(Bonn, 11.05.2026) On 7 April 2026, the founder of the Catholic Institute for Development, Justice and Peace (CIDJAP), Monsignor Prof. Francis Obiora Ike, celebrated his 70th birthday. On this occasion, the President of the International Society for Human Rights (ISHR), Archbishop Thomas Paul Schirrmacher, has published a tribute, which we reproduce below.
Tribute by Thomas Schirrmacher (ISHR)
To the Organizing Committee,
in honor of Monsignore Professor Obiora Francis Ike,
Today we gather in joy and thanksgiving—to celebrate a man whose life has been a gift to the Church, to our nation, and to the world. We celebrate Monsignore Professor Obiora Francis Ike: priest, teacher, visionary, and friend.
For seventy remarkable years, Monsignore Ike has walked faithfully with God, dedicating his life to service—to lifting others through education, truth, and love. He is a man whose heart beats for justice, whose hands build peace, and whose voice calls us all to live with integrity and compassion.
In his homeland of Nigeria, his vision gave birth to the Catholic Institute for Development, Justice and Peace—CIDJAP, a model of faith in action that brings hope to the poor, educates the young, and defends the dignity of every person. Through CIDJAP and other initiatives like the Institute of African Studies and Human Dignity and the Global Ethics and Values Initiative, Monsignore Ike has shown that real development begins in the human heart—and that faith and ethics must walk hand in hand.
But his mission has never been limited by borders. From Nigeria to Germany, from Enugu to Frankfurt, Monsignore Ike has carried the Gospel of human dignity into the world. His close partnership with the International Society for Human Rights—the IGFM in Frankfurt—has strengthened bonds between Africa and Europe and deepened global awareness of the struggles and hopes of people longing for freedom and justice. Those who know Monsignore Ike know his warmth, his laughter, his simple humanity. He teaches not only with words, but with his way of life—a life that says, “Faith must bear fruit in love.”
Today, as we honor him at seventy, we give thanks to God for a life so rich in service and compassion.
Monsignore, you have led, taught, and inspired. You have built bridges, healed divisions, and reminded us that light still shines even in difficult times.
May the Lord who called you bless you with strength and peace.
May your vision continue to inspire generations to come.
And may your life remain a living testimony that goodness, truth, and love are stronger than anything that divides us.
Happy 70th Birthday, Monsignore Professor Obiora Francis Ike—with heartfelt gratitude from all whose lives you have touched.
With the highest regard
Archbishop Prof. Dr. theol. Dr. phil. Thomas Schirrmacher
ISHR President
Downloads and Links:
- Photo 1: Obiora Ike, Director of the Catholic Institute for Development, Justice and Peace (Nigeria), responds to questions during the Agenda for the New Millennium press conference, organized in cooperation with the World Future Energy Summit (Abu Dhabi/UAE, 21 January 2009) © Kvasir Society (agendamillennium.org)/Joy Mathew
- Photo 2: Monsignore Professor Obiora Ike © private
- Wikipedia entry on Obiora Ike (in German): https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obiora_Ike
- Facebook post by The Choice Flame Newspaper: https://www.facebook.com/thechoiceflame/posts/msgr-prof-obiora-francis-ike-70birth-and-education-born-in-1956-in-gusau-zamfara/1597842219012952/
- ACI Africa “‘A sage of our time’: Catholic Priest Hailed for Advancing Higher Education among Seminarians, Clergy in Nigeria”: https://aciafrica.org/news/21209/a-sage-of-our-time-catholic-priest-hailed-for-advancing-higher-education-among-seminarians-clergy-in-nigeria
