St. Augustine's Major Seminary Jos, Lecturer and Dean of Studies

PhD Candidate in Interaction of Religions, University of Jos, Nigeria

Boniface Pius Nkum, originally from Zaria, Kaduna State Nigeria, believes that education is an important ingredient to life and the Priesthood. He had his primary education from 1978-80 in Zaria in a school surrounded by children of Muslim parents and background. After the completion of his primary school, he was granted admission into St. Joseph’s minor Seminary Zaria from 1984-1990. While in the seminary, he met a new set of friends and classmates who were all Christians and Catholics. In the minor seminary Nkum started nursing the idea of becoming a Catholic Priest.

His dream of becoming a Priest became fulfilled when was given admission to the major seminary in 1990. He studied Philosophy at St. Thomas Aquinas Major seminary, Makurdi from 1991-1994 and Theology from 1995-1999. After ordination to the Priesthood in 1999, he has worked as Assistant Parish Priest, Parish Priest and Chaplain in the University of Jos. In 2009, he was sent for further studies Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama to study Arabic and Islamic Studies. In the same year, he was admitted to study Arabic Language at the Dar Comboni Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies, Cairo, Egypt. In 2010, he proceeded to the Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies Rome in continue his studies in Islam. He graduated in 2012 and was appointed to be a formator and teacher at his alma matter St. Augustine’s Major Seminary Jos. Since his appointment as teacher he has been teaching Islam, Interreligious Dialogue, Islamic Philosophy, Christianity and other Religions, Ecumenical Dialogue to over 300 Seminarians preparing to be ordained as future Religious leaders in many parts of Northern Nigeria.

Nkum has been involved in the promotion of interreligious dialogue, relates well to both Muslim and Christian groups. He has supervised many student theses in the fields of Interreligious Dialogue, ecumenical dialogue and Islam. Nkum was a member of the Plateau state interreligious council from 2021-2023 and participated in resolving crises between Herders and Farmers. He is currently a PhD student of the University of Jos studying Interaction of Religions.