Why Greedy Politicians Choose Certain Churches, Preachers – Cardinal Onaiyekan

The Emeritus Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has pointed out that politicians driven by greed often select churches and preachers that do not challenge their corrupt practices.

The respected cleric emphasized that it is the duty of religious leaders to speak truthfully to their congregations to foster meaningful societal change.

Naija News reports that Onaiyekan made these remarks during his appearance on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political show on Channels Television.

“I have noticed in Nigeria that greedy people have a way of choosing the kind of churches they go to and which preachers they listen to. If they go to a church where they are constantly being challenged and made uncomfortable, they won’t come back next Sunday but we need more of that,” the Cardinal explained.

He argued that building grand cathedrals filled with worshippers is not enough, adding that there must be a deeper, transformative impact on society.

“The official religious institutions we have in Nigeria have a task to do self-evaluation. They should ask themselves: have we been projecting the right message of our faiths? If we have been doing it, we will not have this kind of outcome.

“The kind of corrupt and godly outcomes have shown that the kind of religiousness that we have is not leading anywhere,” he stated.

Cardinal Onaiyekan cautioned against the complacency of religious institutions in Nigeria, urging them to reflect on their role.

“We cannot just be rejoicing that our churches are full, that we are building big churches. Very good but we still want to see where is godliness in all of these. And if religion does not lead to godliness, it is even worse than none at all,” he added.

The Archbishop lamented the growing corruption among the country’s leaders, whose mismanagement has deepened the nation’s poverty.

“There is so much impunity. People take a lot of things that don’t belong to them and nobody asks them. Whereas if a poor man steals a piece of yam in the village, they throw him in jail for six months or more. So, there is something wrong with the justice system,” he said.