Q&A: My Highgate

Kunle Ayodeji has been theVicar of St Michael’s church in Highgate since 2017. He lives in South Grove with his wife Tomi, and their children.

What brought you to the area where you live?

I was brought to Highgate by my appointment as Vicar of St Michael’s Highgate. I moved here last September with my wife and our two children so we are newcomers to Highgate. The vicar resides in the church vicarage so we had no choice in the accommodation but we like it.....a lot!

What makes Highgate unique?

The many open spaces where you can lose yourself in quiet reflection. Two of my favourite activities are walking and praying. Highgate’s wonderful open spaces enable me to combine both activities. Prayer walking is something I would happily commend to everybody.

You have a day off to spend in Highgate, what do you do?

Walking on the Heath. There’s so much to explore and the views are quite spectacular. I have yet to explore Highgate Wood but I’m looking forward to it. I did the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, a walk of over 770km, a few years ago; exploring Highgate on foot brings back pleasant memories of that pilgrimage. It allows me to take short, daily pilgrimages.

If you were the editor of the Ham&High, what would you focus on?

My focus would be to promote a narrative that would let teenagers know the value of human life. Too many young people are being stabbed with tragic consequences for families and communities. We could all do with a more spiritual outlook to life.

Who is the most inspiring person you’ve met?

Jesus Christ - My relationship with him has been life-transforming.

What are you looking forward to for the rest of this year?

Making St Michael’s more accessible to the community. We plan to start opening our church doors during the day so anyone can come in, explore, sit quietly and even say a prayer. That’s something to look forward to.