Clogher Diocese certainly turned out its best weather for its special guest, The Most Reverend Dr Josiah Idowu-Fearon, the Archbishop of Kaduna, Nigeria last Wednesday evening at the Ardhowen Theatre, Enniskillen.
Fermanagh District Council hosted a Chairman's Reception in his honour, and this was followed by the final Macartan 1500 event, 'An Audience with a Nigerian Archbishop'.
The Macartan 1500 Project is funded for one year until September 2007.
His talk, 'Nigeria – Challenges to Contemporary Society' enthralled a large audience. He spoke about the complexities of Nigerian Society, specifically detailing the influences in the Nigerian state of Kaduna where the population ratios of Christians and Muslims are very similar.
In February 2000, violence erupted in this notorious flashpoint as a consequence of the proposed introduction of Sharia (Islamic Law). Although Sharia was not new to the area, it had never been fully implemented.
"A peaceful protest opposed to the introduction of Sharia escalated into violence and 1,000 were killed in two days', he told his audience. "Within four days, up to 4000 were killed, and within a matter of weeks, over 20,000 people had been killed, and many businesses were destroyed".
Following the riots of 2000, a representative body was set up, and Archbishop Josiah was at the forefront of efforts to heal the rifts in society. He told how he often reminded people in his society, 'Whether you are Christian or Muslim, like it or not, this is the only piece of land God gave to you. You either work together or end up destroying it'.
Bishop Michael Jackson, the Church of Ireland Bishop of Clogher was among those present. He also contributed to the evening, suggesting that, 'as we in Northern Ireland begin to grapple with a whole new political reality, we also discern the responsibilities in a whole new definition of society'. He went on: "People who previously hardly met one another at all now meet and will meet much more regularly. The agenda is already moving all of those who exercise leadership forward and is asking of them a desire and willingness to bring people with them by changing hearts and minds.
"In a different context, on a different continent, Archbishop Josiah and others are grappling with such issues. It is my hope that by listening to one another and by asking questions, we all can learn from the sharing of experience over the time Archbishop Josiah is with us."
