Bonnyoge @Juneoge

Cardinal Burke: "No practicing Catholic can be in favor of abortion." lifesitenews.com/news/murderers…

Yesterday, I was in Bauchi to honour, for the fifth time, the invitation of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation to its dialogue themed: “Beyond Elections: Can Political Parties and the Judiciary Save African Democracy?” I thank President Goodluck Jonathan for his selfless sacrifice and unwavering commitment to building a better Nigeria and a better Africa. I also commend the Chairman, President Olusegun Obasanjo, for his enduring contributions to peace, unity and justice across Africa. My appreciation also goes to the host, the Governor of Bauchi State, for his good work and for providing the platform for this important conversation. My modest contribution at the event was to highlight my concern that African democracy, using Nigeria as a case study, has deteriorated to such an extent that we are approaching a point where we may no longer be able to meaningfully say that democracy exists. I recalled how I approached the courts when I believed my mandate had been stolen in Anambra. At that time, the judiciary demonstrated the independence expected of an arm of government. It upheld the law and restored the will of the people, without any relationship whatsoever between me and the judges who handled the matter. That was democracy at work. Today, however, those who break the law are often the first to tell you to “go to court.” Our electoral management body, staffed by highly educated Nigerians, including many professors, is increasingly accused of enabling electoral malpractice and the emergence of people who are not qualified or do not possess the mandate of the people. Our lawmakers have removed forgery as an electoral offence, while some senior advocates appear to defend or normalise actions that should ordinarily attract condemnation. Our religious leaders sometimes pray for blessings upon political actors accused of misappropriating the commonwealth. And, most troubling of all, we now hear allegations of judges chanting, “On your mandate we shall stand.” When the very institutions established to protect democracy begin to accommodate its destruction, we must stop pretending that everything is normal. I earnestly call for sober reflection and honest thinking. Socrates said that “the unexamined life is not worth living.” A nation, too, must examine itself if it intends to survive. We must halt this drift towards institutional decay and redirect our attention towards building a country that we and the generations that come after us, can be proud of. A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO

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By Making Excuses for Unverified Certificates, We Are Planting Poison in the Soul of Our Society A nation that tolerates unverified academic credentials at any level of leadership, regardless of who is involved, risks destroying the very standards upon which a society is built. The issue is not about an individual. It is about standards, accountability, and the values we choose to pass on to the next generation. We cannot continue to excuse blurred, missing, questionable, or unverified credentials simply because they belong to someone we support. The process through which people attain positions of responsibility matters greatly. How we get into leadership is as important as what we do with leadership. If we normalise the abandonment of basic verification today, tomorrow we may have professors who never attended a university, doctors who never studied medicine, and judges who never studied law. That is the dangerous precedent we must never allow. Nigeria cannot sacrifice its future on the altar of today's transactional politics. We must build a society where truth is not partisan, standards are not negotiable, and accountability applies equally to everyone. History will judge us not only by those we defended, but by the principles we were willing to defend. We must choose truth over convenience, standards over sentiments, and the future over political expediency. A New Nigeria is possible, but only if we are willing to do the right thing, even when it is inconvenient. -PO

Today, the last set of children from our #65FreeAdenotonsillectomySurgeries were discharged from the ward. Only one child remains on IV antibiotics and is expected to be discharged tomorrow, God willing. From the beginning of this initiative to celebrate Mr Peter Obi’s 65th birthday, we screened over 100 children. More than 70 had medical or surgical indications for adenotonsillar disease, and every child who required adenotonsillectomy had a successful surgery. The final surgeries were completed on Sunday. Today three of the last four families gave me a bottle of wine as a token of gratitude and I received it with a grateful heart. But the greatest reward is seeing these children breathe easier, sleep peacefully, and return home healthier. My sincere thanks to every surgeon, anaesthetist, paediatrician, nurse, theatre staff, cleaner, technician, volunteer, and to every Nigerian who prayed for us throughout this journey. To God alone be all the glory.

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Supporting Healthcare Education with My Visit to Ibadan’s Nursing Institution. After attending the 50th/15th Biennial Conference of the Methodist Church, I proceeded to the College of Nursing Sciences, Oluyoro, Ibadan, where I interacted with the management and students of the institution. I reiterated my belief that education remains one of the strongest foundations for building a better nation, especially in critical sectors such as healthcare. The training of competent healthcare professionals is essential to improving the quality of care and strengthening our national development. In keeping with my earlier commitment to continually support the institution, I donated another ₦10 million to assist the College in its important work of training future nurses and healthcare professionals. This is part of my continued commitment to investing in education and supporting initiatives that contribute to Nigeria’s future. I also encouraged the students to take their studies seriously, reminding them that nurses occupy a vital place in the healthcare system. Their skills, compassion, and dedication are needed not only in Nigeria but across the world. I urged them to pursue excellence, uphold the highest standards of professionalism, and become worthy ambassadors of our country. A new Nigeria is POssible. -PO

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Cardinal John Onaiyekan - humble, joyful, witty, approachable, and full of fatherly warmth.

Yesterday, I joined my dear brother, Governor Seyi Makinde, and faithful members of the Methodist Church from across the country and beyond at the opening of the 50th/15th Biennial Conference of the Methodist Church of Nigeria in Ibadan. I thank God for His faithfulness to the Methodist Church over the years and reflect on the immense potential Nigeria possesses as a nation. I encourage the Church and its delegates to remain steadfast in speaking truth to power, standing with the suffering masses, and continuing to advocate for justice, good governance, and a better Nigeria for all, especially in these challenging times. The Church remains one of our nation’s strongest voices of hope, conscience, and moral leadership. I thank the Methodist Church for its invitation and ask that they continue to remember our nation in their prayers. I urge them always to pray that God Almighty would touch the hearts of politicians and leaders, so that they will always think and use public resources for the public good. I wish them a fruitful and successful conference. A New Nigeria is POssible – PO

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There is a disastrous glitch in the just-released WAEC results, especially for those who were forced to do WAEC CBT. WAEC, you can’t toy with our children’s destinies. We will not allow it. The results need to be withdrawn immediately and fixed, or we will challenge you in court.

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.

Disruption of Worship Centres now a National Calamity. I have been deeply dismayed by the recent news concerning the abduction of worshippers in Enugu. It is profoundly distressing that fellow Nigerians, who had come together in divine worship seeking solace and hope, have endured such a traumatic and criminal ordeal. It is increasingly clear that this is no longer an isolated incident affecting specific states like Borno, Benue, Plateau, Zamfara, or Katsina. It has escalated into a national crisis, threatening every Nigerian, regardless of their ethnic background, religious beliefs, or regional origins. No part of our country should be a place where citizens live in constant fear of attending religious services, pursuing education, engaging in work, or even resting in their own homes. This is a critical moment for Nigeria to come together as one nation. Security concerns must go beyond partisan politics, tribal loyalties, or religious differences. It is a collective national duty that requires unity, urgency, and decisive action. I call on all relevant security agencies to intensify their efforts to ensure the safe return of the abducted persons and to swiftly apprehend and bring to justice those responsible. Beyond this incident, we must, as a nation, dedicate ourselves to eradicating this menace through all legitimate means. The inviolability of human life must remain the highest priority for any government. We cannot accept these tragedies as a new normal. Every Nigerian life is invaluable, and every possible measure must be taken to protect it. Despite the threats, a new Nigeria is possible with God on our side. -PO

Yesterday morning, these children from Abor village in Enugu State gathered to learn “Place Value” in Mathematics. The turnout became so large that we now have to create a daily timetable for different groups. These are the same children the community had been saying were not serious about their studies for years. Yet, we changed that narrative after just one encounter. Before this holiday ends, every child in this village will have a strong foundation in Mathematics. And here’s the most interesting part: no teacher is standing in front of the class. We only have a supervisor to maintain order while the children learn through world-class lessons delivered in the most engaging and exciting way. Children are the same everywhere. The difference is not intelligence. The difference is access.

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The screening of the Free 65 Adenotonsillectomy surgeries to mark Mr. Peter Obi birthday starts on Saturday 25th and ends on Sunday 26th of July. Time: Saturday: 1pm - 3pm Sunday: 2pm- 4pm Come with patient and results. Doctors will be available to screen patients into surgical and medical treatment. Venue: SALUS INFIRMORUM CATHOLIC HOSPITAL. NO 1, OLUFEMI ROAD, OFF OGUNLANA DRIVE, MASHA, SURULERE LAGOS. 09123110102.

Strengthening Development Through Partnership Yesterday, I met with the Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Patrick Egloff, and we had a productive and engaging discussion on our country’s developmental journey, with particular emphasis on the critical sectors that drive development: education, healthcare, and lifting people out of poverty. I expressed my gratitude for the invaluable contributions of the Swiss Confederation to Nigeria’s development, especially its support for critical economic, cultural, humanitarian, and peace-building initiatives, particularly in the North-East. Building stronger partnerships founded on shared values and a commitment to human development remains essential to creating a more prosperous and inclusive Nigeria. A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO

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Nigeria in Focus at the ECFR Berlin Roundtable. Yesterday, at the invitation of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), I had the honour of participating in a high-level roundtable discussion titled “Nigeria in 2027 and Beyond,” held at the ECFR office in Berlin, Germany. The dialogue brought together policymakers, diplomats, development experts, business leaders, representatives of international organisations, and members of the international media to discuss Nigeria’s future and its role in an increasingly interconnected global landscape. Our discussions centred on Nigeria’s democratic journey beyond 2027, international affairs, development cooperation, and the need to strengthen bilateral partnerships that can accelerate economic growth and improve the lives of our people. A key focus of the engagement was how Nigeria can deepen collaboration with international partners to support Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), recognising that they remain the backbone of every productive economy and are indispensable to job creation, innovation, wealth creation, and sustainable national development. We also exchanged views on strengthening democratic institutions, expanding trade and investment opportunities, promoting regional stability, improving governance, and creating an enabling environment that inspires confidence among citizens, investors, and Nigeria’s international partners. I was encouraged by the thoughtful contributions and genuine interest demonstrated by participants in Nigeria’s future. The presence of senior representatives from the German Federal Government, development agencies, business associations, policy institutes, foundations, international organisations, and respected global media organisations underscores the strategic importance of Nigeria and the shared desire to see our nation realise its enormous potential. During the discussions, I reiterated my unwavering belief that Nigeria possesses all the human and natural resources required to become a prosperous, secure, and globally competitive nation. What is required is competent, accountable, and compassionate leadership that prioritises investment in people, education, healthcare, productive enterprise, the rule of law, and strong institutions over politics of consumption. Nigeria’s future is bright, but only if we make the deliberate choices that will move our country from consumption to production, from poverty to prosperity, and from division to unity. By embracing good governance, fiscal responsibility, and productive partnerships with the international community, we can build an economy that works for all Nigerians and restores our nation’s standing among the comity of nations. I sincerely thank the European Council on Foreign Relations for the invitation and all participants for a frank, engaging, and constructive exchange of ideas. Conversations such as these remain vital in fostering mutual understanding, strengthening international cooperation, and building enduring partnerships for the benefit of Nigeria, Africa, and the global community. A New Nigeria Is POssible. - PO

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This is the sickbay and a classroom in a public school in Abia State. 19 more like this are currently being built, and education is completely free. Education is taking back its place in our society.

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Onyedikachi Egejurum got a Gold. He is the best in Mathematics in the world Primary Category. This is the beginning of greatness for the country.

The wait is over. We have 2 golds: Chimdiebube Onwubiko and Don Anele Munachimso. We are the best in the world! Egejurum Onyedikachi’s name was omitted. He should have a gold.

Happy Birthday to a dogged soldier in faith, Anthony Cardinal Okogie. Today, I joyfully join the Catholic community in Nigeria, in particular the Archdiocese of Lagos and the entire nation, in celebrating a true soldier of Christ and an exemplary leader, His Eminence, Anthony Cardinal Okogie, Emeritus Archbishop of Lagos, on his Triple Milestones. We give immense thanks to God as His Eminence marks his 90th Birthday Anniversary, 60th Priestly Ordination Anniversary, and 55th Episcopal Ordination Anniversary today, June 16, 2026. Cardinal Okogie’s life has been a remarkable testament to inimitable faith, courage, and deep commitment to justice and the welfare of the common man. His fearless voice in defence of truth and good governance continues to inspire generations. May the Almighty God grant him continued good health, peace, and abundant blessings as he continues to guide us with his wisdom. Happy Birthday, Your Eminence! -PO

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