Adedeji Sunday Akintayo arrived in Canada in 2017 as a refugee from Nigeria. Over the last seven years, he has founded two successful support programs for refugees out of United churches in the Montreal area. His programs, which were initially tailored for African refugees but now help refugees from all over, offer material support while also providing spaces for cultural exchange and spiritual flourishing.
Beginning Six months after I joined the Beaconsfield United congregation, the minister called and asked me how to help support other African refugees. I said, “Nigerian food.” Food banks in Montreal all give newly arrived immigrants the same food: potatoes, pasta. I said, “Let us give them Nigerian food.” Beaconsfield gave me $1,000 for 20 families. Fifty families showed up.
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Community From here, my refugee program at Beaconsfield grew. I introduced a movie night once a month where I showed Nigerian movies. I was the first Black man to dress as Santa in Beaconsfield, giving food to refugees. We initiated immigration education seminars and an annual summer picnic for refugees to socialize and be happy. It has been a very big success — people come out in the hundreds. We have helped over 520 refugees since we started.
Growth Last year, I transferred to Riverside United in Rosemère, Que., for my student minister’s education. I prayed, “God, we are going to start another refugee program in this church, and I want it to grow in six months.” Seventy people have joined us in the last six months, and the church is full now. We also brought three newly arrived Nigerians onto the church board at Riverside. We already have four Nigerians on the board in Beaconsfield. I’m going to open a third refugee program, very soon, in Wesley United in Montreal. There was nobody to help me until I got to Canada. Now, it’s my job to transfer this to other people.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
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Amarah Hasham-Steele is a former Broadview intern and a master of philosophy student at Trinity College Dublin.
This story first appeared in Broadview’s December 2024 issue with the title “Disruptor: Adedeji Sunday Akintayo”
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