Ven Dr. Julius Adekoya

His Background
ADEKOYA, Julius Sunday was born about fifty four years ago to Prince Ezekiel Aderibigbe Adekoya of the Awujale royal family in Ijebu-Ode and Princess Agnes Adekoya (Nee Adekoya, a princess of Odoragunsin in Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State.

AS CHURCHMAN
He was made a deacon in 1988 and priested in 1989 in Ekiti Diocese and was seconded to Ibadan North in 1999 after his release to the University of Ibadan due to a special request for him from the Department of Religious Studies to come and teach Islam after his brilliant performance at his post graduate studies.

As a priest in Ekiti, he worked at St. Michael’s Church, Okemesi, St. James’ church, Ikole and Emmanuel Church Cathedral, Ado among others. He has also worked as vicar and acting vicar in many churches in Ibadan North Diocese such as St. Peter’s Church, Olunlosin, Bishop Oyebode Memorial Church, Agugu, St. David’s church, Oyediji-Monatan, St. Paul’s Church, Yemetu, Church of the Pentecost, Goodness Estate, Ojoo, and currently at St. Paul’s Church, Agbowo-Express, Ibadan.

He was preferred Canon and made an Archdeacon by the Most Revd. Dr. Segun Okubadejo, the lord bishop of Ibadan North Diocese in 2000 and 2003 respectively. In 2015, he was also appointed as Commissioner on Church Life and Interfaith Relations in Africa of the Council of All Anglican Provinces of Africa (CAPA) by the Primate Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, His Grace, the Most Revd. (Dr.) Nicholas Okoh.

AS A SCHOLAR:
He got his Diploma in Theology; Diploma in Religious Studies (Cambridge, 1988); B.Ed. (1997), M.A. (Islamic Studies, 1998) and Ph.D. (Christian-Muslim Relations in 2005). He studied Arabic Language and Interreligious Relations at the Dar Comboni Institute for Arabic Studies in Cairo, Egypt between 2009 and 2012 and got a Baccalaureate in Arabic Language.

His Teaching Experience
Dr. Julius Adekoya has been teaching Islam, Interreligious Dialogue, Christian-Muslim Relations and Comparative Study of Religions in the University of Ibadan since 1999. He has supervised many undergraduate, postgraduate and Ph. D students. In addition to several other positions in the University, he has been serving as the coordinator for the nine Theological Institutions affiliated to the University of Ibadan for many years (these includes those of the Anglican Church, Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, ECWA, Redeemed and Foursquare Gospel Church).

He also teaches as adjourn lecturer in many Theological Institutions and Universities such as Immanuel College of Theology, Ibadan, Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo; Crowther Graduate Seminary, Abeokuta, the Dominican Catholic University, Ibadan, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Foursquare Graduate Seminary, Ikorodu, University of Pretoria and Oxford Centre for Religion and Public Life. He is a member of many learned Societies and several Boards both in academic and church settings. He is the rallying point for so many students and churches in Christian-Muslim Relations in Nigeria and especially in the South West Zone. He has written books and several Journal articles on Islam and Interreligious Relations.

HIS FAMILY
He is happily married to Grace Olayinka Adekoya, an Asst. Director of Nursing at the University College Hospital, Ibadan and they are blessed with children.