Post by Bamidele Bello (@Deleokin)

Today, August 3, 2026, His Eminence, John Cardinal Olorunfemi Onaiyekan is marking his 57th year as a Catholic priest. Onaiyekan has been CAN Chairman of Kwara State. He has been President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) for two terms. He has been President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). He has been Co-President of the Nigeria Interreligious Council (NIREC). He has been President of the Catholic Bishops Conferences of West Africa (RECOWA) for two terms. He has been President of the Symposium of Catholic Bishops Conferences in the continent of Africa (SECAM). He has been President of the African Council for Religious Leaders (ACRL). He has been Co-President of the World Council of Religions for Peace (WCRL-RfP). He is an Honorary Life President of WRCL-RfP. He has been a Member of the General Council of the Synod of Bishops at the Vatican for several years. He has been a Member of the Global Agenda Council on Religions at the World Economic Forum (WEF). Onaiyekan has been president of every possible national and continental Christian body you can dream of.

Cardinal Onaiyekan is already 82 years old and God has immensely blessed him. His parents each died at 92, ten years apart from each other. Longevity flows in the Onaiyekan family. But even if Onaiyekan were to die today, he has lived a most accomplished life. He graduated from secondary school in Aliade in 1962 with the best result in the whole of northern Nigeria and turned down a scholarship to study anywhere in the world from the Sardauna and Premier, Sir Ahmadu Bello. He went to seminary and became a priest at 25, finished his doctorate in Rome with first class honors at 32, became the youngest ever rector of a Catholic major seminary in Nigeria at 34, was appointed to two Vatican International Commissions at 36, became a bishop at 38, an archbishop at 50, and a cardinal at 68. He has been auxiliary bishop of Ilorin, bishop of Ilorin, apostolic administrator of Ilorin, co-adjutor bishop of Abuja, bishop of Abuja, and Archbishop of Abuja for a combined period of 36 years.

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