Rev. Fr. Martin BADEJO

The Choirs from the Dioceses of Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province, came together for her celebration of the Jubilee Year of Hope, with the Jubilee of Choirs. This was meant to bring the choirs together in a vibrant celebration of sacred music, in the native Yoruba cultural liturgical form.

Following from what the Church specified, the main objective of the gathering of choirs is to foster unity, harmony and the joyful expression of faith in its musical form. In its own way, this is aimed at enlivening the hope of those participants and to make them realize the goodness of God as shown in the musical talents he has given to his creatures. The event took place on Friday 5th to Saturday 6th September, 2025, at St. Peter Catholic Church, Apata, Ibadan, Oyo State.

In the light of the main theme of the Jubilee Year of Hope, Pilgrims of Hope, the choirs chose the theme, ‘Pilgrims of Hope Singing with Joy.’ This was evident in the attendance and participation of the choir members from all the Dioceses in Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province. The number of the registered participants was two hundred and thirty-six, while many more Catholic faithful from within Ibadan Archdiocese, Osogbo, Oyo and Abeokuta Dioceses also participated in the prayerful all-night event.

The event began and ended with Mass However, in-between the all-night event, each of the six Dioceses in the province made choral presentations, with special local flavor. For example, apart from the polyphonic liturgical music presentations by the different Dioceses, Ekiti Diocese came with the music in her dialect, while Oyo Diocese did the local ‘Gelede’ music. Ondo Diocese came with the beautiful Igbo distinction. Ilorin, Osogbo and Ibadan were not left behind, as all the Dioceses did their best to bring to life the theme of singing with hope.

The participants were taken through a reflective moment with the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, during which, Rev. Fr. Ezekiel Afolayan, the Choir Chaplain of IIorin Diocese shared a reflection on ‘How Praising God can Bring Hope Alive.’ The participants also spent time in praying the holy rosary and the Divine Mercy Prayer. The programme had solo performances from Catholic youth such as Deji Alao of Ibadan Archdiocese. Also, the students of St. Cecilia Music Training Centre, Oyo, kept the participants in praise with their special brass band rendition of Handel’s Alleluia Chorus. A period was also dedicated to learning together some common Yoruba liturgical hymns, so that this can be taught correctly back home in the various localities at the grassroots.

Speaking at the event, the Provincial Chaplain, Rev. Fr. Martin Badejo emphasized the importance of the Jubilee celebration which comes up every twenty-five years, as a special time of grace, forgiveness and reconciliation. Hence the celebration of the Jubilee of Choirs is an opportunity to reconnect with the mercy of God through acts of devotion such as going on a pilgrimage to a holy place, going for the sacrament of reconciliation, and engaging in acts of mercy. He therefore charged the participants to use the celebration as an opportunity for a pilgrimage, where they can meet God and rejoice with fellow pilgrims on the journey of hope.

The Host Chaplain, Rev. Fr. Peter Ibimiluyi, reminded those present of the importance of music and the impact it can make in bringing people of faith together. Mr. Patrick Temitope Adesuyi, the Provincial Coordinator, thanked God, the Bishops of Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province and all those present at the event.

This celebration of the Jubilee of Choirs has further strengthened the expected harmonious presence of the choirs in the province, through their willingness to come together and relate together for the united purpose of being of service at the liturgy. The Jubilee celebration also gave the opportunity to sing together with the aim of further acquiring uniformity with our Yoruba hymns which we use at liturgy.

Also, it was obvious that singing brings so much joy and can engender hope, such that the participants departed from the event with the summon to go and replicate the same joy and hope which they had experienced at the event, in their localities and in the grassroots of their Dioceses and Parishes.

At the end of the programme, the Chaplain, Rev. Fr. Martin Badejo thanked Most Rev. Gabriel Abegunrin, Most Rev. Emmanuel Badejo, Most Rev. Felix Ajakaye, Most Rev. Jude Arogundade, Most Rev. John Oyejola and Most Rev. Anselm Lawani, for encouraging and empowering the choirs in their Dioceses always, and for the opportunity given to the choirs to attend and participate in the event. He extended the same appreciation to all the Diocesan Chaplains who have also been quite wonderful and actively involved with the choirs in their various Dioceses. He also appreciated the efforts of the executive and all the choir members in Ibadan province.