A Nigerian priest's suicide sheds light on the dangers faced by clergy in Nigeria, as fears of violence and deportation become a tragic reality.
A Nigerian Catholic priest living in Massachusetts allegedly ended his life just days after being ordered to leave the United States and return to Nigeria, a country he admitted haunted him with overwhelming dread.
Reverend Benjamin Okwy Madu, 54, died on July 2 at his home in Lynnfield, Massachusetts. The Archdiocese of Boston said he had worked as a hospital chaplain and parish priest on Cape Ann since 2021.
His religious worker visa was set to expire on July 29. The Boston Globe reported that his home Diocese of Abakaliki told him to return to Nigeria before his visa expired so he could start a new assignment on August 4.
Everyone who knew Madu could see the unmistakable shadow of fear that loomed over him at the thought of leaving. In moving speeches to his parishioners and a final message on his parish’s website, Madu pleaded not to be sent home, describing how he was being swept away from the United States by forces far beyond his control.
