He's helping Montreal refugees build a home away from home
CBC
CBC Quebec is highlighting people from the province's Black communities who are giving back, inspiring others and helping to shape our future. These are the 2024 Black Changemakers.
Two bags of parboiled rice and a misleading Google search were all it took for Adedeji Sunday Akintayo to find his second family when he came to Canada as a refugee.
In 2017, Akintayo decided to settle in Anjou, in the east of the island of Montreal.
His Christian faith was already a key part of his life when he was growing up in Nigeria and it followed him everywhere. It was important for him to find the nearest church.
The name of the Beaconsfield United Church popped up on his screen, and being new to the city, he had no idea what kind of journey he would embark on.
The church was on the island of Montreal — but on the other end.
Around two hours later, after a never-ending trip by public transit to the western tip of the island, he realized that it was not the "nearest church."
But when he got to the secretary's office, he found two bags of rice used in Nigerian cuisine. They looked like home.
He decided that finding this "good church" was the biggest miracle of his life. And he hasn't left since.
Though he worked two jobs from 7 a.m. to midnight, he never missed a Sunday service at the church.
He had finally found a second place to call home after years of travels for his studies and work in Ukraine, Lithuania, Portugal, Poland and the United States.
"[Coming to Canada] has been the best decision of my life. It has been something that changed my life," said Akintayo.
From singing in the choir to working as a board member and contributing to the hospitality group, he quickly became an active member of the church.
In 2018, he felt it was time to give back to the community and created the Refugee Integration and Support Program.
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