The Michael J. Dempsey Centre for Religious and Social Research is an arm of the Dominican Institute, Ibadan.

The Centre was established by the Provincial and Council of the Dominican Province of St. Joseph the Worker in Nigeria and Ghana at their meeting on 7 February 2002, following the norms of the Constitutions of the Order of Preachers (LCO 92:3).

The Centre is named after Bishop Michael J. Dempsey, one of the three pioneer Dominicans to come to Nigeria in 1951 for the purpose of establishing an Institute of Thomistic Studies in Lagos. That project was short-lived, but throughout the many years Michael Dempsey, O.P., led the Dominicans in Nigeria, and later as he served as second bishop of Sokoto, he was deeply interested in the philosophical and theological dimensions of the daunting enterprise of bridging Vatican II and an evolving Nigeria. He himself was well read and was always very well prepared at any bishops' meeting, meeting of religious superiors, retreats or ordinary preaching at Mass. In addition, he encouraged others to read and think and, if possible, engage in specialized research. For example, he repeatedly pressed Joseph Kenny, O.P., to study the possible relevance of Thomas Aquinas' Summa Contra Gentiles for contemporary relations with Muslims. That finally resulted in a book on the topic.

With the purpose of producing in-depth studies of particular themes it finds relevant or which it is commissioned to investigate (e.g. by D.I., the Provincial Council, the Bishops), the Michael J. Dempsey Centre is an autonomous centre within the Dominican Institute, operating under a directorate directly responsible to the Provincial and his Council.

Other members of the Centre are Cletus Nwabuzo (under personal title), Iheanyi Enwerem, Jude Mbukanma, Dokun Oyeshola, Francis Isichei and Ignatius Madumere. In carrying research projects, the Centre co-opts experts to study particular areas and, once an assignment is complete, assembles the research team to discuss their work together and sharpen the result. This is published in a volume, including the individual papers or merged reports, at the rate of at least one study a year. In addition, the Centre publishes other monographs and occasional papers.

The first Conference of the Centre was held on the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, 28 January 2003. The papers have been published as the Aquinas Day Series, number 1, Preaching in Contemporary Nigeria.

Long Essays: Philosophy Department 2003
S/N	NAME	TOPICS	NO
1	Benjamin, B. Kwaghgba.	The Aristotelian concept of friendship and its relevance for contemporary Nigeria.	DI/137
2	Micheal A. Okoh.	Gilbert Ryle’s behaviourism and the problem of other minds.	DI/147
3	Christopher, Okereke.	The problems of social justice in John Rawls’theory of justice and its implication for Nigerian democracy.	DI/181
4	Eugene, O. Uwota	Aquinas and Walzer on Just War.	DI/156
5	Celestine, C. Emuebie.	Karl Marx’s concept of historical materialism and Alienation: J Habermas post modern critic.	DI/134
6	Marcel, E. Okwara .	The concept of authority in Thomas Hobbs: A critical reflection.	DI/148
7	Partrick, O. Chimezie.	Non violence and civil disobedience in Gandlian philosophy:its relevance to the Nigerian society.	DI/133
8	Paschal, N. Agor	The notion of justice in Aquinas and its relevance to the contemporary Nigerian society.	DI/128
9	Theophilus, I. Nyamali.	Knowledge in the philosophy of Charles Sanders Peirce.	DI/177
10	Evaristus, U. Ekwem.	Machiavellianism and Nigerian Society.	DI/167
11	Luke, O. Onwe	Hobbes’ social contract theory: A critic.	DI/185
12	Nichodemus, C. Okenwa	Being and inter-subjectivity in Sartre’s philosophy.	DI/146
13	Jerome O.I tuah	Bonaventure on the errors of Aristotle: A question of faith and reason.	DI/173
14	Vitalis, I. Onyenedum	The concept of the philosopher ruler and its applicability to the Nigerian concept.	DI/151
15	Emmanuel Agbulu	Human right and Governance: A philosophical exposition.	DI/127
16	Salvator Ndayizeye	Hobbe’s concept of power: An ethical perspective.	DI/174
17	Charles Agboeze	Cartesian interactionism: A critique.	DI/126
Long Essays: Philosophy Department 2004
S/N	NAME	TOPICS	NO
1	Ukwome I Fabian.	Aristotelian concept of the state and Nigerian situation.	DI/171
2	Nicholas O.Okeke.	Human cognitional act in Bernard Lonergan	DI/206
3	Uchenna Ezeihejiofor	Martin Bubers philosophy of Interpersonal relationship.	DI/170
4	Cletus Ashibuogwu	Patriotism in Hegel’s theory of the State	DI/160
5	Chinedum T Ekuma	The platonic notion of existence: A Thomistic look at its implication	DI/166
6	Stanley C Ekwugba	Quest for a peaceful state: A Hobbesian approach.	DI/168
7	Christopher E Egede	John Stuart mill and feminism.	DI/164
8	Benedict Egbuchukwu	The theme of suffering in Soren Kierkegaard.	DI/163
9	Chimezie D Duru	Wiredu’s conceptual decolonization and the problem of development in Africa.	DI/162
10	Hyginus I Ugwuoke	On the mental and the physical.	DI/189
11	Anthony N Ogwu	Methodological falsificationism in Karl Poppers philosophy of science.	DI/179
12	Prayer H Odede	The Niger Delta and the absurdity of life a Camusian interpretation.	DI/178
13	James Ekekwe	Utilitarianism and the minority problem the Niger Delta case.	DI/191
14	Isunuoya Y Stephen	Solipsism and the problem of other mind.	DI/195
15	Joseph C Iloh	The mechanist conception of man: some implications	DI/172
16	Joseph T Akaa	Witchcraft among the Tiv: A philosophical analysis.	DI/158
17	Aburime, E.A.	Euthanasia and the Esan concept of life.	DI/157
18	Cletus K Onwudiwe	Sartre and Camus on the absurdity of human existence	DI/186
19	Callistus I Onyeanusi	Between ethical absolutism and relativism: An analysis of Kant and Nietzsche.	DI/187
20	Luke E Orakwelu	Post verdict criteria in Paul Karl Feyerabend’s epistemological anarchism.	DI/188
21	Francis O Atafiri	Two features of children in Wittgensteins philosophical investigations: some implications for education	DI/161
22	Augustine K Oni	An exposition of Jean Paul Sartre conception of freedom.	DI/183
23	James Okafor	The concept of freedom in the philosophy of Karl Jaspers.	DI/180
Long Essays: Philosophy Department 2005
S/N	NAME	TOPICS	NO
1	Cornelius I Ofoegbu	The Kuhnian conception of science and the rationality of science	DI/205
2	Innocent J Igbokwe	Man is the measure of all things: An investigation into Protagorean Epistemology	DI/231
3	Anthony Onyeuwaom	Virtue of temperance and prudence in governance: Machiavellianism and the Nigerian political situation.	DI/210
4	Nnamani Christopher	Feyerabend’s methodological pluralism as contrascientism: An Evaluation.	DI/201
5	Josephat Mordi	Marxian dialectical materialism and its socio economic and political implications for the Nigerian society.	DI/200
6	Chrisantos Igbudu	The usefulness of Karl Marx’s concept of alienation to the Nigerian workers.	DI/194
7	Basil U Ugorji	Ricoeur’s Hermeneutics and the interpretation of symbols in Igbo culture.	DI/212
8	Lucia O Omughele	Religious toleration in a multi-religious society in the philosophical theory of John Locke.	DI/209
9	Johncross, S. Nkanta	Music in the life of man: a critical analysis of Plato’s republic.	DI/175
10	Joseph C Kunav	Human liberty in Isaiah Berlins political thought: A philosophical appraisal.	DI/196
11	Eliseus Umeakuana	Wittgensteins use theory of meaning and language game: A philosophical evaluation.	DI/213
12	Camillus Nwahia	Community among the Igbos as a critique of Sartre’s idea of I and thou co-existence	DI/202
13	Kelechi V Ezenwa	Artificial and human intelligence: A Thomistic appraisal	DI/193
14	Kingsley Ebhodagbe	Nietzschean nihilism as a precursor of the postmordern condition: An exposition	DI/190
15	Francis U Odigbo	A critique of Soren Kierkegaards existential subjectivism	DI/203
16	Emmanuel Omotosho	The possibility of knowing the thing in A critique of the Noumena in Schopernhauer’s idealism.	DI/207
17	Gregory Ojukwu	The notion of democracy in John Stuart Mill.	DI/208
18	Kenneth Mmuoebona	A Thomistic appraisal of the metamorphosis of the ubermensch in Nietzschean thought	DI/198
19	Innocent C Mkparu	Kantian ethical formalism and the Moralism	DI/197
20	Peniel I Momoh	A critical appraisal of the realist philosophy of science of Fr. William A Wallace	DI/199