The Imam and the Bishop: Setting an Example for Interfaith Dialogue in Nigeria

The Diocese of Osogbo in Osun State has been spearheading a project that brings Muslim and Christian leaders together to defuse tension and prevent interreligious conflict, which has resulted in hundreds, if not thousands, of deaths in other parts of the country, particularly in the Middle Belt and the north.

"The diocese has about five million people, with approximately three million Muslims and two million Christians. Catholics make up around 600 thousand," says Bishop John Oyejola of Osogbo during a visit to the headquarters of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) in Germany. The bishop adds that despite being a minority, Catholics run most of the social development and aid projects in the region.

Given this demographic situation, Bishop John believes that fostering interreligious harmony is crucial for maintaining peace and enabling the Church to carry out its mission. "We cannot preach Christianity where there is no peace. So let us make peace with every person. We respect your religion; please respect ours."

What has transpired in Osogbo, however, has gone beyond mere mutual respect and evolved into deep friendship, according to Fr Peter Akinkunmi, who completed a course in Arabic and Islamic Studies in Rome before returning to Nigeria to assume the role of Diocesan Director for Interfaith Dialogue.

Fr Akinkunmi states that relations between Christians and Muslims had traditionally been excellent in Osun State, but around 15 years ago, this changed as worsening persecution in the north compelled many south-westerners to return home. "The stories they came back with, the narratives, and the mindset began to influence our youth. They saw people coming back empty-handed, their lives shattered, and this began to breed bitterness."

The situation worsened when the local government passed a law allowing Muslim girls to wear the hijab in Christian schools. "The Muslim and Christian communities dragged each other to the courts, and the courts legislated in favor of the Muslims. That was the last straw. All the points of unity between Christian and Muslim leaders were shattered, and they stopped meeting in the various forums of dialogue," says Fr Peter.

Rebuilding trust

When Bishop Oyejola took office in 2016, relations were frozen, but he took the initiative to rebuild. What began as goodwill messages and courtesy visits to the Grand Imam soon developed into a strong friendship. The two religious leaders knew they had to use their influence for the good of the entire community and began consulting together and speaking out on important issues "to create a new vision of Christian and Muslim leadership, walking together, for the good of the entire state," says Fr Peter.

This new atmosphere of dialogue soon began to bear fruit. "The most sensitive period in our lives as a nation has always been elections, and Osun state is very particular because we hold our governorship election eight months before the general and presidential election, so Osun is usually the most politically tense state in the country."

"We organized a Forum for the Promotion of Peace and Solidarity with the support of ACN. It was about the bishop and the imam, with their aides, sitting together and looking at developments around the state. What is the situation? How are we preparing for elections? And then speaking out about issues that could threaten peace in the community."

The ACN-funded program also includes a weekly live radio broadcast in which different religious leaders draw insight from the teachings of their religious tradition as it pertains to peace and interreligious fraternity. There are also joint press conferences by Christian and Muslim religious leaders, as well as by Christian and Muslim women, around election times.

The result has been a series of peaceful elections, the last of which resulted in a Christian governor, which posed a potential problem. "A group called Muslim Rights Concern began criticizing the governor, accusing him of appointing mainly Christians and ignoring the Islamic community. Issues like this risked rekindling bitterness. But the local Islamic community spoke up and completely distanced itself from the statements, saying they do not represent the opinions of Muslims in Osun state."

Fr Peter recalls a third instance in which violent anti-government protests over currency instability and fuel shortages rocked the country. "Religious leaders from the grassroots communities were called for seminars and workshops to reflect on how to manage the situation in a manner that would not escalate into violence. As a result, on Friday and Sunday sermons, special attention was devoted to exhorting people to peaceful conduct, and in Osun State, there were no protests."

Bishop Sheikh

Trust between the communities has grown so deep that Muslim representatives were invited to attend the diocesan synod, and the Grand Imam bestowed the honorary title of Sheikh on Bishop Oyejola, explaining that in Arabic, the term refers to a wise old man.

"The continuous collaboration between the imam and the bishop, which we have publicized to the media through this project, has already neutralized the capacity of politicians to use religion to manipulate our people," says Fr Peter, and Bishop Oyejola adds that neighboring dioceses have already begun to copy the model used in Osogbo.

Other institutions in Osun have also been following the example. Before recent elections, the local branches of the Federation of Muslim Women and the women's wing of the National Christian Association got together to successfully lobby for pregnant women, nursing mothers, and elderly ladies to get priority in voting lines. Later, when analyzing cases of women who needed charitable assistance in their respective communities, the Christians decided to support the Muslim applicant because her situation was more serious than that of the Christians.

The significant results of this project would not have been possible without the support given by ACN. "We want to sustain it and make sure that we have more results because what we need is peace," says Bishop Oyejola, expressing his thanks to the pontifical charity.