Major Seminary in Nigeria Fostering Interreligious Dialogue amid “security concerns”

“We have been able to reduce tension, and build trust among ourselves” through the dialogues, the Bishop-elect further said, adding that members of the local community have, on many occasions, invited “seminary formators to participate in some of the peace initiatives that involve enlightening the youth.”

The Nigerian Major Seminary has also employed charity activities and peace campaigns, Mons. Maigida said, and explained, “We do reach out especially to the Muslim community through charity so as to show them the face of Christianity which is love and compassion.”

The Bishop-elect said that a lot of education is offered to the youth outside the Major Seminary to shield them from manipulation by politicians to cause violence.

“We have often told them that the alternative to violence is education, enlightenment,” Mons. Maigida said in reference to the youth around the St. Augustine’s Major Seminary, adding that members of the local community “have always appreciated our efforts in this regard.”

He further noted most of the people neighboring the Major Seminary, which accommodated three victims of the January 2020 Good Shepherd Major Seminary attack are “uneducated, illiterate and so they can easily be brainwashed or indoctrinated in a very negative sense and recruited for violent purposes.” 

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The Bishop-elect added that “the high rate of poverty and unemployment ratio among the youth, particularly the Muslim population of this area over the years, has made it (the Seminary) more susceptible to the whims of the politicians who exploit their vulnerability in order to promote their selfish political interests.”

Four seminarians from Kaduna-based Good Shepherd Major Seminary were abducted by bandits who reportedly were wearing military uniforms. While three of the seminarians were set free, one of them, Michael Nnadi was murdered by the bandits for preaching Christ’s Gospel. 

In the virtual event that had about 50 participants including the ACN International Director of Projects, Regina Lynch, and Archbishop Matthew Man-oso Ndagoso of Kaduna Archdiocese, Mons. Maigida said prayer and hope in God’s protection have remained the best weapon amid security concerns at the Major Seminary. 

“We have heard rumors many times about attacks on our Seminary but we have never lost hope. Our faith has been kept alive because of the hope we have in Christ and the hope we have in prayer to sustain the formation we give to our Seminarians here,” the Nigerian Bishop-elect said.

He added, “We are very confident that with God on our side, and with faith in Him, the future will certainly be brighter for us.”