Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Nigeria was ordained a priest in Kaduna in 1976 at the age of 24. He obtained a Diploma in Religious Studies from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, a BA in Divinity from the Urban University, Rome, a Master’s in Peace Studies from the University of Bradford, UK, and a PhD in Political Science from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. Named Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Kaduna in 2004, he became Bishop of Sokoto Diocese in 2011. He is a tireless advocate for Justice, Democracy, and Human Development. He has served as a member of Nigeria’s Truth Commission, as Secretary of the Political Reform Conference for Nigeria, and as a member of Nigeria’s Electoral Reform Committee. He played an important role in negotiating an end to the Shell-Ogoni conflict in Nigeria’s Delta region. A renowned champion of respectful Christian-Muslim relations, Kukah served as chairman of the Committee on Interreligious Dialogue in Nigeria and West Africa and was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as a member of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.