Author: By Chima Azubuikwe

For 14 years, Christian students at the Federal University of Kashere, Gombe State, have worshipped in temporary and often disrupted spaces due to the absence of a chapel, even as multiple mosques operate across the campus. While the university insists it has provided land for the project, students and religious leaders argue that the lack of a functional worship centre reflects deeper concerns about fairness, planning, and inclusiveness in one of Nigeria’s federal institutions, writes CHIMA AZUBUIKE

When the Federal University of Kashere opened its doors in 2011 as one of Nigeria’s nine new federal universities, students, both Muslims and Christians, arrived with hopes of growing academically and spiritually in an environment designed to cater to all. However, for Christian students on campus, that hope has long been shadowed by a persistent challenge: access to a stable and suitable worship space.

Fourteen years after its establishment, the university still has no designated chapel for Christian worship, leading to intermittent disruptions, relocations, overcrowding, security concerns, and online agitation.

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. The incident triggered online outrage and drew renewed attention to a problem that students confirmed had persisted for more than a decade.