns over worsening hardship, insecurity and the state of democracy, but the President disagreed with our assessment, insisting that his administration was making progress.

According to the cleric, the bishops had no political agenda or personal interests but were fulfilling their moral responsibility to speak on the suffering of Nigerians.

Cardinal Onaiyekan also commented that those around the President might not be giving him an accurate picture of the realities facing ordinary Nigerians, adding that Tinubu appeared dissatisfied with the bishops’ assessment of the country’s economic situation.

He went further- “President Tinubu’s facial expression showed dissatisfaction with the bishops’ assessment of the economy and that, instead accepting their concerns, he argued that the economy was improving”

“You asked me, how did I see the face of the President in reaction? I was not surprised that he was not looking very happy. Not even his colleagues who were there. We knew that this is different from kind of statements that our president receiving from all kinds of people”  

It does appear that the cleric has a personal score to settle with the president. Otherwise, how could a highly regarded cleric engage in this pedestrian and pettiness?  

The Cardinal remarks were most uncharitable, unbecoming, ungracious and unbecoming of someone who has been a leader in the vineyard of God for decades.   

Of course, no one does that and goes scot. He doesn’t have the liberty and authority to engage in such ignominy and grandstanding.

Nigerians would vividly recollect that Cardinal Onayekan wasn’t only favorably disposed to candidature of Peter Obi during the 2023 presidential election, he vociferously mobilized Catholics faithful across the country to vote for him. Without any attempt to question his political affiliation or leaning, Nigerians expect the cleric to display decorum, restraint and decency.    

What are we talking about? He is only one of the many Catholic leaders across the country. He’s neither the president nor the vice president. He is not even the general secretary or publicity secretary who is ordinarily supposed to be the Spokesman of the body. He is Assistant Secretary, far in the leadership hierarchy.

Why is he continually behaving as if he is the lord of the Catholic community in Nigeria?

Meanwhile, the president during the meeting took time to explain how he inherited rot in Assets and Liabilities from his predecessors and how the administration has to initiate multifaceted reforms in order for the nation to come out of the wood.

It’s curious that no commendation has been made on the government’s multifaceted efforts to re-fix, refocus and reposition the country featured in their presentation.

The Conference of Bishops totally feigned ignorance of the impressive economic records with a continued impressive trade surplus, foreign reserves that presently stands at $52,33 billion, NGX that has crossed ₦150 trillion mark –indication of solid trust and confidence of local and foreign investors in the nation economy, and of course, humongous savings from fuel subsidy removal that have facilitated availability of huge monthly allocations to the three tiers of government, a tremendous development that has necessitated spring up of infrastructural facilities, medical and educational improvement, technological and digital architecture, as well as improvement in social facilities all across the country.

They also felt unconcerned at audacious road projects of Lagos-Calabar coastal express road, Lagos-Sokoto-Illela-Badagry express way, as well as Trans Saharan Road projects, developmental initiatives that are unprecedented in the annals of this country.

Of course, they weren’t bothered with the administration’s Petroleum, Power and Tax sector reforms, a strategic initiative with potential to completely turn the tide in the economic landscape, and ultimately place the nation in the midst of developed nations across the globe.  

There are other milestones that have been recorded in healthcare, social investment schemes, education, even security etc which ordinarily should have attracted their applause.

Why this level of animosity against a president who in all reasonableness meant well? Why can’t we encourage him to paddle the ship of the nation to safety?

Yes, things are tough, but nothing good comes easy. This writer sees in the president sincerity, willpower, zeal, bravery and audacity to take difficult decisions that have not only been parried in the past by successive administrations, but capable of bringing the nation to a state of prosperity.

This writer encourages Nigerians to exercise patience with this government, as Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar are not credible options. Obviously, they don’t have what it takes to lead this PRODIGIOUSLY ENDOWED nation to the point of safety. They’ve been tested in the past; the results were disastrous. Let reference comments of Chief Obasanjo on Atiku and many key political players on Peter Obi concerning past stewardship. This is enough to encourage us to continue to cast our loins on President Tinubu.           

Kola AMZAT (FCA, FCIB, ACS, MBA, Bsc )

Lagos based Financial & Management Consultants,

09077509348.