VOICES From Migrations | Oluwafemi Emmanuel Ayodele's story
- Changemakers
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
“VOICES From Migrations” is a project co-funded by the European Union exploring untold migration stories. Oluwafemi Emmanuel is a missionary who moved from Nigeria to Italy in 2024, fleeing persecution. This is his history:
“My name is Oluwafemi Emmanuel Ayodele. I was brought up in Lagos, Nigeria, and I am a missionary pastor. As a missionary, you must be assured in your passion and beliefs, because it is a life-threatening field.
With this calling in mind, I enrolled in Ministry School and later strengthened my formation through the School of Evangelism and of Deliverance. I also earned a degree in Mass Communication, which helped me become a writer. Through my books, I hope to guide young people toward happiness and a fulfilling future.
As part of my missionary work, I travelled. I’ve been to Zimbabwe, Congo, and Jerusalem. In 2024, my ministry decided that I should go to the north of my country, where religious persecution of Christians persists, particularly by groups such as Boko Haram. However, an outbreak of violence exploded while I was there, and the onslaught made me flee. I had to leave the country.
A friend of mine helped me a lot in preparing for the journey. I did not have the resources to do that on my own, but my friend helped me in the process of getting the visa and securing a safe way out. Then I took a plane, and haven’t been back since.
When I landed, I took a train to Rome. I stayed in the Vatican City for a couple of months, but I struggled at first. I had to sleep in the streets. Thankfully, I found solace in the church, and I was eventually provided with free accommodation. I felt embraced. Thanks to the hospitality I received, I could go in and about, then come back at night to lay my head.
If there is one thing I am passionate about, it’s missionary work. I thought: ‘let me come to a rural area in Italy to see how I can positively impact social life’. I was able to meet the incredible people here. For now, I have not started my assignment as a missionary. I believe once I complete my documentation, I’m free to move around and help people in Italy and all of Europe.”
Interview by: Lorenzo Palmer, Yuliia Smykovska, Mauro Predoti, and Lorenzo Tramontana
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
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