Pontifical University St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, Republic of Ireland THE CONTRIBUTION OF AFRICAN THEOLOGICAL VOICES, INCLUDING CORNELIUS AFEBU OMONOKHUA, AQUILINE TARIMO AND DESMOND MPILO TUTU TO A RENEWED THEOLOGY OF PEACEBUILDING A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THEOLOGY IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE CONDITIONS FOR THE DOCTORAL DEGREE IN THEOLOGY By Joseph Ayegba Ali Supervisor: Rev. Dr. Padraig Joseph Corkery Co. Kildare, Maynooth June 2020 viii DEDICATION This work is dedicated to my late mother, Mrs. Veronica Egumaye Ali, for her love and sacrifice. May the Lord bless and reward her and those who have died, with peace, happiness and eternal salvation. I also dedicate it in honour of the late Most Reverend Dr. E.S Obot, first Catholic Bishop of Idah Diocese Nigeria; it is for all his immense contributions to peacebuilding and selfless services to the Church in Idah and the Government and people of Kogi State Nigeria in evangelization, education and medical care. ix DECLARATION I hereby declare that this dissertation is entirely the right product of my own work. It has not been submitted in fulfilment of degree requirements at this or any other university in the world. Other people's intellectual properties within this work have been acknowledged. No part of the publication may be reproduced or transmitted without permission. The library may lend a copy of this thesis as per the relevant regulations. _______________________ Rev. Fr. Joseph Ayegba Ali Date___________________ x ACKNOWLEDEGEMENT A popular African adage goes that; a child that has no “Thank you” in his mouth will one day go to bed hungry. It is in the above light that I give thanks to God the Almighty Father, who provided me with all the graces to undertake this course of studies and making this work a reality. May He be praised and adored both now and forevermore. My special thanks and appreciation goes to all who assisted me and gave me all the support in different ways to achieve my aim in this course of studies. Gratitude goes to the Church in the Catholic Diocese of Idah Nigeria. Special thanks to my bishop, Most Rev. Dr. Anthony Ademu Adaji (MSP) for his support throughout this study. I appreciate also, the Priests, Religious and the entire lay faithful of Idah diocese, Nigeria. I thank also Archbishop Diamuid Martin of Dublin for his kindness in providing me with favourable accommodation for my studies in the Archdiocese. Special thanks to Rev Dr. Padriag Corkery who moderated and supervised me in writing this thesis. His simplicity and theological vision, insights and experience inspired me in completing this study. I thank him immensely for the criticism and encouragement throughout this study. My appreciation also goes to Prof Michael Mullaney (President of Maynooth College). I also thank Prof Seamus O'Connell (Director of Post-Graduate), the entire academic and administrative staff and community of St Patricks College Maynooth. I thank God for all my family members, my father, Mr. Pius Ali, I pray for my late mum, Mrs. Veronica Ali, may God rest her soul. I appreciate my Brothers and Sisters including, Fatima, Linus, Louis, Joy, Helen, John and Justina for their encouragement. I appreciate the community of St Vincent De Paul Parish, Marino-Co-Dublin Republic of Ireland where I resided for the seven years throughout my study. I am most grateful for all your love support and encouragement to me. Special thanks to Very Rev. Fr. Thomas Noon and the parish staff, xi including Ann Casey, Mary and Eamonn Casserly, Noreen and Peter Brunton, John Ward, Peg Mc Tige, Vincent Donohue, Seamus O’coonor, Jack and Mary Shiels, Paddy and Mariam Orouke, Dan and Mary Collins, Tom and Josephine Railly, Mary Mahony and Mary Kelly, Jimmy and Carmel Caulfield and Hugh Carrol and all in Ard Scoil Ris. Thanks to Sr. Nuala O’Donnell (MSHR), Sr. Julie Doran (OLA), Sr. Dr. Elizabeth Cotter, Sr. Angela Akeje (MSHR) late Brother Gerry Obrein, Treasa Hayes, Brother Gregg, (Christian brothers Marino Community) and Frs. Joe Konnick, Martin Kavanah and Fr. Alex Stenson. May God bless and reward you abundantly May God bless them all. Finally, thanks to all my fellow priests’ brothers and friends especially Fathers Emmanuel Abuh, John Abuh, Thaddaeus Akpa, John Aikoye, Yusuf Bamaiyi, Ayuba James and Dan Fulani Joseph. May God bless you all dear friends and loved ones, men and women of goodwill. xii ABBREVIATIONS ACC African Conference of Churches ACRL African Council of Religious leaders for peace AECAWA Association of Episcopal Conferences of Anglophone West Africa AGD Ad Gents Divinitus ANC African National Congress AWR Assembly of the World's Religions BOKO HARAM Western Education is sinful CAN Christian Association of Nigeria CABICOL Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Liberia CATHAN Catholic Theological Association of Nigeria CBCN Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria COMYON The Council of Muslim youth organisation in Nigeria CCC Catechism of the Catholic Church CPN Catholic Peacebuilding Network C.R.R.M Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims CSN Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria CYON Catholic Youth Organisation of Nigeria DH Dignitatis Humanae DRC Democratic Republic of Congo DRC/DDG Danish Refugee Council/Danish Demining Group FCT Federal Capital Territory GCBC Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference GS Gaudium et Spes ICRC International Committee of the Red Cross IDFB Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace I.D.B Islamic Development Bank IDP Internally Displaced Persons IED Improvised Explosive Device ING Interim National Government IRF International Religious Foundation xiii ISESCO Islamic Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ISIS Islamic State of Iraq and Syria ITCABIC Inter-Territorial Catholic Bishops’ Conference JBC Jerome Biblical Commentary LD Lumen Gentium MEND Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta MISSIO Catholic Mission Charity MOSOP Movement for the Survival of Ogoni people MSSN Muslim Students Society of Nigeria NA Nostra Aetate NDA Niger Delta Avengers NNDC Niger Delta Development Commission NDPVF Niger Delta People Volunteer Force NDV Niger Delta Vigilante NGOs Non-Governmental Organizations NIM National Institute of Management NIREC Nigerian Inter-Religious Council NWIDLF Nigerian Women in the Diaspora Leadership Forum NSCIA Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs OIC Organization of the Islamic Conference/Countries PAC Pan Africans Congress PCID Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue PDP People’s Democratic Party RASA. Receive, Appreciate, Summarize and Ask RCCP Resolving Conflict Creatively Programme RECOWA Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa SACC South African Council of Churches SNC Sovereign National Conference SCC Small Christian Community SECAM Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar TRC Truth and Reconciliation Commissions UN United Nations xiv UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization WCC World Council of Churches WCF World Congress of Faiths WFIC World Fellowship of Interreligious Councils WPR World Parliament of Religions YCSN Young Catholic Students of Nigeria xv TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION……………………………………………………………………………..ii DECLARATION …………………………………………………………………………iii ACKNOWLEDGEMNT......................................................................................................iv ABBREVIATIONS..............................................................................................................vi GENERAL INTRODUCTION............................................................................................1 xvi CHAPTER ONE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: UNDERSTANDING THE ROOT CAUSES AND IMPACT OF ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA 1. Introduction………………………………………………………………………….6 PART ONE 1.1Basic concepts………………………………………………………………………..7 a) Violence / Conflict…………………………………………………………………….7 b) Peace and Religious Peacebuilding……………………………………………………8 c) Ethnicity……………………………………………………………………………….10 d) Religion……………………………………………………………………………….10 e) Theology………………………………………………………………………………..11 1.2 Nigeria Heritage: Culture, Location and Geography……………………………. .3 1.3 Advent and Impact of Religions and Colonialism in Nigeria…………………………14 1.4 The Amalgamation of Old Kingdoms and Empires: A Critical Appraisal…………….15 1.5 Promotion of the Freedom of Religion and Ethnic Integration in a Secular State……..19 1.6 Upholding the Principles of Religious Freedom and Tolerance………………………..20 xvii PART TWO 1.7 Ethnic Violence and Grievances in Nigeria…………………………………………21 1.7.1 Crude Oil Factor and the Nigerian Government…………………………………….21 1.7.2 Niger-Delta Violence: Oil Exploration and Environmental Degradation…………..22 1.8 Hausa Ethnic Grievances……………………………………………………………..24 1.8.1 Igbo Ethnic Grievances……………………………………………………………..25 1.8.2 Yoruba Ethnic Grievances…………………………………………………………27 1.8.3 Grievances of Minority Ethnic Groups……………………………………………..28 PART THREE 1.9 Causes of Religious Tensions and Violence in Nigeria……………………………28 1.9.1 Marriage Law………………………………………………………………………28 1.9.2 The Sharia Law and its Challenges………………………………………………..29 1.9.3 Globalization as a Source of Tension and Conflict………………………………...32 1.9.4 Other Causes of Religious Violence in Nigeria…………………………………. …33 1.9.5 The Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC)……………………………………33 1.9.6 Mixture of Religion and Politics………………………………………………........34 xviii 1.9.7 The Attitude of the Nigerian Media and Politics………………………………..35 1.9.8 Division and Tribalism in Religious Places……………………………………..36 1.9.9 Pilgrimages to the