Cardinal Onaiyekan sees signs of progress, vigour in Church in Africa

By Festus Tarawalie and Christopher Wells

The history of Africa over the past forty years has been “a tale of woes,” according to Cardinal John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan. “In fact, in many countries, things have gotten worse and worse, including my own country, Nigeria.”

But when looking at the life of the Church in Africa during that same time, the Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja continues, “there is evidence of progress. Vigour. You can see a Church, an African Church, that is really making an impact.”

Cardinal Onaiyekan, who was in Rome for his 80th birthday on Monday, visited the offices of Vatican News, where he reminisced about his long life, including forty years as a bishop, as well as the state of the Church in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

The Church’s social doctrine: a wonderful gift of God

In an interview with Festus Tarawalie, Cardinal Onaiyekan highlights the unity of the Church in Africa, especially among the Bishops.

In the Catholic Church, he says, “we have a wonderful gift of God, which we often underestimate. We have a beautiful bundle of ideas and values"—the  Church’s social teaching—"which we often underestimate."

Nonetheless, it allows the African bishops to have “a coherent voice when we compare ourselves to other church groups. Although that voice is not always heeded, it is always eagerly anticipated, even by non-Catholics, and always heard.

The Church, says Cardinal Onaiyekan, “talks about and stresses values” in a world that often refuses to take values seriously.

He decried political leaders who are “only playing games” and “have no time to even start thinking of how to solve the problems of the poor people.”

Every life is important

Speaking of the wave of violence that is sweeping Nigeria, Cardinal Onaiyekan expresses his gratitude to Vatican Radio - Vatican News and other news agencies for highlighting the issues affecting the nation. At the same time, he expresses his concern that news reports only focus on high-profile cases, often those involving clergy, while ignoring the everyday violence that touches the lives of ordinary people.

“The truth must be told,” he says. “Nigeria is becoming very unsafe for everyone,” not only Christians, and not only for religious reasons.

The Cardinal insists on the need for a “minimum of good governance” that protects citizens, Christians, and Muslims alike. “I think we should do better to bring together the horror that we all should feel that life is becoming… so cheap.” On the contrary, “every life is important.”

A vocations ‘boom’

Asked about the surge of vocations in Africa, Cardinal Onaiyekan says, “That one is God’s doing, and it is wonderful in our eyes… The important thing is for us to recognize that the Spirit is moving, and we should do all we can to walk along” with the Spirit.

“My own conviction is that this, what I call ‘vocation boom’… it’s not for no reason that God has His plans,” he says. At the same time, it is important to prepare new priests “to be able to tackle the myriads of problems” they face in Nigeria and throughout Africa.

First among these is the need for peace, “because without peace, nothing can move.” The Cardinal is adamant that peace cannot be based on one group “conquering” another but must take everyone into consideration. “We cannot have peace in Africa based on who will defeat whom. We have to look for a way of recognizing our common grounds and our common interests.”

Cardinal Onaiyekan during his interview in the studio at Vatican Radio

The end of the day

The Cardinal’s visit to Rome was scheduled to coincide with his 80th birthday. “Whatever I have been able to do, or whatever services the Church has made it possible for me to perform, I have now reached the end of the day.”

In a meeting with Pope Francis prior to his visit to Vatican News, Cardinal Onaiyekan says he thanked the Pope – and through him, his predecessors, “who have made it possible for me to be involved in the life of the Church at different levels and in different areas.”

Carrying on with humility and fidelity

Describing a letter he gave to the Pope, Cardinal Onaiyekan says, “I summarized much of what I've gone through as a man of the Church, and how I have enjoyed every moment of it, and how I see whatever duties or postings that are assigned to me as a grace of God, which I really thank God for.”

Now, he says, “I’m going back home to continue my life with all humility and with fidelity to God and to the Bishop of my Diocese.

“And whatever I can still do, I will do until the Lord Jesus calls me home.”