You Can’t Keep Doing Wrong and Expect Good Results – Onaiyekan

The Archbishop of Abuja John Onaiyekan was last Wednesday named among the six new cardinals selected by Pope Benedict XVI. In this exclusive interview with Weekly Trust, Onaiyekan, who became a bishop at the age of 38 in 1982, making him Nigeria’s youngest prelate, speaks about his new status, the Roman Catholic community in Nigeria […]

The Archbishop of Abuja John Onaiyekan was last Wednesday named among the six new cardinals selected by Pope Benedict XVI. In this exclusive interview with Weekly Trust, Onaiyekan, who became a bishop at the age of 38 in 1982, making him Nigeria’s youngest prelate, speaks about his new status, the Roman Catholic community in Nigeria and the security challenges facing Nigeria.

What was your initial response to the news that you had been named cardinal?

When you get this kind of news even if there have been rumours about it before, when it actually does come, it’s always a surprise. It was a surprise, but also in thanksgiving to God. I know that such things only happen by the grace of God.

No matter how hard you think you’ve worked, you’re not the only one who has worked hard. Nor can we say I’m the best Archbishop right now even in Nigeria not to talk of the world and there are six of us of the whole lot in the world.

Naturally too, the choice of a cardinal is the complete prerogative of the Pope so I thank him for choosing me to be one of his close collaborators.

I thank God for my country Nigeria because this is an honour for her that the Pope decided to make the Archbishop of Abuja a cardinal.

Out here in Europe the only news about Nigeria are about Boko Haram and other bad news. I think we can do with some good news and we thank God for giving Nigeria some good news in the world today. Everybody in the last couple of days has been talking good things about Nigeria. I pray we have more in future.

How was the news broken to you?

With such things you are told in advance before the public announcement and should keep it confidential. It becomes official only after the Pope has announced it. But in this situation I was told just the night before.

Did you scream, did you smile?

(Laughter) No, no, I didn’t. When the second in command to the Pope called me, I knew there was something serious because he doesn’t just call you like that.

The context for this kind of information is a very solemn one. When he mentioned it to me, I knew it was a serious responsibility. I thanked him, I told him to thank the Pope for me. I asked him to pray for me and I knelt down for him to bless me.

Why do you think you were chosen?

I really can’t say. We didn’t sit for an exam so I can’t say I passed it. When this sort of thing happens to you, you ask yourself why did God do this to me? It must be that He has a special mission for me to accomplish.

As archbishop my work carries some amount of weight. It gives me the opportunity to talk to different kinds of people.

Now as cardinal, it’s even more serious. It is also a global responsibility.

What does being a cardinal mean now for you?

I’m not leaving Abuja and the Pope hasn’t given me a new job in Rome. But it means I’ll be traveling a lot to Rome being amongst those who advise the Pope. That is the job of all of us 125 cardinals across the world.

Reports have described the new selection of cardinals as multinational as against the past where it was more European. Why do you think it was so?

Such speculations go on a lot among journalists and they are quite free to do so. As far as I’m concerned the Pope decides who becomes cardinal. He can choose all the cardinals from Germany or from Nigeria if he likes. We are not a United Nations where we should have these discussions and in any case it’s not something I’m interested in.

How do you intend to use your new status for the benefit of your faith and humanity?

When this news was brought to me, I was told the Holy Father was aware of my efforts as Archbishop of Abuja. I take this to mean that the main outline of my pastoral work trying to preach the catholic faith in Abuja, working with members of my church and also reaching out to others who are not members and our concerns for the good of our country for peace and progress of our nation and above all for religious peace and harmony; I take it to mean that my own church at the highest level is confirming that it is the right path to go. That gives me joy and encouragement to continue.

I believe very firmly that religion is a good thing. We’ve said it over and over again that every religion has to do with God.

Therefore all of us who seriously believe in religion have to make plans and as it were stand their grounds to get things done properly.

I’ll keep trying my best in this regard.

In Nigeria, especially, the foreign press is always looking at us as if we’re a country where Christians and Muslims are always fighting and maybe some of our people give that impression too. But my conviction which I believe is based on the reality on ground is that we can and indeed are doing a good job living well together despite Boko Haram, the activities of fanatics on all sides, not just on one side and the manipulation of religion by people with all kinds of agenda and interests. I think it’s the job of the religious leader to make sure that he is not diverted from his God-given mission.

You are known for your role in promoting interreligious dialogue and tolerance. Where do you draw inspiration to carry on with this?

Let me first correct the word ‘tolerance’. I don’t like the word because I tolerate someone I don’t like. There is nothing I can do about it, so I tolerate you. We should not be tolerating each other. We should welcome and respect one another. This is why I always reject the word, religious tolerance. We should talk more of religious/mutual respect and collaboration.

Having said that, inspiration comes physically from my Christian faith which expects that I think good of everybody and do all I can to spread whatever is good and peaceful. More directly my catholic faith and the basic documents of the catholic religion have come up with very clear statements and ideas that are exactly what I try to implement in my life.

We have ‘Documents of the II Vatican’ which every bishop is supposed to follow to guide him in his life. What the document says of relating with other religions is exactly what I’m trying to do. It says we should respect all religions and wherever we find good people we should welcome them and recognize that any good thing comes from the same God who directs our affairs. It’s not a question of thinking that my main job is to be attacking people and to go conquering others but rather to let the kingdom of God be seen. Kingdom of justice more than peace and to work hard on my own self so that the way I live will reflect what Jesus is all about.

Don’t get me wrong; if you ask me what my greatest desire is, it is for all Nigerians to become catholic and members of Abuja archdiocese. But I know it will not happen. I know that for the moment God wants me to live in peace with everybody. This is what I’m trying to do.

Against this, what would you say are the greatest challenges you’ve encountered?

Well, I don’t know whether to speak in those terms. The only challenge, if I can say so, is that certain things are clearer and you realise that there are some people who don’t see it the same way. You don’t want to judge anybody’s intentions. I take it to mean that they are acting in good faith.

For example, when I see young men enthusiastic about their devotion to God, take the wrong path planting bombs and shooting people who are at prayer, and do it thinking that they are truly doing what God wants them to do, it’s very painful.

Although, I know it is wrong there is not much I can do about it. I don’t even have access to them to tell them, ‘Listen my children, don’t do that.’ You do the much you can and keep praying to God to grant us peace in our hearts and in the way we live our lives.

What in your view is responsible for the recurrent violence and killings?

I hope Nigerians will not forget that our country is full of intolerable violence. And I repeat intolerable. Violence that should not be tolerated and let’s not hang this only on Boko Haram or violence in Jos and Kaduna. We have been dealing with violence of armed robbery all over the country which is still on. There is violence between communities like we here of incidences in Nassarawa and Benue states. This is going on all around us. A good government would have found a way to ensure that law abiding citizens are defended and protected from such. This is the challenge we have before us.

By the way, there is also the violence of bad government and corruption and oppression of the people. This is silent but deadly violence. Violence of imposed and unnecessary poverty in a country that has plenty resources to make every Nigerian live a decent life.

And those who by commission or omission decide not to run affairs well and are able to get away with it because they control the instruments of power and force, are inflicting violence on all of us.

There is intolerable and unjust violence all over the country. It is about time, rather than point accusing fingers to any particular group we should start looking at the way we run our nation. The way our relationship is to one another is, and to ensure that our community is organized in a way that gives no room for mindless and the kind of fanaticism that we have.

You became Nigeria’s youngest bishop at 38, what have your experiences over the years thought you?

We never stop learning; when you stop learning, you’ve died. Some lessons learned are a confirmation of our convictions. Some others are a correction of the positions taken which may not be according to the reality on ground which continue to challenge us.

The lessons I’ve learnt is in the sense of a positive one. I believe that human beings are good and need to give them the benefit of doubt. I’ve learnt from experience that it’s true. I’ve friends everywhere. Actually, I can say that I’ve no enemy and I don’t know anybody who says he’s my enemy.

This is a lesson I’ve learnt that also helps me live positively. I’ve no anxieties or bad hearts towards anybody. You know these hard feelings cause hypertension and cause heart attack.

Another thing I’ve learnt is to be patient with other people. I know others may not think of things as I see them but I’ve learnt to be patient with them and presume their goodwill.

That whatever they are doing even if I think it’s wrong they don’t intend to do something wrong. When people hurt me I don’t immediately say it was intentional but that it just happens that his actions hurt me and I presume he has his reasons. When I get to know him, I’ll see the reasons. I may have done or said something that caused his actions.

That’s why when I see that someone has let a bomb off in a church I pray God to help them see it’s not the way forward.

It helps neither them nor anyone else, especially the suicide bombers. This is the height of tragedy because these are loved ones of other people.

I’ve also learnt that you cannot continue doing wrong and expect good results. And as long as the country doesn’t rule itself according to compound rules of justice and truth we’ll continue to stumble and fumble. There’s no short cut to good governance.

There must be basic honesty, basic justice as well as concern especially for those who are most in need. When these things don’t form the basic elements of governance we end up with a jungle where you have the survival of the most ruthless. You’ll win election if you can kill enough people or bribe enough. The result is that you are not going to get a good government out of that. It’s in everybody’s interest to do things properly.

On this, Christianity and Islam agree.

What do you see as the main issues that need addressing in the Nigerian Roman Catholic community?

This is precisely the reason we’ve been in Rome for the past three weeks. The priority of the church is evangelization. The work of the church is to proclaim the good news of Jesus, by word and by action so that people can better understand their faith and put it to practice within and outside our church.

This has been the church’s project from the beginning. How that works out in individual cases will depend on what the immediate challenges are.

Dress code seems to be a problem in parishes across Abuja. Some ladies are embarrassed for wearing trousers to church or not covering their hair, whether foreigners or Nigerians. How can worship be standardized in this regard?

As far as the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja is concerned I’ve not made any rules about dress codes in the church. I expect people to use their common sense to dress decently when coming to church. If the president invited any girl for an audience will she dress carelessly, unless she has other intentions?

Once we know we are going to worship God and there are others who are going for the same reason we should not dress as if we are going to a nite club. For me that rule is enough.

Now, whether you should cover your hair or not, there’s no law in our church about that. Whether you wear trousers or not is not the point. The point is whether what you wear is indecent and I think people know when they are improperly dressed. There are polite ways of telling such people to dress better. The church wardens should be well trained to do this.

What I worry about is what I think God worries about. This is for people to come to church with a clean heart. This is the most important thing. This even is not in our competence to judge.

You were recently shortlisted for the Nobel Peace Prize…

(Laughter) As for that I don’t know where it came from I was deeply surprised and pleased. I don’t know who nominated me. I thank whoever decided to nominate me very much.

Do you see an African becoming Pope some day?

There’s nothing in our law against it. It’s possible.

What would you like to be remembered for?

I’m not living my life so that I’ll leave any legacies for anybody. When I finish and go, those around will decided what legacies they think I’ve left. My only task is to do the work God has sent me. My hope and objective is to get to heaven.