EEBen II ✈️🇻🇦

Book 📚 lover, Aviation, environmentalists, maritime cadet, Chelsea FC fan..

[Tony Ajah @tonyajah]

THESE CATHOLIC PRIESTS!

It was a young Catholic priest, several years ago, who gathered a crowd of worshippers in Abuja in the middle of the rainy season, having invited me to minister in songs to them in an outdoor evangelical outreach.

When I expressed my concern about the weather, he smiled and declared authoritatively, "this rain will cooperate with us!"

The thunderstorm was fierce and relentless that day, but, guess what? The rain paused all evening until I dropped the microphone and the people dispersed. Then the torrential downpour resumed.

It was a young Catholic priest in Port Harcourt who made one of the most profound statements I've heard in my walk with God.

"My needs are few, if any. I have little or no need for the money I receive."
The peace of contentment was all over him as he spoke.

"Be content with such things as ye have..." ( Hebrews 13:5)
and the likes... are Bible verses we hardly hear these days.
You would think such scriptures have been deleted from the Bible.

And now again!

This Catholic priest just made us all proud as Christians, speaking the naked truth to Mr President, eyeball to eyeball. Whatever your political inclination, whatever you may think of the opinions he expressed, there aren't many Christian leaders who have spoken their minds so courageously, without guile.

Suddenly, the lines from George Duffield's 1858 hymn "STAND UP FOR JESUS" in my Methodist Hymn book came alive!

"Let courage rise with danger
And strength to strength oppose...'

"Where duty calls, or danger
Be never wanting there!"

Thank you, Cardinal John Onaiyekan. Thanks indeed.
The church of Jesus Christ is ONE BIG FAMILY!

~ Mr Buchi

[Peter Obi @PeterObi]

When a Government Declares War on the Truth

President Donald Trump of America recently described Nigeria as “a now disgraced country.” The painful reality is that Nigeria’s challenges continue to deepen. Each passing day reveals deeper signs of decline, especially when a government becomes increasingly intolerant of truth and hostile to those who speak about the suffering of the people.

The Catholic Church has never functioned as an opposition party in Nigeria. Across military regimes and successive democratic administrations, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has maintained a principled voice on national issues and the nation’s conscience, commending governments when they deserved commendation and speaking the truth whenever national conscience demanded it. Its interventions are driven by a moral obligation, rooted in Christian social teaching, to defend truth, justice, and the common good.

The same applies to Nigeria’s major religious organisations. Bodies such as Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN), the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) have repeatedly raised concerns over economic hardship, inflation, and insecurity. Living among the people, religious leaders often encounter the suffering of citizens firsthand. They speak because they witness families struggling with rising food prices, unemployment, and the fear created by kidnappings and insecurity.

As leaders, we should be gracious enough to listen to people and organisations that speak the truth to us and genuinely criticise us when things are not going in the right direction. As Governor, I had the opportunity of working with a very strong Council of Traditional Rulers, led by the Obi of Onitsha, and religious bodies that consistently criticised me and offered suggestions. This contributed greatly to our success in Anambra State, especially in critical areas like education and health.

Against this background, the attacks on the CBCN, and especially on His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, are deeply troubling. Even in 1998, when Pope John Paul II visited Nigeria and told General Abacha some hard truths, including about the incarceration of Chief Moshood Abiola, nobody vilified him.

During the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV in Rome, to demonstrate his purported commitment to and respect for the Catholic Church, President Bola Tinubu arrived in Rome days before the event, ahead of most other visiting dignitaries, including Catholics such as the U.S. Vice President, JD Vance. He participated in the liturgy, queued with other world leaders to greet the Holy Father, and displayed deep respect for the moral authority of the Church. Back in Nigeria, however, that posture has now changed completely.

What is playing out today also reveals how political leaders sometimes exploit religion and ethnicity to divide the people. Even when it was obvious that the CBCN was speaking on issues affecting Nigerians across religious and ethnic boundaries, aides to the President immediately reduced it to a “religious affair.” The question is: are insecurity, poverty, inflation, unemployment, and hardship problems exclusive to a particular faith? Do these challenges recognise religious or tribal boundaries?

The bishops merely expressed what millions of Nigerians experience daily: insecurity has worsened, poverty is deepening, inflation is crippling families, businesses are struggling, and hope is fading. These are realities echoed by religious leaders across the country, to whom successive governments gave thanks and promised to look into their observations.

Rather than address these concerns or explain the measures in place to ameliorate them, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s aides and supporters responded with vicious attacks, particularly against Cardinal John Onaiyekan, with little regard for his age, stature, and accomplishments.

[Kingdom 👑 @lessons_kingdom]

Here's the best parenting class.

[Peter Obi Grassroots Mobilization. @PO_GrassRootM]

“Wike can’t even stop Cøws roaming the streets of the FCT he’s afraid of them yet he finds the boldness to attack Peter Obi every single day.”

~~ Isaac Fayose

[Andrew @Andrewnkem]

The feud from the Bishop’s visit to the President and the interview held by John Cardinal Onaiyekan is unending. This Monsignor response really shake the table of the Presidential Aides

“I do think that sycophancy is unfortunately one of the biggest base of Nigeria political structure. If people who work for the presidency or work for the government or even other institutions peddle in lies, in pretense and in fiddling while Rome burn, in not giving good advice, it doesn’t turn out good. And to act like an attack dog to great people who are patriotic for our country is something that is not only unfortunate, it is a disgrace. So
When I hear someone who is paid salary for making noise like Daniel Bwala or Mr Ajayi, what I say is gentlemen, play it down, just be a little more civil.
… A meeting between the Bishops and the President was aired by Television - NTA was there and other television houses were there. The decision held are not like confessional and going to speak about the issues of the nation were there in public. Snippets of them have been released outside there. What is the secret? Insecurity, is it a secret? The educational imbalance, is it a secret?, the fact that the economy is very low, is it a secret? The Bishops told the President that the people around you are part of the problem and we can see it now in this type of outburst.
Who are those around the President?
Anybody who sits around the corridors of power has 2 advantages- (1) you have access to where decisions are taken (the names are clear and those who work there know themselves) and (2) you either give advice left or right, either you are honest or dishonest, it’s either you are personal or for the common good. So these persons have the opportunity to advise rightly or wrongly. People
in power must have those who must remind them of their limitations otherwise the praise singing will carry you away”

[Peter Obi @PeterObi]

Here is a man who had the best Higher School Certificate result in the old Northern Region in 1962 and who rose through the ranks of the Catholic Church to become a Cardinal, a position that places him among those eligible to be considered for the papacy. Yet he is no ordinary cleric. He is one of Africa’s most respected churchmen, known for decades of service to peace, dialogue, scholarship, and national unity. Resorting to personal attacks against him weakens public discourse and reveals an unhealthy intolerance of criticism in today’s Nigerian political space.

Throughout history, religious leaders have challenged political authorities. Biblical prophets confronted kings, and modern faith communities continue to hold governments accountable. Nigeria has a similar tradition. The Catholic Church criticised military governments and successive civilian administrations, including those of Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, Jonathan, and Buhari. Muslim organisations have done likewise. Governments respectfully disagreed at times, but they generally recognised the right and responsibility of religious bodies to speak. Why, then, does the truth provoke such anger today?

The problem often begins when leaders surround themselves with voices that tell them only what they want to hear. Napoleon Bonaparte was reputed to have preferred hearing bad news because problems were where leadership was required. During my tenure as Governor of Anambra State, I maintained a similar philosophy. I expected cabinet members to bring me problems, not compliments, because only honest feedback could lead to solutions.

Good governance depends on truth. When governments punish truth-tellers and reward sycophants with appointments, honest advisers withdraw, sycophancy thrives, and leaders become disconnected from reality. This is our situation today.

The CBCN did not insult the President and can never do so, given the calibre of the people who make up the Conference, some of the finest among Nigerians. It gave voice to the suffering of Nigerians. The proper response was to thoughtfully address the issues raised, not attack those who raised them. When respected figures like Cardinal Onaiyekan are vilified for speaking the truth, the message sent to citizens is that silence is safer than honesty. No democracy can flourish under such a culture.

Religious leaders should continue to speak because silence in the face of suffering would betray their moral responsibility. The greatest service those around President Tinubu can render him is an honest appraisal of the situation. A leader who hears only praise will never fully understand the pain of his people or find the clarity needed to correct what is wrong.

A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO

[EEBen II ✈️🇻🇦 @EssienBenson3]

@PeterObi One thing is for sure.. this anyhow government cannot shut down our voices. We're tired of their hypocrisy, lies, criminal acts, betrayal, stealing and frustration. Come 2027 this country must rise from its ashes.

[EEBen II ✈️🇻🇦 @EssienBenson3]

@PitBull40855745 @Nedumcity_ Grok is schooling this clown 🤡

[EEBen II ✈️🇻🇦 @EssienBenson3]

@ChelseaFC Tosin keh... 😤 Tired of seeing his name on the teams list.

[Peter Obi Grassroots Mobilization. @PO_GrassRootM]

“Do not record another person’s votes as mine, and do not transfer my votes to anyone else. Give me exactly what I earned at the polling units.”

- Peter Obi tells INEC

[EEBen II ✈️🇻🇦 @EssienBenson3]

@Xabi_era1 He is wearing the Chelsea FC shirt and shorts already so no offence.

[EEBen II ✈️🇻🇦 @EssienBenson3]

@Xabi_era1 Even Jose signed a Chelsea shirt when at Madrid, Inter so no big deal 🤝

[EEBen II ✈️🇻🇦 @EssienBenson3]

@Iyoaiye_ The acronym doesn't even match the name of the letter head and this one thinks it's from the Catholic church... Catholic Youth speaking against their Cardinal and Bishop? Really? And you believe it?
Guy go back and be born again cause your brain is not properly formed.

[EEBen II ✈️🇻🇦 @EssienBenson3]

@Iyoaiye_ 🤣🤣🤣🤣 your brain is full of 🌽🌽🌽🌽🌽🌽🌽
Please get a life, get a proper job if you're jobless. What village did you crawl out from?
You're not even Catholic, you don't even know the true documents from the Catholic Church, just carry phone type rubbish.

[EEBen II ✈️🇻🇦 @EssienBenson3]

@FrUgochukwu The World at large, the Catholic Church has done so much for it. We don't do it for doing sake or to compete with others. The Catholic Church has done a lot because it's a mandate from Christ himself, "Go into the world... Teach them... Feed my sheep.."

[Zekeri Idris Jnr @IdrisZekeriJnr]

Before some of the intellectual lilliputians now attempting to denigrate our revered Catholic Archbishops in defence of the bunker-trapped Forger-in-Chief masquerading as an illegitimate President were even born, the Catholic Bishops were already speaking truth to power.

This is from March 1996. The Church’s prophetic voice did not begin today, and it certainly will not be silenced by hired propagandists or political opportunists.

[@𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗷𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗯𝗼𝘆 @OneJoblessBoy]

"Nobody ever paid for the gruesome murd3r of Deborah..."

- Dele Farotimi

[EEBen II ✈️🇻🇦 @EssienBenson3]

@IdrisZekeriJnr No persecution can bring it down, APC is too little to bring such fight to the church. As a Mother, the church offers her love and compassion, they better repent or stand answerable to Christ the head of the Church.

[EEBen II ✈️🇻🇦 @EssienBenson3]

@IdrisZekeriJnr They think the Catholic Church is one political party or small organisation that is not organised or can be bought. Lol

The Catholic Church was founded by Christ, built upon the Apostles and passed down to our present age. It's survived emperor Nero, and many others.

[EEBen II ✈️🇻🇦 @EssienBenson3]

@IdrisZekeriJnr They can never forget their way into our hearts and even if they do forge/force, they can't forge/force their way into heaven.
CRIMINALS in government.