Mission as Peacebuilding in Nigeria at its Hundredth Years of Existence
The hundred years of Nigeria as a nation almost coincide with the hundred years of the presence of the Catholic Church in the Northern part of the country. The missionary task a hundred years ago was ad gentes in every sense: it was a region that demanded what is de?ned in Redemptoris Missio 31 as 'speci?c missionary activity' since here the Gospel had not yet been proclaimed and the Church was not established. Today the Church is vibrant and widespread throughout the North. However, as this paper argues, the need for the presence and activity of the missionary Church is no less urgent. In this region, best described today by adjectives such as underdevelopment, insecurity and violence, the missionary priority needs to be focused not so much on Church establishment but rather on being a Model of Peace, in a strategic and committed response to the ongoing and challenging cycle of poverty, con?ict, violence, and underdevelopment.
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