A Longstanding Struggle for a Christian Chapel at Federal University of Kashere
For 14 years, Christian students at the Federal University of Kashere (FUK) in Gombe State have faced the challenge of worshipping in temporary and often disrupted spaces. Despite the presence of multiple mosques across the campus, there is no designated chapel for Christian worship. This situation has raised concerns about fairness, planning, and inclusiveness within one of Nigeria’s federal institutions.
When FUK opened its doors in 2011, it was envisioned as a place where both Muslim and Christian students could grow academically and spiritually. However, for Christian students, this hope has been overshadowed by a persistent issue: the lack of a stable and suitable worship space. Over the years, students have relied on makeshift venues, leading to disruptions, relocations, overcrowding, and security concerns.
The Multipurpose Sports Complex, which Christian students had been using due to the limited capacity of their usual venue, was reportedly locked for alleged renovations. This incident sparked online outrage and brought renewed attention to a problem that students have long reported. The Fellowship of Christian Students, which had been using the hall due to overcrowding at its former venue, FCLT 1, said the closure caused confusion and reignited longstanding concerns about marginalisation.
Photographs of the locked Multipurpose Hall circulated online, prompting reactions from users on social media. One user wrote, “Christian students in Federal University Kashere in Gombe State have been suffering since the inception of the school. There’s no single chapel for Christian students and lecturers, but there are dozens of mosques on campus.”
During a visit to the campus, it was observed that the institution hosts no fewer than six mosques or designated prayer grounds distributed across strategic points on campus, with no Christian-designated worship centre in sight. This raises questions about equity, planning, and the management of religious spaces in a federally funded institution.
When FUK was founded in 2011, the student community formed various religious associations, among them the Fellowship of Christian Students. The leadership of the fellowship immediately began searching for a suitable place of worship. For several years, the fellowship relied on Lecture Theatre FCLT 1 for Sunday and weekday services. However, as enrolment increased and Christian membership grew, the hall became unsafe. Students described the space as “grossly inadequate,” with fears that an emergency could lead to injuries or a stampede.
This prompted the fellowship to begin using the Multipurpose Sports Complex, a large, ventilated, open-style structure capable of accommodating their numbers. For a while, the arrangement worked smoothly until this year, when the Multipurpose Hall was locked without prior notice to the fellowship.
The abrupt change caused confusion among worshippers. According to the President of the Fellowship, Damter Isaac, the closure led to a two-day disruption before the hall was reopened. Though the issue appeared to have been resolved administratively, the development reignited discussions among students and alumni about the absence of a chapel.
Multiple locations on campus were surveyed, confirming that the university hosts numerous prayer spaces for Muslim students and staff. These include a new mosque at the Chancellery, another at the former Vice Chancellor’s office, a mosque by Gate 3, a prayer location inside the library, another at the Postgraduate School, one near the medical centre, the Central Mosque near the Union Bank branch, and a worship area next to the boys’ hostel. There is also a prayer ground near the ICT centre.
By contrast, Christian students have none. This uneven distribution lies at the heart of the agitation. To facilitate the building of a chapel on the campus, the students opened a crowdfunding account, confirmed by FCS members, underscoring the desperation among Christian students, many of whom are tired of waiting for a permanent solution.
A X user shared the details of the crowdfunding account, stating, “It’s true. One student shared this in case anyone wants to donate, but this shouldn’t be the norm for students to crowdfund projects like this.” The account details were provided, and the call for donations highlighted the frustration of the Christian student community.
As the online conversation grew, a peaceful protest reportedly organised by an individual student circulated on social media with the caption: “No chapel, no stable space, Christian students deserve better.” The fellowship’s executive council, however, quickly released a statement dissociating itself from the action.
The statement, signed by Public Relations Officer, Iliya Ezekiel, read: “The attention of the Fellowship has been drawn to a recent peaceful protest and the circulating caption: ‘No Chapel, No Stable Space, Christian Students Deserve Better.’ While the concerns raised are valid, the member involved did not follow proper due process, and the Fellowship Executive Council was not informed or consulted before the action was taken.”
The leadership assured members of its commitment to addressing the issue through dialogue: “The Fellowship remains committed to addressing these concerns through the appropriate channels, and we assure all members that due process will be followed to ensure necessary actions are taken. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.”
Responding to allegations of discriminatory treatment, FUK’s Public Relations Officer, Janet Ezekiel, dismissed the claims. She stated that the administration of Vice Chancellor, Prof Umaru Pate, had fulfilled its responsibility regarding the provision of land for a chapel.
She said, “The responsibility of the management is to provide land, and they have done so. It is now up to the different religious groups to develop it. It’s not as if the FCS is not doing anything. The VC gave the land officially and even expanded it, because the problem initially was that the land was too small.”
Ezekiel added, “We now have a building committee for the Christian Staff Fellowship. So it’s not like nothing is being done.”
When contacted, the Dean of Student Affairs, Prof Shuaibu Umaru, dismissed claims of marginalisation, saying: “It’s not true. Is the university meant for Muslims alone?” He added, “The Multipurpose Hall is for everybody.”
Pastor Samuel Elebiyo of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, who previously served at Kashere, said the experiences of Christian students reflect a broader pattern across northern institutions. He said, “The community needs help. They have not enjoyed the goodwill that our Muslim colleagues have. When I inquired about building a chapel, I heard there was land near the gate by the main road, but it was revoked and moved near a mountain, far away, with no support to develop it.”
Elebiyo added, “This pattern is not unique to FUK. In the North, the Christian community needs assistance. Christian staff leaders have not done enough; they fold their arms as if it is not their concern, leaving students to suffer.”
Though the university says it has allocated an expanded land, Christian students argue that the problem goes beyond documents. For them, the real issue is access, fairness, and visibility.
For 14 years, the absence of a chapel has forced a cycle of temporary arrangements, lecture theatres, sports halls, borrowed spaces, none providing the stability expected in a federal university.
Meanwhile, the visible presence of multiple mosques across campus, many built with staff and community support, fuels perceptions of inequality.
The situation is worsened by communication gaps, sudden venue lockouts, and a lack of clarity about timelines for the chapel project.
Lecturers who requested anonymity said the controversy over Christian worship spaces is not simply a religious issue; it is a test of administrative fairness, campus inclusiveness, and institutional planning. While the university insists it has fulfilled its obligations by allocating land, Christian students’ lived experience tells a different story, one of years of waiting, makeshift arrangements, and repeated disruptions.
While sourcing funds through crowdfunding, the fellowship continues meeting in temporary venues, clinging to assurances that the long-awaited chapel project will eventually materialise.
