Catholic Bishops: Knights Ask Presidency To Tolerate Opposing Views

The Knights of St. John International and Ladies Auxiliary (KSJI) Nigeria has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other leaders in the country to embrace opposing views from credible, apolitical and critical stakeholders as part of efforts towards nation building.

The organisation made the call in a statement it issued against the backdrop of the controversy generated by the recent visit of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) to President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The KSJI expressed concern over what it described as the political and partisan interpretation given to the bishops’ engagement by some presidential spokespersons, noting that such characterisation was unfortunate.

In a press statement signed yesterday by the chairman of KSJI Strategic Communication Committee, Sir Peter Osamgbi, the group counselled that the concerns raised by the Catholic bishops on national issues should not be misconstrued as political opposition or partisan activity.

Osamgbi said, “It is against the foregoing background that the KSJI received with concern the public reactions which appeared as if the bishops’ visit to the President had political undertone.

“The fact that a respected religious institution raises concerns about the state of the nation does not transform that institution into a political opposition or attribute partisan or political motives to the bishops’ intervention,” he said.

The group stressed that the CBCN has over the years played a significant role in Nigeria’s public life as a moral and religious institution, representing the collective pastoral leadership of the Catholic Church in the country. It added that Catholic bishops have consistently engaged government leaders on issues bordering on peace, security, justice, good governance, religious harmony and the welfare of Nigerians. The KSJI noted that during their visit to the President, the bishops acknowledged some efforts of the administration, including the release of abducted schoolchildren in Oyo State and the prosecution of arrested kidnappers and bandits.

The organisation also said the bishops commended the federal government’s efforts towards improving access to education through initiatives such as the Students Loan Scheme and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). The knights urged the Presidency and other public office holders to distinguish constructive dialogue and legitimate concerns from selfish motives, stressing that national development requires tolerance, openness and engagement with diverse perspectives. Osamgba called on leaders to avoid attaching political motives to interventions from respected institutions that seek to contribute to peace, stability and good governance in Nigeria.