Cardinal John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan of Abuja, Nigeria, arrives for a consistory in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican in this June 28, 2017, file photo. In a speech in Rome Jan. 8, Cardinal Onaiyekan said he doesn't want to find a moderate Muslim to dialogue with, but one who is convinced of his faith. (CNS photo/Paul Haring) See VATICAN-LETTER-DIALOGUE Jan. 11, 2018.

Cardinal John Onaiyekan, the Emeritus Archbishop of Abuja, has criticized the tendency of self-serving politicians in Nigeria to selectively choose the churches they attend and the preachers they follow.

During his appearance on the Sunday edition of *Inside Sources* with Laolu Akande, a socio-political program on Channels Television, the Cardinal emphasized that it is the duty of preachers to convey the truth to their congregations in order to foster societal change.

He pointed out that these politicians often opt for churches and pastors who will not confront their corrupt behaviors. Cardinal Onaiyekan argued that merely constructing large cathedrals filled with worshippers is insufficient if those individuals are not being inspired to contribute positively to society.

“I have observed that in Nigeria, those driven by greed tend to choose their churches and the preachers they listen to very carefully. If they attend a church where they feel challenged or uncomfortable, they are unlikely to return the following Sunday, but we need more of that,” he stated.

“We cannot simply take pride in the size of our congregations or the grandeur of our buildings. While that is commendable, we must also ask ourselves where the true essence of godliness lies in all of this. If religion fails to promote godliness, it is worse than having no religion at all.”