Why Attack The Messenger Instead Of Answering The Message Of Catholic Bishops'
When the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, they did what many Nigerians have come to expect from one of the country's most respected moral voices: they spoke frankly about the state of the nation. They raised concerns about the biting economic hardship, rising insecurity, growing hunger, and what they described as disturbing signs that democratic institutions, particularly INEC, could be losing public confidence.
Rather than allowing the conversation to revolve around these weighty issues, what followed was an all-too-familiar spectacle. A section of APC supporters, especially the social media "data boys," immediately launched coordinated attacks on the bishops and Cardinal John Onaiyekan. Their focus shifted from the message to the messengers.
The question is: Why?
If the bishops got it wrong, why not simply address each of their concerns with facts, figures, and evidence? Why devote so much energy to discrediting respected religious leaders instead of responding to the realities they highlighted?
The bishops are not opposition politicians. They are not campaigning for office, nor are they seeking appointments. Their intervention was rooted in what they see and hear daily from millions of Nigerians across the country. From the pulpit to the marketplace, from villages to cities, they witness firsthand the struggles of ordinary citizens.
When they speak about hunger, they are speaking about families who can no longer afford three meals a day.
When they speak about insecurity, they are speaking about communities that sleep with one eye open, farmers afraid to return to their farms, and travelers who pray before embarking on every journey.
When they express concern over the neutrality of INEC, they are echoing fears already being expressed by many Nigerians who worry that democracy is becoming increasingly vulnerable to political interference.
These are serious issues. They deserve serious responses.
Unfortunately, rather than confronting these concerns head-on, many government defenders have chosen the easier route: attack the credibility of those raising the alarm. Label them biased. Question their motives. Twist their words. Flood social media with propaganda. But none of these tactics answers the questions Nigerians are asking.
No amount of online spin can reduce the price of food.
No coordinated social media campaign can restore lives lost to insecurity.
No personal attack on a bishop can erase the daily suffering experienced by millions of Nigerians.
A government that is confident in its performance should have no difficulty responding with verifiable evidence. If food inflation is improving, show Nigerians the data. If insecurity is reducing, let citizens feel safe enough to travel without fear. If democratic institutions remain independent, demonstrate that independence through actions, not mere assurances.
Democracy thrives when those in power are willing to listen, especially to voices that carry moral authority. Religious leaders have historically spoken against injustice regardless of who occupies power. They criticized military dictatorships. They condemned corruption under previous civilian governments. Their responsibility has never been to protect politicians; it has always been to speak truth as they see it.
Disagreeing with the bishops is perfectly legitimate. But replacing reasoned engagement with insults and propaganda weakens democratic discourse.
The real issue is not whether the bishops are infallible. They are not. The real issue is whether the concerns they raised reflect the lived reality of millions of Nigerians.
If they do, then the conversation should not be about silencing or attacking them. It should be about solving the problems they identified.
Nigerians deserve answers, not distractions.
The bishops have spoken. Instead of mobilizing the APC's online attack machinery against them, perhaps it is time for the government and its defenders to address the substance of their message.
Because in the end, attacking the messenger has never solved the problem the message was trying to expose.
©️ Ai.. A JAY!!!
Rather than allowing the conversation to revolve around these weighty issues, what followed was an all-too-familiar spectacle. A section of APC supporters, especially the social media "data boys," immediately launched coordinated attacks on the bishops and Cardinal John Onaiyekan. Their focus shifted from the message to the messengers.
The question is: Why?
If the bishops got it wrong, why not simply address each of their concerns with facts, figures, and evidence? Why devote so much energy to discrediting respected religious leaders instead of responding to the realities they highlighted?
The bishops are not opposition politicians. They are not campaigning for office, nor are they seeking appointments. Their intervention was rooted in what they see and hear daily from millions of Nigerians across the country. From the pulpit to the marketplace, from villages to cities, they witness firsthand the struggles of ordinary citizens.
When they speak about hunger, they are speaking about families who can no longer afford three meals a day.
When they speak about insecurity, they are speaking about communities that sleep with one eye open, farmers afraid to return to their farms, and travelers who pray before embarking on every journey.
When they express concern over the neutrality of INEC, they are echoing fears already being expressed by many Nigerians who worry that democracy is becoming increasingly vulnerable to political interference.
These are serious issues. They deserve serious responses.
Unfortunately, rather than confronting these concerns head-on, many government defenders have chosen the easier route: attack the credibility of those raising the alarm. Label them biased. Question their motives. Twist their words. Flood social media with propaganda. But none of these tactics answers the questions Nigerians are asking.
No amount of online spin can reduce the price of food.
No coordinated social media campaign can restore lives lost to insecurity.
No personal attack on a bishop can erase the daily suffering experienced by millions of Nigerians.
A government that is confident in its performance should have no difficulty responding with verifiable evidence. If food inflation is improving, show Nigerians the data. If insecurity is reducing, let citizens feel safe enough to travel without fear. If democratic institutions remain independent, demonstrate that independence through actions, not mere assurances.
Democracy thrives when those in power are willing to listen, especially to voices that carry moral authority. Religious leaders have historically spoken against injustice regardless of who occupies power. They criticized military dictatorships. They condemned corruption under previous civilian governments. Their responsibility has never been to protect politicians; it has always been to speak truth as they see it.
Disagreeing with the bishops is perfectly legitimate. But replacing reasoned engagement with insults and propaganda weakens democratic discourse.
The real issue is not whether the bishops are infallible. They are not. The real issue is whether the concerns they raised reflect the lived reality of millions of Nigerians.
If they do, then the conversation should not be about silencing or attacking them. It should be about solving the problems they identified.
Nigerians deserve answers, not distractions.
The bishops have spoken. Instead of mobilizing the APC's online attack machinery against them, perhaps it is time for the government and its defenders to address the substance of their message.
Because in the end, attacking the messenger has never solved the problem the message was trying to expose.
©️ Ai.. A JAY!!!
