Rev. Fr. John Chinenye Oluoma, a priest of the Abuja Archdiocese, has publicly condemned presidential media aides Daniel Bwala and Bayo Onanuga for their combative response to critiques of President Bola Tinubu’s government. Oluoma expressed his disapproval on Facebook following the backlash against Cardinal John Onaiyekan for his recent remarks on Arise Television regarding the current economic climate in Nigeria.
The priest argued that rather than addressing the Cardinal’s concerns about widespread hardship with facts or economic data, the aides chose to launch personal attacks. He specifically singled out Bwala for escalating the rhetoric, describing the aides’ behavior as akin to that of attack dogs. Oluoma suggested that instead of insults, the administration should have presented evidence of economic progress to win over public opinion.
Oluoma acknowledged that the Tinubu administration has initiated structural reforms that may yield future benefits, but emphasized that these policies do not negate the immediate suffering of citizens. He defended Cardinal Onaiyekan and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, noting that these figures have a history of holding various administrations accountable for the welfare of the Nigerian people.
