It is good to share my interfaith activities in this edition of our newsletter. With the completion of my studies at the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), Rome, I returned to Nigeria. On arriving in Nigeria, I decided to continue my Ph.D programme in the Nigeria Premier University, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. I was enrolled as a Ph.D student in Comparative Study of Religions (with focus of my thesis on Interreligious Dialogue) in the Faculty of Arts, Department of Religious Studies of the University.

 

Before the commencement of the studies at University of Ibadan, my bishop had assigned me as a parish priest of St Columba's Church, Igbemo-Ekiti, Ekiti-State. Igbemo-Ekiti is one of the towns in Catholic Diocese of Ekiti (which is co-terminus with Ekiti- State, Nigeria) with a significantly Muslim population. I am glad that God inspired my bishop to post me to a location where I could make use of the theoretical knowledge that I had acquired at the Angelicum in Rome. In this town where I have been working with a significant Muslim population, I have been able to establish fraternal relationships with the local Muslim community through the dialogue of life and action. The outcome has been a peaceful interaction with the local Muslim community. I hope to organize a programme for the dialogue of Theological Exchange between the Muslims and Christians in the future.

 

It is good to mention that in June, 2014, I was invited as a speaker at an interfaith Seminar organized by the Department of Interreligious and Ecumenical Dialogue, Catholic Diocese of Ekiti, Nigeria. The title of the paper is "SUSTAINING THE MUTUAL CO-EXISTENCE BETWEEN MUSLIMS, CHRISTIANS AND ADHERENTS OF AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION IN EKITILAND THROUGH INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE.

 

In the same vein, as the current Ekiti Catholic Diocesan Director of Interreligious and Ecumenical Dialogue, I have been able to establish a culture of sending congratulatory messages to the Muslims in Ekiti-State, Nigeria during their festivals. I have also been using my position as the representative of the Catholic Church in Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), an umbrella body for all Christians in Nigeria, to encourage other Christians on the advantages of interfaith dialogue. I wish to end this piece on a note of appreciation to the administrators of the Russell Berrie scholarship programme for the scholarship granted me to deepen my interest in interreligious studies at the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

 

August 27, 2016.

Nigeria