THE IAOP
At the initiative of the Master of the Order, the late Bro. Vincent de Couesnongle. Dominican brothers living in sub-saharan Africa, met at Ibadan (Nigeria) in April 1976. This first General Assembly of the Dominicans of Africa proposed the creation of a structure to promote collaboration and mutual support among all the brothers working in sub-Saharan Africa. It was called INTER- AFRICA O.P., abridged as IAOP.
The INTER-AFRICA O.P. is a structure at the service of fraternal communion and of the mission of the Order on Africa. It offers its members a place for reflection, dialogue and collaboration, espcecially in the areas of formation, intellectual life and the mission of the Order.
Communication (IAOP)
OP has a communication bulletin called AFRIDOMS. It’s a semi-annual Magazine published electronically (and no longer in hard copy), under the responsibility of the Coordinator of IAOP. It is published both in French and English.
Since some information can quickly become out-dated, the IAOP provides bothers with news snippets through a bulletin called AFRIDOMS FLASH.
The IAOP is also connected with the social networks like Facebook.
Catalogus. At the end of the 4th quarter of every year, IAOP publishes a catalogus of the Dominican brothers and sisters in Africa.
The Inter-Africa may undertake to publish other bulletins or works, especially acts from conferences and seminars.
Formation (IAOP)
Since its establishment in 1976, the IAOP has seen its highest priority as formation. Noviciates and Studentates are considered as Inter-African Centres for Formation; and the IAOP encourages the regrouping of students in philosophy and theology in these centres. Institutional studies up until ordination are done in Africa. One counsellor of the Coordinating Committee of IAOP is in charge of formation. His role is to take responsibility for promoting collaboration and sharing information regarding formation, including the respective Rationes Formationis Particularis, for organising student meetings, and for promoting on-going formation of formators.
Existing Noviciates are in Viadana (Democratic Republic of Congo), Ibadan (Nigeria), Cotonou (Republic of Benin), Kigali (Rwanda), Johannesburg (South Africa), Kisumu (Kenya).
Studentes are located in Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo), Ibadan (Nigeria), Abidjan (Ivory Coast), Pietermaritzburg (South Africa), Nairobi (Kenya), Bujumbura (Burundi), Yaoundé (Cameroon), Luanda (Angola).
Intellectual Life
The IAOP has also a Commission for Intellectual Life chaired par the Counsellor for Intellectual Life. Its tasks are: to facilitate collaboration and exchange of teachers, students, and publications; to plan colloquia, study sessions, and research projects; to allocate to the entities scholarships for complementary studies offered to IAOP. The Commission meets at least once every three years.