2022 ANNUAL REPORT OF ACTIVITIES

OF THE

DIRECTORATE OF ECUMENISM; INTERFAITH RELATIONS AND SPECIAL DUTIES

By

REV ONIFADE, TESTIMONY OYEWOLE OLUSOJI M. Public Admin; PhD

Preamble

In a statement by Henri Bergson, Change is a reality that every mortal being contends with. Because” to exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating and progressing endlessly.” And the change we dread most may contain our salvation, says Barbara Kingsolver.

We are grateful to God that the ecumenical network and relations have taken progressive dimensions in the Nigerian Baptist Convention within the year 2022. The awareness was dynamic and promising.

OUR STEWARD OF NINE YEARS’ SERVICE IN CAN: Our prominent involvement for nine years brought an indelible landmark to the ecumenical pilgrimage as vice president and president of CAN, under the Immediate past Convention President, Rev. Dr. Samson Olasupo Adeniyi Ayokunle, who completed his term in July 2022. The ecumenical department applauds the incumbent president/CEO for leading the convention family to especially sponsor an appreciation and welcome home service for Dr. Ayokunle in recognition of his service to the Christian community of Nigeria. Apart from Baptist representations at the Abuja send-forth ceremony, a well-attended welcome service with handsome gifts was presented to the man of God. We thank all churches and organizations in attendance. This service attracted national honors conferred on him by the federal government, CON. We commend the Convention Executive, the apex leaders of organizations and departments for their unalloyed support, morally, materially, and financially during the service. The Convention sponsorship to most meetings and her prayer vanguard in diverse groups are noteworthy. We thank God that leadership in CAN during that period witnessed an unprecedented transformation and sustainable restructuring and new investments. This appreciation will be incomplete if I fail to recognize the overwhelming selfless support received from the incumbent President/ CEO of NBC, in providing material and financial resources, moral kindness, unreserved cooperation, and resilience to render selfless services at inconvenient times to CAN leadership throughout, too many to enumerate. Most important, the Rev. Dr. Israel Adelani Akanji for our first 3 years in Abuja, on CAN assignment as Vice President/President would deny himself comfort by releasing his only official car then, to convey the CAN President throughout his stay in Abuja.

ECUMENICAL NETWORKS WITHIN THE YEAR

1. WORLD ECUMENICAL WATER NETWORK CONFERENCE IN SENEGAL. The Nigerian Baptist Convention was well represented at the conference in February 2022

2. BAPTIST WORLD ALLIANCE ANNUAL GATHERING HELD IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA USA: The Baptist World Alliance annual gathering, Birmingham Alabama, USA held in July 2022. The convention leadership was represented at the meeting.
3. WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES: The World Council of Churches was held in Karlsruhe, Germany in August and September 2022. At this meeting, the Rev Dr. Israel Akanji was elected the Central Committee member of the WCC. At this convention session, we officially congratulate our President.
4. THE FIRST AFRICA ECUMENICAL YOUTH GATHERING HELD AT KASOA, ACCRA, GHANA IN 2022

The first All Africa Ecumenical Youth Gathering was held between October 31 to November 5, 2022, in Kasoa, Accra Ghana, with the theme “Africa: My Home, My Future”. This was attended by 38 Nations from Africa Continent. Our President, who is the LOC Chairman of the AACC 2023

General Assembly, together with 85 of our Young people represented the denomination (NBC). We thank the President for sponsoring the youths and applaud the youths and students ministries department for the ecumenical collaboration. We covet more of this from other organs of our convention.

5. Other Ecumenical Activities with CCN: The 31st General Assembly of CCN and also the 60th Anniversary of the CCN was held in Enugu on 22nd – 26th November 2022. We thank our Baptist Leaders, Women Missionary Union, Men Missionary Union, Vice Presidents, and Conference Presidents who attended
   1. DIRECTORATE ACTIVITIES: Under the Directorate, activities of the following divisions have brought tremendous improvements to the Convention peace-building process during the year.
6. Seminars on advocacy for a corrupt-free society and examination malpractices on campuses were promoted throughout the year by the EDAPI Faith based division.
7. The Monarchs and Community Development Division report the coronation of seven additional new Christian Monarchs in the Northern and, Eastern Nigeria, Osun, Ogun & Oyo States

• While our focus on ‘WIN & DISCIPLE A KING, TO TRANSFORM A WHOLE COMMUNITY’ remain uncompromised. The testimony of God’s goodness abounds in this fellowship all the time. We commend the cooperation of our national Chairman His royal majesty the Onpetu of Ijeru, Ogbomoso land, for promoting holiness, and eternal salvation in the fellowship. Kindly intercede for our traditional rulers for their responsibilities are enormous.

1. The Public and Political Network Division: is grateful to all our partners (Bowen University, Iwo, the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso, the Advisory board members, the WMU, MMU, Student &Youth ministries, the CED, Social and Medical departments, our ecumenical partners at national and international levels for their encouraging gestures on this project’ The rate at which our political education drives were embraced online and physically was encouraging. We commend all our conference presidents for being part of the advocacy for political transformation in our nation. We thank our theological institutions for their cooperation with the department. Seminars on advocacy for corrupt-free society and war against examination malpractices on campuses were promoted throughout the year.
2. EDAPI Faith-Based Division: The Intervention engagements of this Faith-Based (EDAPI) Division were strengthened in
3. Advocacy for Overcoming the Trap of Human Trafficking. EDAPI in collaboration with MeCAHT from the UK; and EXIST NGO from Denmark engaged in partnership Conferences throughout the year.
4. The Programme Coordinator of EDAPI was appointed a Board member of the MeCAHT – a UK-based NGO Board of Trustees. EDAPI, SOH EXIST, and MeCAHT working relationships and interface are ongoing. Most especially, on a joint project of MANUAL on HOW TO PUT AN END TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
5. GENERAL CHAPLAINCY ORIENTATION / COUNSELING- CORRECTION DIVISION

The increasing rate of unemployed Pastors is posing threat to the security of the serving ministers as well.

The Directorate is resolute in promoting awareness of the Values of General Chaplaincy short-term training for the trained clergy as a way to combat the increasing rate of unemployed Seminary graduates. More achievement is recorded on this among the interested pastors. The directorate embarked on General Chaplaincy short-term orientation for any trained pastor who has the call for this specialized ministry during the year. The chaplaincy manual and curriculum writing on this are almost completed with the assistance of the academics in our institution. I wish to implore the services of the Pastors’ Conference to embrace this and promote it. For more pastoral counsel from Ecumenical Department. Please call the Director on +2348033447876

1. MEDIA, RESEARCH AND DATABASE UNIT: this unit is saddled with the responsibility of social media works and collation of data on statistics of Baptist monarchs, Baptist religious leaders involve in ecumenical relations at each point, and post-election political office holders.

• CHALLENGES OF ABDUCTION AND OUR ECUMENICAL RESPONSE:

We are glad that the Kaduna Baptist High School Students have regained their freedom, except for one who on his own decision to stay back.

• OTHER ACTIVITIES ARE ON SECURITY, TRAUMA HEALING, AND FOOD SECURITY: IN 2023,

The faith-based unit work so hard on it and will continue in securing assistance to mitigate in this crisis. We thank the ICS Jos for collaboration with EDAPI. To all Churches and our institutions invite EDAPI to equip the members through Trauma Healing and on Church Strategic Security Workshop. These will be our major focus for PEACE EDUCATION& PEACE BUILDING in 2023. God’s willing.

• FOOD SECURITY DAY: The CCN Director of the Institute of Church and Society led the promotion of Food Security Day in 2022. Awareness of Food security emphasis is neither for the distribution of food items nor for sharing relief materials with the masses. It is a workshop on how to prevent famine amid incessant farmers’/ herder’s attacks. Global research revealed that the quantity of food crops harvested per year in Africa (Nigeria to be precise) is far lower than the population growth rate the slogan is “GROW WHAT YOU EAT; EAT WHAT YOU GROW” The concern of WCC is to mobilize Church members into farming and prevent hunger in the land. More Workshops will be organized in our local churches, Associations, and Conferences on this emphasis continually. The Directorate of ECUMENISM urges Conferences/ Organization Leaders to invite us for collaboration. We commend the presence of a few of our Conference Presidents

Our department will be willing to provide trusted and competent resource Persons.

1. CLIMATE CHANGE: its disaster was attended to the NBC due to its drastic effect on humanity. The President, Rev Dr. Israel Akanji’s proactive response to the flood crisis that ravaged some of our churches and families in Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, and a few other states in northern Nigeria reported to the president. Conferences well appreciated.
2. INSECURITY: The Directorate commends the courageous pastoral care and passion of our President as he responds to Churches and individuals affected. In conclusion; synergized and consultative meetings for security consciousness and humanitarian needs will be given priority in our sensitization for the New Year. Find on our website a joint proposal with CAN for Nigeria Post 2023.