Archbishop Gabriel Leke Abegunrin of Nigeria’s Catholic Archdiocese of Ibadan. Credit: ACI Africa
Ibadan, 17 July, 2026 / 4:25 pm (ACI Africa).
Archbishop Gabriel Leke Abegunrin of Nigeria’s Catholic Archdiocese of Ibadan has urged citizens to reject religious violence and strengthen Christian-Muslim relations, saying peaceful coexistence between followers of the two faiths remains one of the foundations for lasting peace in the West African nation.
In an interview with ACI Africa following a public debate over the alleged introduction of Sharia law in Oyo State, the Nigerian Catholic Archbishop reflected on the long history of harmony between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria’s Yoruba land and called for the building on the values of dialogue, mutual respect, and shared humanity.
“Christian-Muslim interfaith relations hold the key to a peaceful country. As religious leaders, we must emphasise the need for us to live together in peace despite our religious differences,” Archbishop Abegunrin said during the Wednesday, July 15 interview.
According to the Catholic Archbishop, Christians and Muslims interact naturally through schools, hospitals, workplaces, and family celebrations, building friendships that transcend religious differences.
“They use our hospitals. They actually go to our schools. We interact together. And we are really friends,” he said.
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He said such friendships demonstrate that peace is achievable when leaders prioritize dialogue over division.
“In Nigeria, we should not fight over religion. We should focus on the fact that we are worshipping the same God, but in different ways. We are still alive, but we must kill that spirit of quarrels and fighting,” the Catholic Church leader said.
Archbishop Abegunrin acknowledged that isolated incidents of religious extremism exist, but maintained that peaceful coexistence remains the dominant reality throughout much of southwestern Nigeria.
He attributed that harmony to generations of shared family and community life, explaining that many families include both Christians and Muslims.
“We live together in the same house. Actually, almost every family has Muslims and Christians,” he said.
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The Catholic Archbishop acknowledged that evangelization can be challenging in communities where Christians and Muslims live side by side, calling for prudence and sensitivity in pastoral ministry.
“Conversion is a bit difficult in some areas because we are living among Muslims. And we have to be careful how we handle it because it could result in violence,” he explained.
Archbishop Abegunrin emphasized that Christians are called to treat everyone with kindness, regardless of religious affiliation.
“We must show kindness to everybody. And in return, some Muslims do it also,” he said.
While encouraging cordial relations with Muslims, the Nigerian Catholic Archbishop cautioned Christian parents and Church leaders to ensure that young people receive sound Christian formation.
“We have to be careful so that we don’t mislead our children,” he said, emphasizing that friendship with people of other faiths should go hand in hand with a firm understanding of the Christian faith.
Archbishop Abegunrin urged Nigerians to focus their collective efforts on addressing the country’s pressing security challenges. “How to attain peace in Nigeria, how to stop killings, banditry, and displacement, that should be our focus,” he said.
Abah Anthony John is a Nigerian Catholic journalist with passion for Church communication and media apostolate. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from Benue State University, Makurdi in Benue State Nigeria. He has a background in print, electronic and multi-media production.
Categories: Africa, Catholic Church, Catholics, Nigeria, Western Africa