Introduction

The Dominican Young Hearts Movement (DYHM), Nigeria has made considerable progress. Presently, we have six groups (1 in the north, 2 in the east, 3 in the west) which are really making impact in the lives of its members. However, this progress has been in the midst of many difficulties. We look forward to a better future when we shall have some financial ability and more matured members. Ours is a very young group with most members either just finishing high school or entering into the University. The average age is 21 years. As at the time of this report, the number of those formally received into DYHM has grown to One hundred and twenty eight (128) but given the peculiarity of this age group, we have only about seventy (70) who are actively involved in the life of the groups.

DEVELOPMENTS SINCE 2002

ACHIEVEMENTS

" 1. We successfully held our 1st National Congress in July 2003. The official report has since been sent to IDYM secretariat. We use this opportunity to thank all the members of the Dominican Family throughout the world who supported us with their prayers and good will messages. The members were particularly thrilled to receive messages from Prouille, the first Dominican monastery.

" 2. During the 2003 national meeting, a National council consisting of 5 persons was set up to oversee the activities of the groups in Nigeria.

" 3. George Adesanya (an ex-friar) who established DYHM in Nigeria interestingly continues to work hard for the growth of DYHM. His presence, life and efforts are a model to the young hearts. He was elected the National Coordinator in July 2003 during our 1st national meeting.

" 4. We have a national website ( http://www.geocities.com/dyhmweb ) This website includes a library containing some formation materials. The site is currently being maintained by a student brother using the studium facilities. We have plans to train some of the members in web design so that they may gradually learn to manage their own site by themselves in the nearest future.

" 5. Each Unit Group of DYHM has a Librarian. Through the establishment of this office, we hope to perpetuate the desire and search for knowledge of the truth, as a continuous part of the life of the groups in Nigeria.

" 6. Only Ibadan, Gusau and Yaba Unit Groups have succeeded in creating a community library. The library of books, audio and video cassettes, is usually hosted in the homes of some of the members, especially the home of the current librarian for the sake of easy access.

" 7. The DYHM Unit Group in Gusau (the capital of Zamfara, the sharia state) that had the problem of instability and the lack of a ready and committed coordinator is now back to life with a committed coordinator and regular weekly meetings of an average of 15 members in attendance. Recently, they also opened a sub-unit at the Federal Polytechnic where many members go for tertiary education. The revival of this group was achieved through dialogue between the leadership of DYHM and the Prioress of the Dominican sisters in Gusau.

CHALLENGES

" 1. We wish that Dominican convents and houses, through their superiors, would be more willing to release the friars and sisters as full time coordinators of the Unit Groups of DYHM. We are particularly concerned and praying that the involvement of the friars will be more stable. At present, that is not certain.

" 2. We petition that a recommendation be sent through the promotor of Dominican Family to all entities of the Order to set aside brothers for this very important ministry of providing formation for the IDYM groups with them.

" 3. The monthly membership dues is the major source of finance in all our groups. As a policy, all the groups have been advised against going to the friars for financial aids (though voluntary gifts are welcome). They simply share their needs with the friars and sisters. Most members are students who still depend on their parents and only a few are workers.

" 4. We find ourselves alone in Africa except with occasional correspondence from Gaston Ndongala from Congo. It appears that only Nigeria and Congo exist.

" 5. Many of the names and addresses on IDYM website are incorrect.

" 6. Some Dominican entities do not yet have the presence of DYM. From our attempts to make contacts with the DYM in Benin, we discovered that it no longer exists. Investigations show that the Benin group (the nearest to Nigeria) collapsed gradually when the friar who started the group was transferred. From what we know, IDYM could wonderfully flourish in Benin and Abidjan (capital of Cote d'Ivoire) if the friars and or sisters become more aware and willing to begin a group of IDYM. What is needed is the conducive atmosphere!

" 7. The status of the group in Kenya is not clear to us. However, some Novices from Kenya (who came to do their novitiate in Ibadan, Nigeria) were introduced to IDYM. This was done with the hope that when they get back to their entities, they would establish a DYM group there.

" 8. If there is a DYM group in South Africa, it would be very good to be in contact with them. At present, we are perhaps the only active English-speaking DYM group in Africa.

" 9. All our efforts to contact the DYM in Cameroun has not succeeded since we have not received replies, yet, Cameroun was represented at the last international meeting of coordinators at Ocanna! We look forward to making good use of "ECOWAS" (Economic Community of West African States) privileges, so that the Dominican houses dotted along the coast of the countries in West Africa could begin a very good alliance of DYM in Africa. This is because citizens of West African countries do not need visas to travel around West Africa.

" 10. We have moved from the experience of passive hostility to a new stage of being tolerated. As one of the members once put it "since they know that we are not illegal, they just simply allow us to exist but is that all we should get?"

" 11. Many of the older friars seem not to make efforts to know about IDYM. These continue to express fears about the groups without any significant contributions. The younger friars however, who are usually of the same age group with the DYHM members have been very friendly and supportive of the groups just like the way the sisters have always been.

" 12. The lay Dominican fraternities here are not a model for the members of DYHM to look forward to. The lay Dominicans here have been blaming the friars for the lack of adequate plan for and involvement in their formation. The presence of DYHM seems to be a source of awakening for some of them.

" 13. As earlier said, the beginning, growth and formation of DYHM has been mainly through the efforts of student friars and Dominican sisters. The student friars are highly vulnerable because of their circumstance. It had taken dedication and determination for the progress achieved thus far. If there are any collaboration works in the province, this work with DYHM is one of them.

DIFFICULTIES

" 1. Despite our efforts, it continues to be difficult to raise funds through sponsorship.

" 2. The level of encouragement is still low. Most of those in authority in the province at most seem to verbally encourage us occasionally. These words of encouragement, which hardly come to us except when we go to them, have not been followed by concrete actions. There is a big difference between tolerating a group and supporting and promoting it. The former is our experience.

NEEDS

" 1. The success of our First National Congress (NaCon) has brought new needs and made existing ones more pressing. We had the support of the province and that contributed much to the success of the NaCon, as we call it.

" 2. The province does not have enough resources to financially support the DYHM with regard to attending the International Meetings of IDYM.

" 3. Generally, we are struggling to build a very strong foundation on which the future of DYHM, Nigeria will rest.

THIS REPORT WAS COMPILED WITH MATERIALS GATHERED BY:
" George Adesanya (National Coordinator)
" fr Oluyemi Taiwo, OP (Deputy National Coordinator)
" Ms Benedicta Adeboye (National Scribe)
" Michael Adeboye (Dean, DYHM, Ibadan)
" Kingsley Madubuike (National Syndic & Dean, DYHM, Yaba, Lagos)
" Sr Comfort Okoro, OP, (Coordinator, DYHM, Gusau)
" Sr MaryChristie Ajanaku,OP (Coordinator, DYHM, Mafoluku, Lagos)
" The compilation was done by friar Oluyemi Taiwo,OP