Executive Summary
The punitive culture in our correctional system has produced expanding budgets and high levels of recidivism – both indications of a failed system.  There have been attempts at changing negative prison cultures, but few have succeeded.  One training design has proven itself with staff development training as well as inmate rehabilitation; it is the Emotional-Social Competency Skills© Training.  Research proven, this model has been shown to be effective in a number of prison systems.  The rationale for its success and examples of its impact are reviewed in this article.

Rationale
Recently there has been an increasing awareness of and concern about the reintegration of released inmates back into our communities.  Hopefully, this indicates a shift in our consciousness rather than a short lived “fix it” fad.  Reentry programs, both government and nonprofit, and the involvement of the community in reentry are all important; but without a change in the culture of prisons, they will not have the impact or give the results we seek.  The culture in prisons is unhealthy at best and pathological at worst.  Not only is it detrimental to inmates, but to staff and our communities as well.  We are not responsible for having created this situation, but we are responsible if we allow it to continue.  We inherited our criminal justice system, the roots of which go back to King Henry I of England.  It is time we upgraded this system using proven evidence based practices.

The dysfunctionality of corrections is coming to light now because of the budgetary issues and the high rate of recidivism.  Those of us working in and around corrections have known this for decades.  An inmate often exits the prison system more alienated, marginalized, traumatized and desocialized than when she/he entered. And the social fiber of the communities he/she returns to is deteriorating.

Our prison system is very hard on inmates; harder still on staff.  The statistics bear this out; the average life expectancy of a correctional officer (CO) is 58 years, while the life expectancy of the general population is 74 years.  That’s a difference of 16 years; the average prison staff dies two years before they retire.  The divorce rate, suicide rate, substance abuse rate, and cumulative career stress rate (a form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) are alarmingly high.  Staff report the major source of stress is not the inmates; but other staff, poor supervision and administration policies.  No wonder staff turnover is so high.  The power and intimidation culture in prison promotes this dysfunction. 

The design and approach [warehouse mentality] of our prison system, not the personnel, are responsible for this condition.  When staff enter the system without this dysfunctional attitude, the culture is so strong they are forced to conform or they will not survive.  When over a hundred correctional supervisors [sergeants to majors] were given a staff conflict scenario to respond to, they all responded with an aggressive style, even though their actual supervisory style as determined by the Thomas-Kilmann Inventory was not aggressive.  The prison culture dictated they respond in a certain way.  Their response was as expected by what was learned from the 1971 “Stanford Prison Experiment” conducted by Dr. Phillip Zimbardo.  He created a jail setting in the basement of a building where he utilized volunteer Stanford University students – assigning some to be guards and the rest to be inmates.  This two week study was discontinued after six days to prevent lasting harm to the subjects.  The guards became very aggressive and the inmates very passive.  The researchers were amazed by the surprising ease with which normal people could behave sadistically.  Equally significant was the extent to which emotional disturbance developed in young men originally selected on the basis of their emotional stability. 

The ESCS model has been used in hundreds of staff trainings and one disheartening comment has been consistently heard from new COs on their first day on the job, “You can forget what the training academy taught you, we will show you how it is really done.”  No matter how staff training attempts to change the prison culture, it remains relatively unchanged.  To get a fuller understanding of this culture, an excellent resource is New Jack; Guarding Sing Sing by Ted Conover, published in 2000.  The author is a journalist who asked Sing Sing administration if he could do an article on correctional officers.  When he was refused, he decided to become a CO and then write about it.  This book is now used by some correctional training academies as recommended reading.

Changing this unsafe [for staff and inmates alike] prison culture is not the impossible task it appears to be.  Evidenced based practices must be used, however.  Attitudes can change, and in fact they have when given the opportunity.  One type of training that has proven effective is “Emotional-Social Competency Skills© Training” (ESCS).   The most widely used ESCS training model is the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP). The effectiveness of this attitude and values program is well researched and documented.  Over 1,000 workshops are given in the US annually, and there are AVP programs in more than 40 countries being used to heal from war and genocide, in schools, in colleges and universities, in business, in prisons and in the community.

In the US the ESCS model has been used primarily in prisons with inmates, and to a lesser extent with staff.  The National Institute of Corrections thought so highly of this model, it incorporated it into its nationally televised “Teambuilding” training for correctional staff.  Also, the International Association for Correctional Training Personnel gave its “2004 Award of Excellence” to this training design, and in giving this award the President of the Association stated this training should be part of the training of correctional officers in every state. 

The ESCS Model
ESCS training focuses on three types of skills: interpersonal skills, attitude skills, and community building skills.  Interpersonal skills include listening skills, assertiveness skills and problem solving skills.  These skills are effectively taught using the experiential training model, which is widely used throughout corrections.  Attitude skills, on the other hand, cannot be effectively taught using the experiential training design alone.  These skills include self awareness, empathy and personal responsibility.  Attitude skills combined with community building skills are the transformative element of ESCS training.  These skills can only be taught, acquired or realized in an atmosphere of trust, respect and inclusivity.  The experiential model does not generally provide this. 

The primary training models used today in corrections are: lectures or didactic training, experiential activities and the interdependent-compliance models.  They are used to change behavior, which is not the same as changing attitude.  Behavior change results in compliance, where attitude change results in commitment.  Compliance means an individual acts in a prescribed manner because of external rewards or punishments.  Commitment, on the other hand, is the individual taking personal responsibility for themselves and their actions.  This difference between compliance and commitment is monumental, especially if you are concerned with culture change.

Attitudes are developed through the experience of life; so if they are to change, it must also be through the experience of life.  The ESCS model provides the opportunity for this to occur.  In the training, the facilitators help participants create a community or container based on trust, respect and caring.  This container of safety is the transforming element in the model.  When participants feel safe, they let down their barriers and their defenses.  This means they let down their identities.

Everybody has an identity which is who we feel we are, and thus how we believe we should behave.  It is through this identity that we see the world and interpret the events that impact us.  Some examples of identities are: I’m a failure, tough guy, rescuer, mother, father, lawyer, police officer, university professor, etc.  We interpret events in ways that support our perception of our identity.  Information that is incongruent with our perceived identity will be denied, minimized or altered.  When someone lays down their identity, they are left with their humanity and this allows them to connect with others in a safe, honest and caring way.  This transforms the individuals and the group, and this transformation is not temporary; new neuro-pathways are created in the brain and as they are reinforced, they become permanent.

ESCS Staff Development Training
The following are some examples of the types of impact ESCS trainings have had with corrections staff:
A DOC training academy was so dysfunctional and acrimonious that they were in the process of reassigning all the staff [except the Director and Deputy Director] and bringing in new staff.  All staff experienced the ESCS training resulting in no one being transferred, conflicts being dealt with in positive ways, the academy becoming an effective training team and individual instructors improving their effectiveness by incorporating some of the ESCS training elements in their courses.

The Philadelphia Prison System (PPS) had serious conflicts between medical and security and after ESCS training; they came together on their own and began collaborating.

A warden told a Captain to transfer a CO out of the mental health unit because of all the altercations and uses of force the employee was experiencing.  The Captain asked if the employee could take the ESCS training, which he did.  At the end of the year the employee not only transformed his attitude, he became the Employee of the Year. 
The same large inner city jail’s intake unit was experiencing 5 or 6 documented uses of force every month.  After the ESCS training, they experienced 4 or 5 uses of force in two years (1997-1999), a reduction of 96%.

What is interesting about these staff trainings is that nowhere in the training is there mention of conflicts with inmates or working with inmates.  The focus of the trainings is solely working as a team with other staff.  The transformation that occurs from the ESCS training is not only with fellow staff, but with inmates and at home with their families.  Over six months after the trainings 71% of the staff stated they were using these skills with inmates, 84% with coworkers, 75% with supervisors and 87% with family and friends.  In a period of 31 months, use of force in the Philadelphia Prison System reduced 24%.

A specific example of the impact on a CO with 18 years experience is:
“Prior to receiving this training, when an inmate approached me with a negative attitude, I would often feel as if I were developing one myself.  The training has reminded me that I have the power to make something positive out of most situations.  Now, when an inmate approaches me negatively, I simply say I haven’t done anything to you, so why don’t we try to start over on a more positive note.” 

An inmate gave an unsolicited comment about this same CO: 
“I thought he was on drugs, because he treated others so poorly.  I was scared to ask him for anything, like to get a haircut.  The look in his eyes was evil – leave me alone – I’ll cut your throat.  I watched him for a month, thought he had problems at home.  He said one day that he had to lock-up because he was going to a program.  [After that] he began to change; like he came out from behind a brick wall.  I didn’t know why.  When inmates approached him, he used to chop their heads off, but now he listened and was more understanding.  Now I come out of my cell and talk with him, when I used to stay in my room.  I rarely talked to him before and now I talk with him all the time.  I look forward to him coming to work so we can talk; he treats me like a human being.” 

Again, with the ESCS staff training, no mention is made of working with inmates, just working with coworkers, yet the impact effects relationships in all aspects of their lives.

The impact on supervisors can be seen in the following comment:
“I came to work here three or four years ago.  My supervisor came up through the ranks.  He acted like he was above his subordinates, always pushing us down, that we had nothing to say to him.  It was his way or the highway.  At meetings we couldn’t get a word in edgewise and when we did, he didn’t listen.  Something happened, though, and he changed.  He mellowed out, listened more, became a better supervisor.  He didn’t seem to be power tripping any more.  Things were working much better in our unit.  He stopped micro-managing.  We are all doing better work now since his change.  And he seems to be much happier himself.  I can go to him and speak to him more easily.  He has a more open door policy.  I didn’t know what had happened, what had made the change.  I knew he had taken this course, but now that I’ve taken it myself, I see why he has changed.  Thanks to this course, we are all doing much better.”

An important attribute of the ESCS training model is that the participants’ attitude about taking the training was not an indication of what they will gain from it.  The Philadelphia Prison System (PPS) has 2100 employees, 75% of whom took the training.  Of those that took the training, 75% did not want to take the training and 25% were openly hostile.  Yet, the final evaluation showed that 70% thought it was excellent and 27% thought it was good, 2% said it was fair and 1% poor.  The PPS has since incorporated ESCS training in the second week of training new COs; they found it greatly impacted how much the new recruits learned, how well they worked together as a team and how well prepared they were when they got on the job.  New Jersey has also incorporated it into new recruit training for the same reasons.  Massachusetts is in the process of training their training academy staff in ESCS.

ESCS Training for Inmates
Both staff and inmates play a part in maintaining the prison culture.  Thus, transforming staff attitudes is only part of the process.  The other is changing the attitudes of inmates.  The ESCS model through AVP has been equally successful with inmates. 
“Before AVP I only thought about violence, there was no second option.  AVP saved my life, it gave me another option.  The violence in my life got worse and worse.  I spent most of my 11 years in prison in the hole.  I am not a sensitive, caring, understanding individual, but this program has really had an impact on me.  During my first basic training as a facilitator, there were a number of inmates there whom I had previously been very violent to.  I knew if I was to be a role model, to live AVP, I had to apologize to them for what I had done.  It was odd to apologize to someone I had defeated and who had pleaded for his life to me.  Some friends got out of maximum for having beat up some correctional officers and came to me anxious to get some action.  I explained to them that that type of activity was not me anymore.  You could see the hurt in their eyes and it hurts me because I know I cannot do it and I cannot allow them to do it.  It is a whole different world, it’s different for me.  When I was a warrior, I fought with all the tools I could fight with.  I learned to be the best that I could be.  Now to be a warrior for nonviolence, I had to learn the tools of AVP.”

“I have been in every group in the institution and they were all generic.  They gave the same information.  There were very few solutions offered.  When you are given the information without the solution, you are still lost.  AVP gave me some concrete solutions.”

The effectiveness of AVP can be seen in two research studies: the AVP Recidivism Study (M. Miller 2005) shows that AVP reduces recidivism by 46% and the AVP Effectiveness Study (S. Sloane 2002) found that AVP reduced inmate behavioral write-ups by 60%. 

Two major research works support the importance of changing attitudes.  First is a meta-analysis of thousands of studies by Doris Layton MacKenzie published in What Works in corrections; Reducing the Criminal Activities of Offenders and Delinquents.   Dr. MacKenzie states, “Almost all the effective programs focused on individual-level change (attitude change) . . . None of the effective programs focused on punishment, deterrence, or control . . . (Also) the ineffective programs frequently focused on developing opportunities in the community (employment, life skills) . . . This (attitude) change is required before the person will be able to take advantage of opportunities in the environment . . . (In terms of reentry)  such (attitude) transformations are necessary before a person makes initial moves toward a different way of life . . . Reentry programs that focus on opportunities for work, reunite families and provide housing . . . will not be effective if there is not also a (preceding) focus on individual-level transformation.” 

The second research study is the Pennsylvania Parole Outcomes study published in 2007.  The study reported that the primary difference between successful parolees and violators was attitude.  Violators had anti-social attitudes, values and beliefs, poor coping or problem solving skills, lacked empathy and did not take responsibility for their negative behavior.  Both groups were able to find housing and employment and they both had negative emotional experiences and faced significant life problems.  The difference was attitude.

“All my life, negativity has been around me.  I am negativity.  It has created me.  My thoughts were negative.  When I dealt with other people, it was in a negative realm, even when I tried to do what I thought was right.  AVP took out the negative and put in positive.  It gave me new avenues to view, new alternatives, other ways to see things.  Where as before, I saw everyone as a potential enemy.  Like most of us here, we came from a war zone, America is a war zone.  You have to look at life as a soldier everyday.  Now I sit back and look at the world in a different way with a different perspective.”

Contrary to public opinion, most released inmates do not want to re-offend.  They get caught in the cycle of crime and despair.  The Pennsylvania Parole Outcomes study stated that most violators (75%) experienced strong negative emotions, which could be described as hopelessness or despair, shortly before violating. This sense of despair can be attributed to poor attitude, poor coping skills and poor interpersonal skills.  Substance abuse problems are a way of self-medicating when despair sets in, which explains why 80% of inmates have substance abuse issues.

ESCS training has been very successful in helping inmates transform their attitudes, and develop effective coping and interpersonal skills.  When participants experience the container of safety allowing them to drop their defenses and lay down their identity, they are left with their humanity through which they connect with others in an honest, caring way; and this is transforming.  They are no longer alone or isolated; they are connected to others, which is a core human need.  For many, this is the first time they have experienced this connection and it is certainly the first time since coming to prison. 

This feeling of safety and connection is especially important for people who have been traumatized, and almost all of the women in prison and a majority of men have been traumatized (repeatedly raped, molested, physically beaten or otherwise abused) as children, and to this is added the trauma of prison.  Many exhibit symptoms of traumatic stress and some of post traumatic stress syndrome, i.e., withdrawing, isolating themselves, cutting themselves off from their emotions and in general, constricting.

Trauma therapy heals by reversing this constricting process.  The first stage in any trauma therapeutic process is to create a safe space or container within which barriers can be let down.  These barriers are not only to others, but also to their own emotions.  ESCS is not therapy, so the participants do not connect with the trauma directly, but they do connect with their emotions.  Although the trauma is still there and needs therapy, the impact of the trauma in cutting off emotions is mitigated.  By reconnecting with their emotions, they are able to greatly increase their self-awareness, which enhances their self esteem.  This is key to developing empathy and empathy is one of the important skills for success in life. 

Empathy is being in touch with your own emotions so you can relate to the emotions of others.  Without self-awareness, there can be no empathy.  Inmates have said the following about their experience with AVP:
“There is good in everyone.  We have not known how to see that good without being perceived as weak and vulnerable.  AVP showed me how to reach down and see it, to tap that guy that has always wanted to come out but was afraid to come out.  When growing up, if you couldn’t fight, you were a cast-a-way.  Being tough was the thing.  When I became an adult, I should have outgrown it, but it became a learned behavior and I carried it into my marriage and I lost it all.  When I see someone now, I see them with a different perspective.  I’m looking for something good, whereas before I was looking at all the negative things in someone.”

“I went into the workshop as a pessimist and I came out a changed person.  I was alive, I was actually alive.  I liked what I saw in myself.  It was a real high and I’ve been doing it for two years and I love that feeling; and to see other people awakened in the workshops, to see their lives change.”
“Thank you for showing us how to divert our violent attitudes into a positive and peaceful outcome.  Peace of mind is so hard t find these days.  By some miracle, I found it here in the AVP program.  I looked inside of me and found a loving and caring me.”

ESCS training not only increases self-awareness, empathy and connectedness, it also increases participants’ sense of responsibility for themselves, their behavior and for how their behavior impacts others; not only those they know, but the wider community as well.
“If there is such a thing as a miraculous change in an individual, I can truthfully say that it was during my involvement with AVP that I began to grow from a person filed with hate, anger and despair into a person who believes he too is responsible for the protection, preservation and enrichment of humanity.”

ESCS and Culture Change
Traditional methods of changing prison culture tend to be met with resistance and even open hostility; resulting in total failure or at best, limited or short-lived success.  Even experiential programs, which are effective in teaching skills, do not affect attitude change, and are met with resistance.  The ESCS training has been successful because it does not dictate what changes need to take place.  It empowers the staff and inmates to make the changes they realize need to be made.  Delaware DOC Commissioner Stan Taylor commented:
“I would like to take this opportunity to express my support for and admiration of the Alternatives to Violence Program.  As a warden of a state prison in Delaware, I saw AVP facilitate a dramatic reduction in the number of assaults between inmates in what had been a difficult maximum security unit.  As the program continued to run and ‘graduate’ more and more inmates, the overall climate improved to a point where the inmates were actually seeking out ways to positively affect their living environment.  As Chief of Prisons for Delaware, I’ve seen similar results in each of the prisons that have implemented Alternatives to Violence Programs.  There have never been any security breaches and the staff and inmate population alike respect the AVP volunteers.  I’d highly recommend the Alternatives to Violence Program to any correctional manager.”

Warden Money at MCI Ohio stated, “It is generally thought to be the best training program that staff has participated in.  The labor unions are strong supporters of it and employee grievances have dropped to an all time low.  Thank you for helping us change the culture at MCI.  It is the best investment of resources that we have ever made.”

ESCS gives staff and inmates the intrapersonal skills of attitude, self-awareness, empathy and personal responsibility as well as the interpersonal communication skills to transform traditional, dysfunctional prison culture into one that is receptive, supportive and enabling of rehabilitation.  This transformation is necessary if we are to prepare inmates for successful reentry and reintegration into the community.  This is not a luxury or something that would be nice to try; it is essential and it is proven.  Evidence based programs like ESCS need to be part of the overall reentry strategy leading to the transformation of our prison systems into something we can be proud of and into a system that works.

INTRODUCTION

In a recent letter written to some major world Christian leaders by 138 Muslim leaders and scholars (including the Sultan of Sokoto), the authors noted that, since together we (Christians and Muslims) make up more than half of the world’s population, there will be no peace in the world unless Muslims and Christians find a way to live at peace with one another. These authors surely echo the feelings of many Nigerians who make up almost 85% of the country’s entire human population when they said, ‘our common future is at stake. The very survival of the world itself is perhaps at stake’ (A common Word, 2007). Friends, though tensions, conflicts, and even wars in which Muslims and Christians have stood against each other in the northern parts of our country are not primarily religious in character, they possess an undeniable religious dimension. If we can achieve religious peace between these two religious communities, peace and development in the entire country of Nigeria will clearly be easier to attain. 

A brief historical background to Nigeria:
The modern State of Nigeria was brought to being by God the Almighty in 1914. This happened through the British Government after the northern and southern protectorates were brought together and a central government established in Lagos. It is helpful for us to remind ourselves that when the British did this – there were three distinctive ways of relating to this God, the almighty:  African Traditional Religions, Islam and Christianity in that order.

Before the time of independence in 1960, the census figures of 1958 for the Northern Region were: Islam, 11,322,000, African Traditional Religions, (Animists) 4,279,000, and Christianity, 547,000 adherents. (Willinks Report, 1958:64).

Why do we need to remind ourselves of this important beginning? It is to make an important point we often try to erase from our political reality in this country and that is: that Nigeria was born into a pluralistic world and till date we remain a pluralistic country. This pluralism means that the Nigerian has multiple identities. What that translates to for example is that I am a Nigerian, of the Nupe tribe and a Christian of the Anglican Communion. My colleague, Mahdi Shehu is also Nigerian, Hausa from Katsina and Muslim who belongs to the Sunni community. This maze of the Nigerian multiple identities can be enriching and rewarding if well managed and could be destructive if not well handled.

By pluralism, I mean a situation where people of different religions and faiths live together and interact at all levels without fear or prejudice. (El-Assad, 1989).

Christianity and Pluralism.
From a Christian perspective, the evangelical message, as presented by Jesus Christ and made precise by the New Testament is addressed to “all men of good will” no matter their ethnic, cultural, political or religious adherence.  The Kingdom of God is close at hand, it says there, and there is no discrimination: moreover, the small and the humble have a privileged place.  Others are often designated by the term “neighbour”; since God in Christianity is revealed as the Father of all:

He who causes His sun to rise on bad men as well as good (Mtt 5:45).

It is understandable that brotherhood is affirmed for all in Christianity.  In fact, for Jesus Christ Himself, all human beings are dear to Him:

 Looking around at those sitting in a circle about Him,
 He said, “Here are my mother, and my brother.  Anyone
 Who does the will of God, that person is my brother and
 sister and mother (Mk 3, 32-35).

We understand therefore that Christianity goes beyond the old split between Jews and Gentiles, between Greeks and Barbarians, between Roman citizens and non-citizens, to affirm with Paul that:

There are no more distinctions between Jew and Greek,
slave and free, male and female, but all of you are one
in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:28-29).
Jesus Christ reminds Christians through many parables that one must allow the good grain and the weed to grow together, that the harvest of the kingdom depends on the different qualities of earth and kinds of water, as well as successive seasons, and that nobody would be able to say that it is here or there that is why He said to His apostles:

It is not for you to know times or dates that
The Father had decided by His own authority (Acts1:7)

For Him, the time of men seems to be also the time of God’s patience.  St Peter says it in his first preaching’s:

  So that the Lord may send the time of comforts
 (Acts 3:20)

The ‘time of comfort’, of waiting, of hope: the ultimate foundation of a common respect of the diversity of spiritual communities and of a harmonious Religious Pluralism, doesn’t it reside in that same patience of God who respects times and seasons and thus prepares slowly the coming kingdom or the adherence to His law?

His providence takes care of the just and the sinner and His goodness reaches to all mankind no matter their religion, because He hopes that they will all turn towards His will and one day recognize His Lordship.  That is why Jesus Christ tells Christians that “there will be more rejoicing in Heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine virtuous men who have no need of repentance” (Elk 15:1-7).

Islam and Pluralism
Religious pluralism has been a facet of Islamic life since early Islam.  The Holy Qur’an is clear on the subject and it leaves no room for doubt.  First and foremost there is no compulsion in religion.  This is what Allah says in the Qur’an: Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from error” (Q2:256).  It is so clear and categorical. The Holy Qur’an also proclaims: say, the truth is from your Lord: let him who will believe, and let him who will, reject (it)” (Q18:29). (El-Assad, 1989).

Finally, it is said that:
“Those who believe (in the Qur’an), and those who follow the Jewish (Scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians, any who believe in God and the Last Day, and work righteousness, – shall have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve” (Q, 2:62 and Q, 5:69 in a slightly different version).

Many a Muslim commentator, old and modern, drew from these two verses the anticipated affirmation of a possible salvation for non- Muslims, especially the Jews, the Christians and the Sabians, who are sincere in their faith and practice.  This supposes that they ought to be respected in their personal, family and community life.  Hence the justification of the status of protection (dhimma), a historical start of religious pluralism in Islam.

On the other hand doesn’t the Qur’an often say: let him who will believe, let who will, reject (faith) (Q, 18:29).  To the Prophet it is reminded that:
  If it had been thy Lord’s will, they would
  All have believed, all who are on earth’.
Will you then compel mankind against
their will, to believe (Q,10:99-100)

These significant verses refer to that reality: men are free in their choices, the mission of the prophets comes up against the mystery of human freedom and, in the last analysis, all are referred to that one great mystery of the free will of God.

IMPLICATIONS OF PLURALISM: In the words of Dr. Imbillah, it is theologically sound to suggest that God-given freedom allows free human beings to choose the religious path they wish to tread though they will be held responsible for the choices made. The task before Muslims and Christians in Nigeria therefore is how to constructively relate and manage and live with their religious diversity. Unfortunately, here in the northern parts of Nigeria, what has been inherited is that relationship with peoples of other faiths should be discouraged: ‘what has belief got to do with unbelief’? Even worse is the teaching that those outside your religious community are not to be converted but that we should leave them alone because that would mean one religion is better than the other. The outcome of such theological positions has created camps within the Christian faith and even Islam in Nigeria.

These two approaches: (convert them by all means and leave them alone) would not fit the existential reality we face in Nigeria today. What happens when you call on an individual and that person refuses to convert? What would you do with her or him in order to keep your friendship? For those who are against converting people fro one community to the other, the question to be answered here is; whose responsibility is it to convert someone from one faith to the other? (Acts. 10 :1-48). The experience we have and continue to have in Nigeria is that significant number of people from both faiths is converted from one faith to the other , just as a significant number choose to remain within their religious community.
When therefore we talk about the discipline of interfaith relations, what is advocated is that we talk with, and not just talk about people of other faiths, that we do so because both of our faiths teach us to love God and our neighbour though there are differences in our understanding of some of the concepts.

In Nigeria especially this north-central and parts of the north-west, families live together in the same households with intrafaith and interfaith differences. They eat, work, celebrate their diverse religious festivals, share joys of birth and the sadness of death and work together for the development of their community.  This is what African spirituality is all about: ‘live and let live with our religious diversities in harmony’.

Interfaith relations in Nigeria therefore is nothing new; it is and has continued to be about how to curb the growing intolerant religious spirit that blows around the world and unfortunately, Nigeria is not spared. Today, the challenge before us is to find a way of rebuilding our religiously tolerant society and insulate it from being polluted and overtaken by the wave of religious intolerance that has continued to see us living by the law of the jungle which is ‘eat or be eaten’ (Mbillah, 2008)

Is Interfaith Relationship feasible?
Interfaith relations mean faith meeting faith and therefore, people of one faith meeting others of another faith. In practice, it is not, and should not be a meeting aimed at compromising or watering down the beliefs of any one faith with the hope that we can strike a mean and say we are all the same. Both the Bible and Qur’an do not teach that in spite of very many areas of similarities. Our position within the BBA is that no faith should attempt to explain away any of its cardinal doctrines for the sake of peace and harmony. Faith quest for peace and harmony can only be possible when religious people are able to accept and live with their major differences in their belief systems in harmony. Remember the conversation between Sir Ahmadu Bello and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe: says Azikiwe, ‘Let us forget our differences’ to which the Sardauna replied: ‘No, let us understand our differences, by understanding our differences, we can build unity’ (Gambari, 1992). Friends this conversation gives us a lead to how Nigerians in general and the Muslim and Christian communities in the northern states in particular can live together for even development.  

The undisputed objectives of interfaith relations are peace, harmony, development and sharing our common humanness (Ubuntu in S.A), our position within BBA is that these are noble objectives that have to be vigorously pursued in the northern parts of the country in particular.

What are the obstacles to Interfaith relations?
All I want to do here is to mention some of the obstacles bedeviling our quest for peaceful relations in the central and western zones of the northern parts of this country:
a. The area of religious freedoms and rights as ones exclusive religious rights could easily turn out to be the violation of another’s religious rights (Shari’a, places of worship, access roads during ibadat on Fridays and Sundays etc).
b. The multiple identities of the Nigerian Muslim or Christian: how do these identities relate to one’s faith without giving room for divided loyalties leading to segmentation of our societies?
c. The realm of politics where political appointees are made on the basis of one’s religious affiliation, this could lead to religious tribalism which could easily lead to Muslims voting for a Muslim candidate while the Christians vote for a Christian candidate.
d. Both Islam and Christianity are international, In Islam we talk about the Muslim umma and the Christians talk about the Body of Christ. There have been instances where a religious crisis that affects the Muslim umma has brought about a religious crisis in Nigeria. Where this universal sense of belonging leads to a negative impact on our country is unfortunate and needs to be looked into and resolved. The position of BBA is that our common humanity as Nigerians, Muslims and Christians should be harnessed to bring about peace and development and not antagonism and destruction of lives and property.
e. My last obstacle is that of mission and evangelism in Christianity and dawah in Islam. This concept is an imperative for both faith traditions. The difficulty here is on how to be faithful to our religious demands devoid of polemics, stereotypes and derogatory remarks about the other.

How do we reduce tensions re-these obstacles?
To assist us in our thinking, permit me to suggest the following:
1. Teaching our seminary students and students being trained as Imams should include the study the religion of their neighbour.
2. Imams and pastors need to be trained in recognized institutions and their training should include chaplaincy work in our various institutions(prisons, hospitals and schools).
3. There is a need to work on the possibility of attaining a zero tolerance for religious crises in the northern parts of the country.
4. Religious institutions need to join hands with each state government in fighting corruption by creating jobs for the teaming young girls and boys who have education without jobs.
5. We also propose some deliberate attempts by both communities to move from regular meetings to doing things together like: fighting HIV, illiteracy, environmental protection and active theological debates.
6. It is also suggested that at LGA and state levels, there should be a deliberate effort at encouraging both the Muslim and Christian adherents to study the religion of their neighbour.

References:

1) Gambari, I. (1992) The Role of Religion in National Life: reflections on Recent Experiences in Nigeria; in Hunwick, J.O. Religion and Intergation in Africa. Northwestern University Press, Illinois, pg.98.
2) Nassir El-Din-El-Assad, Address delivered on behalf of H.E. Crown Prince Al-Hassan on 11th September, 1989 Amman, Jordan.
3) Mbillah, Johnson A. (2008) Interfaith Relations in Africa.
4) Willink, H. (1958). Report of the Commission appointed to enquire into the fears of Minorities and means of allaying them. Her Majesty’s stationery office, London.

We have been involved in interventions in most of the crisis in northern Nigeria. We train the participants who are in affected areas or violent prone settlements. The participants are in categories of Inciters, Perpetuators, Victims and those whose learning will snowball into community to promote relationships or who will adopt the approach in their work. Our work is strictly interfaith.

We have had series of such trainings but this women group from Dadin Kowa area of Jos in Plateau state which we did with Damietta Peace Initiative stand out. After the training on the last day we were discussing ‘what next’ and the women suggested they will be meeting last Saturday of every month to clean their community, so that it will keep and promote the relationship they have built, they did that twice and we keyed into it.

They are mostly petty traders in the street market after their second sanitation exercise we bought for them Wheel barrows, shovels and winnowing forks; to ease their work and for revenue generation. They clean their community last Saturday of the month and we encouraged them to clean the market weekly (every Saturday, except last Saturday of the month) and all shop owners pay to support the work. During the week they rent the wheel barrows out to youths who use them to carry goods for shoppers to their cars, homes or bus stop and they pay for the use of the wheel barrows. With that they were able to buy more wheel barrows for rentals and have even donated sanitation materials to women in a neighboring community.

We are so encouraged that we have trained them to do dry season farming where they can use broken buckets, empty sacks etc to grow their vegetables and at the moment we are collaborating with an Italian organization that concentrates on skill acquisition training to get those of them with basic literacy and their children to learn Knitting (sweaters and cardigans), Catering (making of snacks and continental dishes), sewing, hairdressing and computer operation.

Two sets of our women and children have already graduated while the sanitation and the wheel barrow rental are still going on. It is like a cooperative now as they have ratio for sharing profit while a percentage is kept to maintain and replace tools while supporting other community efforts. We are now planning to open a shop where their goods can be displayed for sale (from the skill acquisition training) and we will market across Churches and Mosques for patronage as the proceeds is to promote peaceful coexistence and community cohesion thereafter they will be paying for the shops and form a cooperative also.

It is amazing the bond that is been built while improving their economic situation, they have started inviting their husbands to their meetings as advisers and their children for continuity. They are Christian and Moslem women from the same community and this has really helped because since they started this project there has not been any crisis in the communities despite the series of crisis that has engulfed the state since January.
We are starting similar projects with women and youths in other communities since the pilot has been a tremendous success.

The workshop began with the opening talk on Alternatives to Violence Project and the process of the workshops. Thereafter concepts of perception, biases, trust etc were highlighted.

Sr Helena McEvily then talked about the activities of Damietta Peace Initiatives and the activities in communities and explained that the funding support for this workshop is from the Embassy of Ireland in Abuja and it will be for the Basic, Advance and Facilitators workshop and Carefronting-Nigeria has been engaged to facilitate the workshops. The whole participants were from Damietta Peace Initiative in Jos; they are all Pact Enablers.

The Facilitators then introduced themselves and gave the workshop contracts which include; the ground rules, house keeping, attendance, participation, punctuality etc and about the end of the first session, the participants introduce themselves and what they hope to achieve from the workshop. The group then took a break for group photograph and tea break.
The second session went straight into AVP training activities with exercises on affirmation and self esteem, Communication, Cooperation, Conflict Resolution, Transforming Power, Community Building etc with activities to emphasize these topics.

At the end of the workshop the comments from the participants was quite encouraging with all of them wanting to participate in more of such workshops. The evaluation was quite affirmative with comments like;

“ The workshop should have been longer
“ It should be taken to everywhere in the state and country
“ I feel very transformed
“ Now I know myself better
“ I will trust my creativity and use it to turn situations around etc

It obviously was a successful workshop since all the participants were very enthusiastic and wants to participate in the advance level workshop.
31 enablers in all participated in the workshop.

ADVANCE LEVEL WORKSHOP

The advance level workshop held between 27th and 29th July, 2010 at the pastoral center in Jos. The workshop started quite early as participants already know themselves and are all very enthused about continuing the process. They were all together during their basic level workshop.

This workshop stressed on Transforming power again before taking decision on what the focus of the workshop should be like it is in an advance level workshop. The participants agreed on taking on Communication but there was also strong agitation for Stereotype thus the facilitators were compelled to consider Communication and Stereotype as the focus but there was a little highlight on Anger, Mediation and Forgiveness in the last session.

At the end of the workshop when the issue of the facilitators level was raised it was unanimously agreed that we should take a break because of the month of Ramadan and non availability of the pastoral center thus the Training for Facilitators (T4F) was agreed to come up after the month of Ramadan in consideration of the disposition of our Moslem brothers and sisters participating in the workshops.
27 participants attended, 4 persons couldn’t make it.
TRAINING FOR FACILITATORS (T4F)

The training for facilitators was further postponed after Ramadan because of other commitments till December thus the workshop held 9th – 11th December, 2010. The Workshop started with the preliminaries looking at facilitators, facilitation, team building, group dynamics etc then the presentation of manuals before the participants present were shared into groups.

The workshop was a ten session workshop with the participants in their groups shared to take sessions on affirmation and self esteem, communication, conflict resolution, role play and all the groups took a session on Transforming power covering TP rap, mandala, guide etc

At the end of the workshop the participants were quite excited at the awareness and understanding of facilitation and their roles whenever they are facilitating. Best practice was emphasized, AVP is very concerned about standard and we should always uphold it, the fact that you have been trained as facilitators does not give the license to do just anything, there is need for mentoring to be sure we are grounded. 24 participants were in attendance for the T4F.

RECOMMENDATION

The participants were excited and looked forward to participating in more training thus the need for more training for them.
There is need for more workshops so that participants will attempt facilitating under supervision
There is a need to have mentoring programmes for the participants to support their community activities.
Some of the participants that dropped out in some sessions due to reasons beyond them and the other active enablers that didn’t have the chance could be carried along.
Maji Peterx
Zonal Coordinator (North)
AVP Nigeria

INTRODUCTION

In a recent letter written to some major world Christian leaders by 138 Muslim leaders and scholars (including the Sultan of Sokoto), the authors noted that, since together we (Christians and Muslims) make up more than half of the world’s population, there will be no peace in the world unless Muslims and Christians find a way to live at peace with one another. These authors surely echo the feelings of many Nigerians who make up almost 85% of the country’s entire human population when they said, ‘our common future is at stake. The very survival of the world itself is perhaps at stake’ (A common Word, 2007). Friends, though tensions, conflicts, and even wars in which Muslims and Christians have stood against each other in the northern parts of our country are not primarily religious in character, they possess an undeniable religious dimension. If we can achieve religious peace between these two religious communities, peace and development in the entire country of Nigeria will clearly be easier to attain. 

A brief historical background to Nigeria:

The modern State of Nigeria was brought to being by God the Almighty in 1914. This happened through the British Government after the northern and southern protectorates were brought together and a central government established in Lagos. It is helpful for us to remind ourselves that when the British did this – there were three distinctive ways of relating to this God, the almighty:  African Traditional Religions, Islam and Christianity in that order.

Before the time of independence in 1960, the census figures of 1958 for the Northern Region were: Islam, 11,322,000, African Traditional Religions, (Animists) 4,279,000, and Christianity, 547,000 adherents. (Willinks Report, 1958:64).

Why do we need to remind ourselves of this important beginning? It is to make an important point we often try to erase from our political reality in this country and that is: that Nigeria was born into a pluralistic world and till date we remain a pluralistic country. This pluralism means that the Nigerian has multiple identities. What that translates to for example is that I am a Nigerian, of the Nupe tribe and a Christian of the Anglican Communion. My colleague, Mahdi Shehu is also Nigerian, Hausa from Katsina and Muslim who belongs to the Sunni community. This maze of the Nigerian multiple identities can be enriching and rewarding if well managed and could be destructive if not well handled.

By pluralism, I mean a situation where people of different religions and faiths live together and interact at all levels without fear or prejudice. (El-Assad, 1989).

Christianity and Pluralism.

From a Christian perspective, the evangelical message, as presented by Jesus Christ and made precise by the New Testament is addressed to “all men of good will” no matter their ethnic, cultural, political or religious adherence.  The Kingdom of God is close at hand, it says there, and there is no discrimination: moreover, the small and the humble have a privileged place.  Others are often designated by the term “neighbour”; since God in Christianity is revealed as the Father of all:

He who causes His sun to rise on bad men as well as good (Mtt 5:45).

It is understandable that brotherhood is affirmed for all in Christianity.  In fact, for Jesus Christ Himself, all human beings are dear to Him:

Looking around at those sitting in a circle about Him,  He said, “Here are my mother, and my brother.  AnyoneWho does the will of God, that person is my brother and sister and mother (Mk 3, 32-35).

We understand therefore that Christianity goes beyond the old split between Jews and Gentiles, between Greeks and Barbarians, between Roman citizens and non-citizens, to affirm with Paul that:

There are no more distinctions between Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female, but all of you are one in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:28-29).

Jesus Christ reminds Christians through many parables that one must allow the good grain and the weed to grow together, that the harvest of the kingdom depends on the different qualities of earth and kinds of water, as well as successive seasons, and that nobody would be able to say that it is here or there that is why He said to His apostles:

It is not for you to know times or dates that The Father had decided by His own authority (Acts1:7)

For Him, the time of men seems to be also the time of God’s patience.  St Peter says it in his first preaching’s:

So that the Lord may send the time of comforts (Acts 3:20)

The ‘time of comfort’, of waiting, of hope: the ultimate foundation of a common respect of the diversity of spiritual communities and of a harmonious Religious Pluralism, doesn’t it reside in that same patience of God who respects times and seasons and thus prepares slowly the coming kingdom or the adherence to His law?

His providence takes care of the just and the sinner and His goodness reaches to all mankind no matter their religion, because He hopes that they will all turn towards His will and one day recognize His Lordship.  That is why Jesus Christ tells Christians that “there will be more rejoicing in Heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine virtuous men who have no need of repentance” (Elk 15:1-7).

Islam and Pluralism

Religious pluralism has been a facet of Islamic life since early Islam.  The Holy Qur’an is clear on the subject and it leaves no room for doubt.  First and foremost there is no compulsion in religion.  This is what Allah says in the Qur’an: Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from error” (Q2:256).  It is so clear and categorical. The Holy Qur’an also proclaims: say, the truth is from your Lord: let him who will believe, and let him who will, reject (it)” (Q18:29). (El-Assad, 1989).

Finally, it is said that:

“Those who believe (in the Qur’an), and those who follow the Jewish (Scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians, any who believe in God and the Last Day, and work righteousness, – shall have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve” (Q, 2:62 and Q, 5:69 in a slightly different version).

Many a Muslim commentator, old and modern, drew from these two verses the anticipated affirmation of a possible salvation for non- Muslims, especially the Jews, the Christians and the Sabians, who are sincere in their faith and practice.  This supposes that they ought to be respected in their personal, family and community life.  Hence the justification of the status of protection (dhimma), a historical start of religious pluralism in Islam.

On the other hand doesn’t the Qur’an often say: let him who will believe, let who will, reject (faith) (Q, 18:29).  To the Prophet it is reminded that:

If it had been thy Lord’s will, they wouldAll have believed, all who are on earth’. Will you then compel mankind against their will, to believe (Q,10:99-100)

These significant verses refer to that reality: men are free in their choices, the mission of the prophets comes up against the mystery of human freedom and, in the last analysis, all are referred to that one great mystery of the free will of God.

IMPLICATIONS OF PLURALISM: In the words of Dr. Imbillah, it is theologically sound to suggest that God-given freedom allows free human beings to choose the religious path they wish to tread though they will be held responsible for the choices made. The task before Muslims and Christians in Nigeria therefore is how to constructively relate and manage and live with their religious diversity. Unfortunately, here in the northern parts of Nigeria, what has been inherited is that relationship with peoples of other faiths should be discouraged: ‘what has belief got to do with unbelief’? Even worse is the teaching that those outside your religious community are not to be converted but that we should leave them alone because that would mean one religion is better than the other. The outcome of such theological positions has created camps within the Christian faith and even Islam in Nigeria.

These two approaches: (convert them by all means and leave them alone) would not fit the existential reality we face in Nigeria today. What happens when you call on an individual and that person refuses to convert? What would you do with her or him in order to keep your friendship? For those who are against converting people fro one community to the other, the question to be answered here is; whose responsibility is it to convert someone from one faith to the other? (Acts. 10 :1-48). The experience we have and continue to have in Nigeria is that significant number of people from both faiths is converted from one faith to the other , just as a significant number choose to remain within their religious community.

When therefore we talk about the discipline of interfaith relations, what is advocated is that we talk with, and not just talk about people of other faiths, that we do so because both of our faiths teach us to love God and our neighbour though there are differences in our understanding of some of the concepts.

In Nigeria especially this north-central and parts of the north-west, families live together in the same households with intrafaith and interfaith differences. They eat, work, celebrate their diverse religious festivals, share joys of birth and the sadness of death and work together for the development of their community.  This is what African spirituality is all about: ‘live and let live with our religious diversities in harmony’.

Interfaith relations in Nigeria therefore is nothing new; it is and has continued to be about how to curb the growing intolerant religious spirit that blows around the world and unfortunately, Nigeria is not spared. Today, the challenge before us is to find a way of rebuilding our religiously tolerant society and insulate it from being polluted and overtaken by the wave of religious intolerance that has continued to see us living by the law of the jungle which is ‘eat or be eaten’ (Mbillah, 2008)

Is Interfaith Relationship feasible?

Interfaith relations mean faith meeting faith and therefore, people of one faith meeting others of another faith. In practice, it is not, and should not be a meeting aimed at compromising or watering down the beliefs of any one faith with the hope that we can strike a mean and say we are all the same. Both the Bible and Qur’an do not teach that in spite of very many areas of similarities. Our position within the BBA is that no faith should attempt to explain away any of its cardinal doctrines for the sake of peace and harmony. Faith quest for peace and harmony can only be possible when religious people are able to accept and live with their major differences in their belief systems in harmony. Remember the conversation between Sir Ahmadu Bello and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe: says Azikiwe, ‘Let us forget our differences’ to which the Sardauna replied: ‘No, let us understand our differences, by understanding our differences, we can build unity’ (Gambari, 1992). Friends this conversation gives us a lead to how Nigerians in general and the Muslim and Christian communities in the northern states in particular can live together for even development.   

The undisputed objectives of interfaith relations are peace, harmony, development and sharing our common humanness (Ubuntu in S.A), our position within BBA is that these are noble objectives that have to be vigorously pursued in the northern parts of the country in particular.

What are the obstacles to Interfaith relations?

All I want to do here is to mention some of the obstacles bedeviling our quest for peaceful relations in the central and western zones of the northern parts of this country:

1. The area of religious freedoms and rights as ones exclusive religious rights could easily turn out to be the violation of another’s religious rights (Shari’a, places of worship, access roads during ibadat on Fridays and Sundays etc).
2. The multiple identities of the Nigerian Muslim or Christian: how do these identities relate to one’s faith without giving room for divided loyalties leading to segmentation of our societies?
3. The realm of politics where political appointees are made on the basis of one’s religious affiliation, this could lead to religious tribalism which could easily lead to Muslims voting for a Muslim candidate while the Christians vote for a Christian candidate.
4. Both Islam and Christianity are international, In Islam we talk about the Muslim umma and the Christians talk about the Body of Christ. There have been instances where a religious crisis that affects the Muslim umma has brought about a religious crisis in Nigeria. Where this universal sense of belonging leads to a negative impact on our country is unfortunate and needs to be looked into and resolved. The position of BBA is that our common humanity as Nigerians, Muslims and Christians should be harnessed to bring about peace and development and not antagonism and destruction of lives and property.
5. My last obstacle is that of mission and evangelism in Christianity and dawah in Islam. This concept is an imperative for both faith traditions. The difficulty here is on how to be faithful to our religious demands devoid of polemics, stereotypes and derogatory remarks about the other.

How do we reduce tensions re-these obstacles?

To assist us in our thinking, permit me to suggest the following:

1. Teaching our seminary students and students being trained as Imams should include the study the religion of their neighbour.
2. Imams and pastors need to be trained in recognized institutions and their training should include chaplaincy work in our various institutions(prisons, hospitals and schools).
3. There is a need to work on the possibility of attaining a zero tolerance for religious crises in the northern parts of the country.
4. Religious institutions need to join hands with each state government in fighting corruption by creating jobs for the teaming young girls and boys who have education without jobs.
5. We also propose some deliberate attempts by both communities to move from regular meetings to doing things together like: fighting HIV, illiteracy, environmental protection and active theological debates.
6. It is also suggested that at LGA and state levels, there should be a deliberate effort at encouraging both the Muslim and Christian adherents to study the religion of their neighbour.

References:

1) Gambari, I. (1992) The Role of Religion in National Life: reflections on Recent Experiences in Nigeria; in Hunwick, J.O. Religion and Intergation in Africa. Northwestern University Press, Illinois, pg.98.

2) Nassir El-Din-El-Assad, Address delivered on behalf of H.E. Crown Prince Al-Hassan on 11^th September, 1989 Amman, Jordan.

3) Mbillah, Johnson A. (2008) Interfaith Relations in Africa.

4) Willink, H. (1958). Report of the Commission appointed to enquire into the fears of Minorities and means of allaying them. Her Majesty’s stationery office, London.

The concept of the African fathers was born out f the desire not to challenge or attempt to subdue women but to support them. It is actually the first all men organization but very inclusive and designed to protect everybody especially “women”.

African fathers is an organization that is designed to encourage responsive fatherhood, women hitherto may have found themselves shouldered with the additional responsibility of playing the father role in the family because the “fathers” are not always around they are too busy with the jobs or/and affairs of personal interest, they are just being parents but not fathers, the point is not all male parents are fathers but all fathers are definitely parents. African fathers encourage men not to be question marks in their children’s life. “Don’t be a question mark in your children’s life” and “have you being a father today?” are permanent on our website.

African fathers is a non-governmental, non political and not for profit making organization with it’s head quarters in South Africa, we have several country chapters (check our website: www.africanfathers.org) the organization is open to all men (fathers, will be fathers and guardians) and we encourage the upholding of IDEAL family tradition, abiding by ethics and acting responsively and responsibly.

In schools, in homes, amongst friends it is common to have children talk freely or more often about their mothers, my mummy this-my mummy that, all stories of times spent or shared at home are with mothers, all stories of excitement revolves around the mother, children’s tales of timeout, going to the park, stores or any other place of interest is with the mother, the question is “where have the fathers gone?” that is why we are going to go into real advocacy and sponsoring of bill board with inscriptions “FATHERS WANTED”, “MEN AT WORK”, “DON’T BE A QUESTION MARK IN YOUR CHILD’S LIFE” etc. because we need an answer to the question; “where have the fathers gone?”

We believe strongly that when women talk about women liberation, equality or equity it is usually because the men folk have not been responsive, if we really play our roles as fathers at home and in the society there wouldn’t have been a need for the cry.

Being a responsive father at home is not having time for or with your children, it stretches to being there for your wife, it promotes the attitude of being a reliable husband, father, parent and most importantly friend to your wife. Therefore this association as its members pledges themselves to restore in all men the value of responsible fatherhood, community, morality, compassion, respect, ethical conduct, human dignity and conformity to basic norms and collective unity.

African fathers organization will direct itself towards improving the well being of children by increasing the proportion of children growing up with involved, responsive and committed fathers. We will accomplish this through educating and inspiring all Africans, especially fathers, through public awareness campaigns, research and other resources. Equipping and developing leaders for national, state and community fatherhood initiatives through curricula, training and technical assistance and engaging every sector of society through strategic advocacy and partnership.

The organization will muster men and boys to bring to bear their will, influence, intellect competence, resources and power in pursuit of the stated purpose and intent and will by teaching, educating, publicity and example promote respect for the highest human rights obligations and freedom.

African fathers have come to prove that on the issue of communal growth, societal acceptance and family development we (men) are a RELIABLE stake holder thus every night before closing your eyes in sleep we challenge every man to ask themselves answer the question “have you been a father today?”.