Rev. John Joseph Hayab: Building Bridges Across Nigeria’s Religious Divide

For over two decades, Rev. John Joseph Hayab has occupied a distinctive place in northern Nigeria’s religious and peacebuilding landscape, combining Christian ministry with interfaith dialogue, conflict prevention, humanitarian intervention and advocacy for religious freedom.

He is a Baptist pastor, development practitioner, public affairs commentator and peacebuilder, who has devoted his career to encouraging Christians and Muslims to see beyond their religious differences and work together for peace and human development.

Born in Kaduna State, he grew up partly in a military barracks because his father was a soldier in the Nigerian Army. The Middlebury Institute of International Studies, in a profile of him, says his childhood experience of living among people of different backgrounds helped to shape his conviction that people of different faiths and cultures can coexist peacefully when human dignity and mutual respect are upheld.

Hayab attended the Baptist Theological Seminary, Kaduna, from 1993 to 1996. During the period, he was involved in evangelism, music, and student leadership activities.

After his graduation, Hayab began to serve as a Baptist clergyman in northern Nigeria. According to Georgetown University’s Berkley Centre, the cleric served as a preacher in different parts of Kaduna State before becoming pastor of a church in Kaduna city in 1999.

Thereafter, his ministry moved beyond conventional pastoral responsibilities as he became increasingly involved in issues of religious tolerance, conflict resolution and community development.

Hayab’s involvement in peacebuilding intensified during the religious tensions that accompanied the introduction of Sharia law in parts of northern Nigeria around 2000.

He also became more active in the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kaduna State and was elected its public relations officer in 2001. A year later, he became secretary-general of the Kaduna State chapter, a position he held for about eight years.

He has also served as vice-chairman of CAN, representing the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

More recently, he has served as Chairman of the Northern Christian Association, representing Christian interests across the northern states and the FCT.

In an interview with Georgetown University’s Berkley Centre, Hayab explained that his responsibilities involved engaging not only Christian leaders but also Muslim clerics, government officials and security agencies to prevent religious tensions from developing into violence. He was also involved in the Kaduna Peace Declaration, an initiative aimed at providing a framework for peacebuilding in the state.

His approach has consistently been based on dialogue and relationship-building. Rather than viewing religious conflict simply as a security problem, he has argued that lasting peace requires trust, communication and respect between communities.

One of Hayab’s most notable contributions is his longstanding partnership with Muslim cleric Sheikh Halliru Abdullahi Maraya.

The two became known internationally as the “Kaduna twins” because of their joint Christian-Muslim peacebuilding activities.

Through the Global Peace Foundation’s “One Family Under God” initiative, Hayab and Sheikh Maraya have worked with religious leaders and communities to promote tolerance and resolve conflicts. The foundation reports that the two have participated in peacebuilding workshops where Christian and Muslim leaders are encouraged to stand together against violence, irrespective of the religion of the victims.

Their work earned them the Global Peace Interfaith Leadership Award in Manila, The Philippines in 2017.

Hayab has also used youth engagement as a peacebuilding strategy. Through the Christian Awareness Initiative of Nigeria (CHAIN), he developed programmes that used football and community activities to reach young people. He told the Berkley Centre that the initiative sought to turn youths who could have become involved in communal violence into agents of peace.

Between 2010 and 2015, Hayab served as special adviser on Religious Affairs, Christian Matters, to two former governors of Kaduna State. The Global Peace Foundation also identifies him as a member of the Kaduna State Inter-Religious Harmony Committee for over 25 years.

Hayab’s concept of Christian service extends beyond preaching and interfaith dialogue to humanitarian and community development activities.

As the country director/field representative of the Global Peace Foundation Nigeria, he has been involved in programmes that bring religious leaders, traditional rulers, women, and young people together to strengthen social cohesion and prevent conflict. The foundation identifies him as Kaduna State coordinator of the Faith Actors Dialogue Forum.

His work has included advocacy for vulnerable communities, youth empowerment and initiatives designed to improve cooperation among communities affected by insecurity.

He is also an alumnus of the International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP) on interfaith leadership and human rights, according to the Global Peace Foundation.

Hayab’s journey from the Baptist pulpit to the centre of northern Nigeria’s interfaith peacebuilding efforts reflects his belief that religion should contribute to human development rather than become a source of division.

His philosophy is perhaps best captured in his longstanding argument that people of different faiths must learn to respect one another and work together. His career demonstrates that conviction in practice — through Christian ministry, CAN leadership, government service, youth engagement, Muslim-Christian dialogue and humanitarian intervention.