Seat of Wisdom Seminary Owerri, Nigeria: From a Dream to a Reality
Seat of Wisdom Seminary, Owerri, is an ecclesiastical institution established for the training of young men eligible for the Catholic priesthood. The seminary is located 3 kilometers away from the Owerri-Aba expressway, precisely at Ulakwo/Obube in Owerri North Local Government, Imo State- Nigeria. Five kilometers away from the seminary is the Imo Airport for local flights within Nigeria. Like the ancient city of Rome that was not built in a day, Seat of Wisdom Seminary also has a long history from the moment of her conception till its present state.
Seat of Wisdom Seminary: The Idea
The growing population of Catholic Christians in Africa, recently described as the “future of the Universal Church,” has blossomed into a complimentary increase in priestly vocations over the last five decades. Nigeria ranks highest amongst other countries in harnessing this increasing population of African young men who are learning to respond appropriately to the call to the Catholic Priesthood. However, as the Lord invites more young men into the “seedbeds of priestly formation”, existing seminaries, as is expected, experienced the attendant strains of growing population of seminarians. It was in this ambient of vocation increase that the vision of Seat of Wisdom Seminary was conceived.
Barely a decade after the end of the Nigerian-Biafran War (1967 – 1970), Bigard Memorial Seminary, Enugu (established in 1922) which had served as a Regional seminary for Western and Eastern Nigeria got entangled by a phenomenal bloom of population increase which was described as a “tyranny of numbers”. This necessitated the opening of another campus at Ikot-Ekpene in 1976 to serve as the philosophy campus to the Bigard Memorial Seminary. Yet, with further growth in enrolment, the bishops of the then Onitsha Ecclesiastical Province deemed it fit to forward another proposal to the Propaganda Fide for the opening of a second seminary. The subsequent approval of this proposal in 1982 was the genesis of this seminary. The name “Seat of Wisdom” is the brain child of her first Rector, Very Rev. Fr. (now Msgr.) Prof. Theophilus Okere, who at the time of his appointment to the rectorial seat of the new seminary in 1984, was the Rector of “Bigard’s first daughter” at Ikot-Ekpene (now St. Joseph’s Major Seminary).
Sojourn in a Temporary Site
While the efforts to secure a land for the permanent site were still in process, the then Local Ordinary of the Catholic Diocese of Owerri – Rt. Rev. Dr. Mark Onwuha Unegbu – provided a temporary site for the seminary at 160 Wetheral Road Owerri near the Carmelite Monastery in Owerri. Nonetheless, the new seminary effectively opened on the 15th day of November, 1985 at the make-shift site with a hundred and two (102) pioneer seminarians and four priests on the Staff namely: Very Rev. Fr. (now Monsignor) Professor Theophilus I. Okere (Rector), Rev. Fr. Dr. Clement G. Obielu (Vice Rector), Rev. Fr. Dominic Okafor (Spiritual Director), and Rev. Fr. Dr. Fredrick Nnabuife (Bursar). Thus, Seat of Wisdom Seminary set sail aboard the sea of a checked history which is shaped by a four-pronged mission (Spiritual, Pastoral, Academic, and Human) – a history at once characterized by a glorious as well as turbulent trails; and at the same time daunted by providential, persistent as well as gracious motivations – all with the sole purpose of training successive bands of personnel for the Catholic priestly ministry. The take-off, though at a temporary site, was smooth, thanks to the seasoned crew of the pioneer priest-formators and a body of committed and determined pioneer seminarians.
For five interesting teething years following its foundation (1984 – 1989), Seat of Wisdom Seminary sojourned in a set of buildings, which was later called the Owerri Diocesan Assumpta Pastoral Centre at 160 Wetheral Road. Memorable days of the young institution’s early life were marked with striking events of significance. On a blessed Tuesday evening (April 15, 1985), the angelic voices of young seminarians chimed from the chapel to mark the inaugural celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours (The Official Prayer of the Church), which replaced permanently the Manual of Prayers for Junior Seminarians (arranged by the bishops of Onitsha Ecclesiastical Province for use in the minor seminaries in the province).
The Movement to the Permanent Site
The visit of the Cardinal Prefect of the Propaganda Fide, His Eminence Joseph Cardinal Tomko, to the new seminary on October 31, 1986 added more ecclesiastical hues of relevance for the sojourn at the temporary site. During his visit, Cardinal Tomko stressed the importance of thorough formation of the future Catholic priests, describing the new seminary as “a school of daily contact with Christ where Nigerian seminarians of the South-eastern extraction learn how to configure themselves to Christ; a lifestyle which they aspire to embrace all through their lives if eventually they are ordained into the Catholic ministerial priesthood”. Later on, at the permanent site, one of the Hostel buildings was to be named after Joseph Cardinal Tomko as a gesture of engraving the significance of his personality to the infancy phase of the history of our seminary.
The movement to her permanent site, initially scheduled to take place on the 17th day of October 1989, was finally effected on October 30, 1989 on which the same date the seminarians commenced the 1989/1990 Academic and Formation Year. The permanent site of the seminary was registered under the Land Perpetual Succession Act Cap. 98 of the Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Federal Government of Nigeria also did express some gestures of support and encouragement at this early stage of the relocation to the permanent site as the access road connecting the Seat of Wisdom Seminary to the Aba – Owerri expressway was tarred and commissioned within few weeks of this relocation.
With the dawn of a new phase of history for the young seminary, more tutorial and administrative personnel were injected into the team of formators to adequately respond to the new challenges of the newly occupied permanent settlement. The re-inforced crew of formators comprised Rev. Fr. Dr. T.I. Okere (Rector), Rev. Fr. Dr. C.G. Obielu (Vice Rector; he was later to become the second Rector of the Seminary), Rev. Fr. John Iwe (bursar, and presently the incumbent Rector), Rev. Fr. Oliver Onwubiko, Rev. Fr. Mark Njoku (administrative dean) Rev. Fr. Prof. Richard Onwuanibe (dean of studies), Rev. Fr. Kevin Madu (spiritual director) Rev. Fr. Dr. Echeagu (liturgist), Rev. Fr. Dr. Cyril Akalonu (spiritual director), Rev. Fr. Donatus Ike, Rev. Fr. Martin Elekwachi (administrative dean), Rev. Fr. Victor Ifeanyi (administrative dean) Rev. Fr. Dr. Simon Amateze, etc. Men, who, devoted to their ministry, and for the love of God and the church, denied themselves the goodies of life for the growth of the seminary. However right from inception, the staffing of Seat of Wisdom Seminary has been expectantly fluidal since re-assignments of priests by their Local Ordinaries are made according as needs indicate.
The formal inauguration of the seminary at her permanent site took place on Saturday the 6th day of January, 1990 when Friedrick Cardinal Wetter, the Archbishop of Munich and Freising, West Germany visited Seat of Wisdom Family at her new site. Cardinal Wetter was quite expressive of his surprise at the boom of vocations in this part of the world as in contrast to the growing dearth of vocations in Europe. The inauguration event drew to the local environ of Ulakwo and Obube such reverend and eminent personalities like Francis Cardinal Arinze, then the President of the Pontifical Commission on Interreligious Dialogue, eleven bishops from all over the country, many priests, religious and members of the laity, including Rtd. Justice Chukwudiufu Oputa, the then Imo State Military Governor, Commander Amadi Ikwechegh, etc.
Major Milestones
A major milestone in the history of the seminary was reached on the 12th of December 1992 when at the completion of a full cycle of the seminary formative process, she joyously witnessed the maiden graduation, nay, ordination of her first born sons into the Diaconate; barely seven years after her initial take off in 1985 at 160 Wetheral Road, Owerri. The Ordaining Prelate was the then bishop of Owerri Diocese, Rt. Rev. Dr. Mark O. Unegbu. The Acting Rector was Rev. Fr. Dr. Clement Ginikanwa Obielu (who later succeeded the first Rector Rev. Fr. Dr. T.I. Okere who was on sabbatical leave at the time after the completion of his stewardship as Rector between 1984 – 1992). The total number of Deacons ordained at that auspicious ceremony was forty-five, springing from the various Dioceses of Aba (three), Ahiara (five), Awka (seven), Enugu (two), Nsukka (one), Okigwe (four), Onitsha (eleven), Orlu (four), Owerri (five), Umuahia (three), and Uyo (one). It was also a cause of great joy when, in 1993, Seat of Wisdom gave birth to her first set of priests. This was a feat of no mean significance as it marked the beginning of a continuous fruition of the concerted efforts of the pioneer team of formators whose “tears, sweat, and blood” laid the solid foundations on which wisdom Family majestically stands.
Another milestone was reached on the 27th February, 2006; when the Seat of Wisdom Seminary herself begot a daughter seminary, barely 20 years after she was begotten herself. Eighty seminarians from the dioceses that make up Owerri Ecclesiastical Province as well as two seminarians from the Congregation of Christ the Emmanuel were drawn from the Philosophy Department of the mother Campus to be the pioneers of the new campus of Seat of Wisdom Seminary at Ariam Umuahia in Abia State, Nigeria. The Acting Rector of the new campus is Rev. Fr. Dr. Eugene Azorji.
Seat of Wisdom Seminary Today
Today, Seat of Wisdom Seminary stands tall as a citadel of learning. This is but the testimony of the generosity of her earliest and foundational benefactors; a testimony borne by the monuments of architectural expertise of the Italian firms Mitchelletti and Ponti bestowing the long-lasting beauty which greets the eyes as one looks around the Seat of Wisdom Seminary compound. Humanly speaking, she can boast of producing over five hundred catholic priests, a few thousands of polished citizens and convinced Christians.
Presently, the Proprietors of the seminary comprise of all the Bishops in the Owerri Ecclesiastical Province (Owerri, Umuahia, Orlu, Okigwe, Aba and Ahiara) with Archbishop A.J.V. Obinna as the Metropolitan of the Province and Bishop Lucius I. Ugorji as the Chairman of the Seminary Commission. The Seminary has Very Rev. Fr. Dr. John C. Iwe as the Rector with Rev. Fr. Dr. Innocent I. Nwokenna and Rev. Fr. Dr. Bernard O. Ukwuegbu as the Vice Rectors I and II respectively. Currently, the seminary has a population of over five hundred seminarians drawn from various dioceses (Owerri, Umuahia, Orlu, Okigwe, Ahiara, Aba, Port Harcourt, Ikot-Ekpene and Uyo) and religious congregations (Sons of Mary Mother of Mercy, Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts, Congregation of Christ the Emmanuel, Society of Divine Vocations and Order of Mother of God) across Nigeria.
Life in the Seminary
Spiritual Life and Activities
The wisdom family blossoms in spiritual activities, thanks to the tradition of silence which imbues her various chapels with a devotional setting. The Main Chapel is her beacon of unity whereupon the entirety of the noble Wisdom family assembles for community prayers and worship, particularly of Special Feasts, Solemnities, Eucharistic celebrations on Sundays, Solemn Vespers, and the Weekly Sexts (Midday Prayers during the week). Portable chapels (which were all simultaneously consecrated on Monday January 15th 1990) are also adjoining each of the three Hostels wherein Weekday masses, Weekday Lauds (Morning Prayers during the week), Weekend Sexts (Afternoon Prayers over the weekend), Weekday Vespers (Evening Prayers during the week), and Complines (Night Prayers) are celebrated. Weekday masses in the three hostel chapels are simultaneously celebrated and presided by different priests on the staff according to a weekly Roster schedule. The historical roots of the idea of different hostel chapels decentralizing as it were, certain spiritual activities date back to the practice and regulation adopted at the temporary site which gave rise to celebrating different masses for the First Year Seminarians (who combined the Spiritual Year Programme with First Year Philosophical studies) on the one hand and different masses on the other hand for the older seminarians. However, in the present permanent site, every class of the seminarians is spread in the three hostels such that each hostel houses a mixture of seminarians in both the philosophy and theology departments, who together celebrate masses and spiritual exercises commonly at the respective hostel chapels. There is also another chapel built for the members of the non-tutorial staff.
This chapel is usually put in use on Sundays since the Sunday masses at the Main Chapel may be essentially tailored in such a way that the Homilies may not be of much benefit to non-seminarians. Outside this arrangement is also the “House System” by which seminarians are grouped into different houses of not more than forty members. The houses gather for Eucharistic celebrations on Tuesday evenings at different places of meeting in the Seminary compound to worship together as different small Christian community of Seminarians. In addition to the normal day-to-day spiritual activities we have Spiritual Conferences on Thursdays, Auto-Formation (similar to a Desert experience) on Mondays, Weekly Confessions, Monthly Recollections on First Sundays of the month, and Spiritual Directions at the discretion of the seminarians, and Retreats at the beginning as well as end of every Academic and Formation Year. Seat of Wisdom is also blessed with the animating services of such pious sodalities as Sacred Heart of Jesus, St. Jude, St. Anthony, St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, St. Vincent de Paul, Legion of Mary, Pioneer Total Abstinence, Blue Army, Divine Mercy as well as Movements like Blessed Tansi Solidarity, Catholic Charismatic Renewal, Catholic Biblical Instructors Union, and Slaves of Love.
Intellectual Activities
Academically, Seat of Wisdom Seminary has soared high in both qualitative output and qualificatory standards. The first set of pioneer seminarians who sat for Bachelor’s Degree examinations in Philosophy (B.Phil.) did so in June (5th to 23rd), 1989 at the Temporary site under the aegis of St. Joseph’s Major Seminary Ikot-Ekpene – an affiliate of Pontifical Urban University, Rome. However, on the 8th day of March, 1991 the jubilant news was broken to the seminarians that the seminary herself has completed the affiliation processes of her Philosophy Department to the Pontifical Urban University Rome, which affiliation course had been underway since the year 1989. This news was celebrated with a Holy Mass presided over by the messenger (His Lordship, Rt. Rev. Dr. M.O. Unegbu, the then bishop of Owerri Diocese) who formally read the affiliation letter to the staff and seminarians, subsequent upon which he handed the Affiliation Letter to the Rector, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. T.I. Okere.
Sequel to this landmark, the second set of B. Phil. candidates of Seat of Wisdom Seminary sat for their first degree examinations in Philosophy under the academic tutelage of Pontifica Universitas Urbaniana. The bourgeoning Theology department was to take its turn in the affiliation exercise to the Urban University Rome, in 1993. In line with the Universal Church’s concept of adapting to the local needs and culture, the seminary needed to be affiliated to a local university. That is why Seat of Wisdom Seminary got affiliated to the Evan Enwerem University (former Imo State University, Owerri – Nigeria) in the two departments of Philosophy and Religious Studies in 1998. The first group of seminarian affiliates (student – affiliates) to Imo State University had their Matriculation on the 22nd day of November 1999. They have since obtained their first Bachelors of Arts (B.A.) degrees in their respective disciplines of Philosophy and Religious Studies.
The seminary also plays host to numerous academic seminars, conferences, and colloquia, so many of which had borne fruits locally and internationally. For instance, on the 13th day of November 2003, a provincial assembly of the clergy and the laity rubbed minds together in a timely seminar on the theme “The Challenges of Pastoral Ministry in Nigeria” which addressed the phenomenal abuse of liturgical activities in and around Owerri Ecclesiastical Province due to the menaces of Pentecostalism and Syncretism prevalent in the area. This seminar drew together all the proprietors of this institution namely the six bishops of the dioceses in the Province (Archbishop Anthony J.V. Obinna of Owerri, Bishop Gregory Ochiagha of Orlu, Bishop Anthony Ilonu of Okigwe, Bishop Victor Chikwe of Ahiara, Bishop Lucius Ugorji of Umuahia, and Bishop V. Ezeonyia of Aba). In attendance also were over six hundred priests, four hundred religious, about a thousand lay members of Christ’s faithful. Also from 22nd to 24th March 2006 the Wisdom Family engaged her academia in an International Philosophical Conference on the theme: Crises in Africa at the Beginning of this Millennium: The Response of Philosophy, Science and Religion. The conference fielded such intellectual heavyweights as Most Rev. Dr. A.J.V. Obinna (Archbishop of Owerri, Nigeria), Very Rev. Msgr. Prof. Theophilus Okere (Whelan Research Institute, Owerri, Nigeria), Prof. Kelbesser Workineh (University of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia), Ass. Prof. R.C. Onwuanibe (Seat of Wisdom Seminary, Owerri, Nigeria), Prof. B.O. Eboh (University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria), Prof. F.U. Okafor (University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria) etc.
Interesting also is the profuse vigour at which serious academic publications issue out of the Seat of Wisdom Intellectual cornucopia. Worthy of mention are such periodicals as Oche-Amamihe: Journal of Philosophy and Theology (the official journal of the Seminary), the annual Seat of Wisdom Lecture Series (formal published lectures given annually by a member of the college of formators to kick of the inauguration of the academic/formation year), The Wisdom Satellite Magazine (official magazine of the seminary published biannually by the seminarians), and The Pointer Magazine (published by the Philosophy Department). In addition, the numerous vibrant religious, intellectual and socio-cultural associations in the seminary also have their regular publications. Primary among these are The New Pentecost (of the Charismatic Renewal Movement in the seminary), The Divine Heart Magazine (of the Sacred Heart Society in the Seminary), The Obaokwu Magazine (published in Igbo language by Otu Nhazi Obaokwu Igbo (ONOI), a socio-cultural group devoted to the promotion of Igbo language), The Witness Journal (of the C.B.I.U. Society), The Biennial Calendar of Liturgical and Doctrinal Insight (of St. Jude’s Society), The Pro-Life Newsletter (of the Pro-Life Group), to mention but just a few.
Socio-Cultural Activities
On the socio-cultural plain, Seat of Wisdom Seminary is copiously resourceful as well. There exist in the seminary various cultural activities and groups flourishing in an atmosphere of creativity and appreciable diffusion of graceful values. Some of these groups add spices to weekly social events which offer avenues for recreations and entertainments. These cultural groups also feature at the gala nights, end of the year parties, and receptions of new members of the Wisdom family.
Seat of Wisdom is also replete with a mélange of cultural expressions thanks to the various diocesan cultural outfits such as: Abigbo Dance Group of Ahiara, Egwuoma Ala Owere of Owerri, Okonko Dance Group of Okigwe, Igba Ndi Eze Dance Group of Orlu, Bende War Dance of Umuahia, Ikot-Ekpene Dance Group. To be found also are such entertainment groups as the Wisdom Choir (which made her recording outing on the airwaves of Imo Broadcasting Corporation Radio and Television Owerri on Wednesday 14th day of December, 1988, thanks to the outstanding efforts of Rev. Fr. J.C. Iwe and Rev. Fr. M. Njoku who ensured that this dream of the music-loving pioneer Rector – Rev. Fr. Dr. T.I. Okere – was realized), the Wisdom Theatre Group, and The Wisdom Band. We are grateful to God for the gifts of these various cultural and recreational groups. The Seminary also participates actively at the All Nigerian Major Seminaries Festival of Arts and Culture.
Sporting Activities
Seat of Wisdom Seminary believes so much in the adage that exhorts the principle of “Mens Sana in Corpore Sano (Healthy Mind in a Healthy Body). Hence she gives much attention to the growth and development of physical or bodily fitness especially in sports. Since her inception, Seat of Wisdom has identified herself creditably in sporting competitions. Apart from the internal Inter-Hostel Sports Competitions, she has been a regular participant in the All Nigeria Major Seminaries Games, making her first debut in the year 1987 when the Games was hosted by Bigard Memorial Seminary, Ikot-Ekpene (now St. Joseph’s Major Seminary, Ikot-Ekpene). In 1992 between the 24th day of February and the 1st day of March, history was festooned with a spectacular event as Seat of Wisdom hosted for the first time the 13th edition of All Nigeria Major Seminary Games Fiesta tagged “WISDOM ‘92”. The Seminaries in Nigeria competed for ten games and sporting events; among whom were:
1. Ss Peter and Paul Bodija – Ibadan.
2. Bigard Memorial Seminary, Enugu.
3. St. Augustine’s Seminary, Jos.
4. St. Joseph Major Seminary, Ikot-Ekpene.
5. National Missionary Seminary, Abuja.
6. Spiritan School of Philosophy, Isienu.
7. Claretian Institute of Philosophy, Nekede.
8. Seat of Wisdom Seminary, Owerri.
9. Spiritan International School of Theology, Attakwu.
- St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary, Makurdi.
WISDOM ’92 could be said to have taken place when the young seminary was still lacking in facilities, yet it was a huge success, thanks to the committed efforts of the Games Organizing Committee headed by Rev. Fr. Ephraim Umorem.
More fabulous was the 17th edition of the All Nigeria Major Seminary Games Fiesta, which spotlighted Seat of Wisdom for the second time as a dependable host for the Games. This was ten years later, hence the tag “WISDOM 2002”. Between February 24th and March 2nd, 2002, the Wisdom family once again Wisdom family flung her main gate wide open to welcome seminarians and sports lovers from all over Nigeria. This time around, the number of the participating seminaries rose to fourteen, including:
- Ss. Peter and Paul Bodija – Ibadan.
2. Bigard Memorial Seminary, Enugu.
3. St. Augustine’s Seminary, Jos.
4. St. Joseph Major Seminary, Ikot-Ekpene.
5. National Missionary Seminary, Abuja.
6. Spiritan School of Philosophy, Isienu.
7. Claretian Institute of Philosophy, MaryLand – Nekede.
8. Seat of Wisdom Seminary, Owerri.
9. Spiritan International School of Theology, Attakwu.
10. Pope John Paul Seminary, Bigard Awka Campus
11. All Saints’ Major Seminary, Uhiele Ekpoma, Edo State.
12. Blessed Iwene Tansi Major Seminary, Onitsha.
13. Dominican Institute of Philosophy and Theology, Ibadan.
- St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary, Makurdi.
At WISDOM 2002, one of the most entertaining encounters was recorded in the game of soccer when at the finals the Wisdom Football team won the Gold medal in football, a feat she went ahead to repeat in the 2006 edition of the games held this time at St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary, Makurdi. It was not until the 2010 edition hosted by St. John Paul II Major Seminary, Awka, that the covetous soccer trophy was reluctantly allowed to depart from Seat of Wisdom after an eight year sojourn. But even at this game, the Seminary performed creditably emerging third with 2 gold and 4 silver medals.
Community Development and Involvement
Right from its inception, Seat of Wisdom Seminary has in various ways identified herself with the host communities, and this reached its crescendo with the final movement to the permanent site. Thanks to the location of the Seminary, the rural communities of Ulakwo and Obube have found their names inserted in both national and international ecclesiastical parlance. As already mentioned, the access road linking the seminary to the Aba-Owerri major road was constructed by the then Directorate for Food and Rural Infrastructures (DFFRI) in part thanks to the Federal Government of Nigeria’s desire to appreciate the efforts of her international beneficiaries. And for over a decade, this road was maintained entirely by the seminary. It was not until in recent times that the dilapidation of the road was so severe that the seminary could no longer afford the cost of maintenance. Even at that, the seminary is present engaged in negotiation with the Government of Imo State to come to her aid and to the aid of the surrounding communities.
Before the economic downturn and austerity measures started having their effect on the seminary finance, the Seminary supplied drinking water to the neighbouring communities from a central borehole located in the seminary. Again, the location of the seminary in her present site has contributed to the growth in economic activities in Ulakwo, Obube and the environs. Not only are the sons and daughters of these communities gainfully employed in the seminary, small scale businesses and transportation systems are now running thanks to the patronage of seminarians and others working in the seminary. The presence of the seminary has also attracted other religious institutions and establishments, as many religious congregations now build their formation housing in these communities, from where their seminarians attend classes and other formation programmes in the seminary.
Aside from economic and infrastructural developments, the seminary has also been playing key roles in ensuring that the neighbouring communities live in peace and harmony with one another. The annual Christ the King/Corpus Christi Procession, which the seminary champions and organizes, is a viable means towards bringing the different parish communities within the environ together every year to celebrate their Christian Faith and Commitment. In the coming years, the seminary looks forward to exploring other ways and means through which and in which she would be more relevant to the spiritual and material welfare of her host communities
The Seminary at a Glance: Description of Major Structures
Our seminary, as is often said, stands tall as a citadel of learning, the best (so to speak) house of clerical formation in West Africa. This is but the testimony that is expressed by the numerous monuments of architectural expertise, beauty, elegance and magnificence that greets the eye as one looks around our seminary compound.
The Seminary Gate
On entering our seminary, one comes through the big seminary main gate, which leaves the visitor not without a message. The dual gate structure for entrance and exit has above it a wonderful architectural design (a boat-like structure). Thus Mother Wisdom is like a boat that carries all her students through the wide sea of wisdom and spiritual and human formation. Spanning over many acres of land, there is a very beautiful road network linking all the major structures in the seminary.
The Main Chapel
The seminary Main Chapel is another structure that greets the eye. It is almost like a cathedral with a four-winged architectural design with a dome-like matrix-designed roof that sends awe-inspiring messages through her visitors. The almost 1,300 sitting capacity of the chapel and its gallery so wide that the Vatican choir can comfortably be contained in it give some sense of elegance to the chapel. This chapel serves as the centre of the seminary’s spiritual life and a beacon of unity since it houses the entire seminary populace every time there is need for a common liturgical celebration on Sundays, Solemnities and Special Feast days.
The Games Facilities
Looking towards the west front off the seminary main chapel is the living areas of the seminary compound. There is the big games village, wherein is contained all worthwhile sporting facilities that help the seminarians keep fit. These include the ultra modern standard football pitch (three of such) circled round with standard tracks for track events; the basketball court, volleyball court, handball court, the lawn tennis court, etc. our gigantic refectory complex is another captivating site. To the east of the complex is our standard clinic, which serves the health purposes of not just our seminarians but of the villagers living around the seminary environs.
The Triplet Hostels
Further are the seminary three main hostels where the seminarians live. Each of these three simply admirable one-storey buildings has a capacity of over 70 living rooms. In addition, each hostel has its own students’ lounge, visitors’ rooms and students’ council offices. These house not just the students but their administrative deans who live with the seminarians and as such offer the best formation possible.
The names of the three hostel buildings (Mayer, Wetter and Tomko) were chosen to reflect the grateful sentiments which the institution relays to her most cherished benefactors and benefactresses who supplied the finances for the earliest buildings. Divine Providence has it that in 1987, at the beatification mass celebrated in Munich, Germany for Fr. Rupert Mayer (a Jesuit who lived and worked in Bavaria; a strong opponent of Adolf Hitler during the Second World War) and another beatification mass celebrated in Cologne, Germany for Edith Steinn (a Jew by birth who eventually became a Carmelite nun; an erudite philosopher who was arrested, incarcerated and executed during the Second World War) – both of who were exemplary religious in Germany – huge collection totaling about one million German Marks was made. Joseph Cardinal Tomko, the then Prefect of Propaganda Fide (who had earlier visited the seminary at the temporary site the previous year in1986), who was among the Papal entourage, told the then Holy Father Pope John Paul II that the money could best be utilized in the erection of the Seat of Wisdom Seminary, Owerri in Nigeria. This was the miracle of providential financing of the seminary project through the instrumentality of Cardinal Tomko under the graceful aegis of Blessed Fr. Mayer’s beatification, which took place in that ecclesiastical territory titled “The Archdiocese of Munich and Freising” with Cardinal Wetter as the Metropolitan Archbishop.
The Non-Academic Quarters
Adjacent the hostels are the domestic quarters where most of our non-academic staff live. Almost like a village of its own, away from the mains of the seminary compound and seminarians, these quarters, are as a matter of fact, a tiny but very lively hub of human existence and activities, with its own characteristic chapel, which is put in use especially on Sundays.
The Academic Block
A little gaze towards the east front of the seminary standing at the gate offers another welcome site of its own. The seminary academic block, with its labyrinthine architectural structure, which at first sight, leaves the on-looker confused, is an asset of great value to our seminary. The block houses the two departments that are the pivot of our academic formation.
Bishop Mark Unegbu Memorial Library/St. Jerome’s Library
Behind the academic block is the standard seminary library. The Library is dedicated to and named after the illustrious Bishop Mark Unegbu, the first indigenous bishop of Owerri, who at his death willed his entire personal library to the Seat of Wisdom Seminary. This Library has been acclaimed as among the best of its kind around the Niger. The library complex provides seminarians with the tools they need for their academic, intellectual, spiritual, human and pastoral formation. It almost forms the hub of our everyday life in the seminary since students have been so imbued with the habit of reading and studies. It is also open to users from around the metropolis who, from time to time, do research here. To provide better services, we have professional consultants who come from time to time to guide proper use and maintenance of the library.
The Library complex is large enough (50m x 80m in size) to accommodate more than 100 students/people at a go. The ultra-modern reading desks and seats in the library are welcome gestures for inquiring minds. Apart from the book section, it also has a reading section, which also is as large as the main book section. Presently the Library has the volume capacity of twenty-seven thousand and sixty-one (27,061) books and six thousand six hundred and thirty (6,630) journals, totaling thirty-three thousand six hundred and ninety-one (33,691) stocks. These include encyclopedia, dictionaries, journals, periodicals, reference/source materials, and other books from authors round the globe. The books mainly are philosophical and theological/religious in content but there are also books on allied subjects and fields like economic, ethics, communication, sociology, psychology, sciences, history, languages, etc. The capacity of books in the library has progressively been on the growth scale till date, as new books are acquired through purchase, subscription (local and international), inheritance and donations.
The St. Jerome’s Library is a section of our library recently established, specializing on theological and spiritual studies. Its reality is owed to the generosity of Jim and Simona from Canada. Their attention was drawn to our Seminary through an alumnus of Seat of Wisdom, Rev Fr. Cosmas Ajawara from Orlu diocese. In their first visit to the Seminary in August 2010, these Canadian friends donated some computers and their accessories, more than 2,000 books and other library equipments of inestimable value. They have also promised to be making regular visits to the Seminary to ensure proper use of these materials as well as to update the knowledge of our librarians to electronic standard.
Initially, the library operated with the Dewey Decimal Classification Scheme until in recent times when it has changed to the Library of Congress (LC) Classification Scheme following professional advice. The catalogue boxes are still manual, though work is in progress to computerize them for easy access to books and information. This will go together with the intention to go electronic especially with the establishment of the St. Jerome’s library.
The Seminary Auditorium, Administrative Block and Formators’ Residence
Adjacent to the Library is the seminary auditorium. The remarkable grandiose nature of this structure with its rare architectural design expresses vividly the generous heart of its builders and makes it most suitable for almost every form of activity. Yet to mention are the ultra-modern administrative block wherein is the Rector’s most magnificent office, the bursar’s office and which is the pivot of the entire seminary’s administrative activities. The Father’s house is another important house in our seminary. Here all the formators in the seminary live. Almost like the structure of the three student hostels, this house has come to stand the taste of time among those found in other seminaries. The seminary also has an ultra-modern technical workshop which is situated behind the seminary clinic, and a petrol filling station.
Seat of Wisdom Farm Projects
We cannot fail to mention the seminary farms that have come to stay in recent times. Owing to the growing need of self-reliance in the African Church, the seminary embarked in 2004, on the project of establishing farms that will meet her agricultural needs. And so almost all the rear of the seminary compound (i.e. behind the auditorium and library complex have been converted into plantations for plantain, banana, pineapple, palm tree etc. We must, need mention also the seminary apiary that has existed almost since the inception of our seminary, where honey is harvested that is distributed to almost all the dioceses around us. In addition, the seminary also rears such livestock as cattle, pigs, poultry, snails, fish, goats, sheep, etc. on a domestic and commercial scale
A Time of Distress
Barely two years to her Silver Jubilee celebration, Seat of Wisdom Seminary was plunged into a moment of crisis. Apart from the Main Chapel, the three Hostel Chapels, the Library and the Auditorium, which were roofed with Long Span Aluminum sheets, the rest of the buildings were roofed with Amiatus Asbestos sheets. Several years elapsed before it was discovered that the use of Asbestos constitutes grave health hazards, what more with the expiration of its durability-span. The cracking, leakages and dampness noticed in and around these buildings were testimonies of its expiration, which was duly confirmed by experts. All maintenance measures applied proved futile until it was clear that the buildings were at the verge of collapse.
At this critical moment of anxiety and distress, the incumbent Rector, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. John C. Iwe, initiated an attempt towards re-roofing the affected structures. He took a gigantic historical step of “going back to the roots” – by making an appeal to the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising – where the money for the establishment of this seminary was raised in the first place.
With the advice and directives of Very Rev. Monsignor Obielu, the immediate past rector who was having his Sabbatical Leave in Germany at this material point in time, the seminary was able to receive a stupendous positive response from the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, who accepted to single-handedly fund the re-roofing project almost single-handedly as the fund took care of the three Hostels, the Infirmary, and the Administrative Block. However, the Father’s house and the Classroom block were yet to receive due attention. Sequel to this, the bishops of the Owerri Ecclesiastical Province made an appeal to the Pontifical Society of St. Peter the Apostle (POSPA) to assist in the completion of the project. With their assistance, supplemented by a remnant of the fund from the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, the re-roofing project of the Father’s house and the Classroom block were successfully completed at the beginning of this academic/formation year (2010/2011).
Looking Forward to the Future in Hope and with Confidence
Today, the Seat of Wisdom Seminary stands tall as a citadel of learning and is often regarded as one of the biggest (when not the biggest) house of clerical formation in West Africa. This is not just because of the testimony of the monuments of architectural expertise, beauty, elegance and magnificence that greets the eye as one looks around the seminary compound; it is also thanks in part to collegial spirit of her college of Bishops’ proprietors, the harmony that exists among her community of formators, and her ever enthusiastic seminarians and hard working support staff.
The seminary, however, is not unawares of the numerous challenges that she faces. There is on the one hand the onerous task of forming priests that are relevant to the challenges of the 21st century with its multiple problems and complexities. She realizes, in the words of the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria, that if in the past the problem for the Catholic Church in Nigeria was to attract, form and ordain sufficient diocesan priests, today the problem is the quality of the diocesan priesthood as it is lived. On the other hand are the material challenges of dilapidated structures and infrastructures that manifest evidence of the toll of years and harsh weather.
But in the face of all these challenges, the Wisdom Family is confident that the good Lord who has sustained her through thick and thin these twenty-five years will be there to prompt and prod her with His ever-sufficient grace. As they celebrate the Silver-Jubilee of the existence of the seminary, they are full of praises to the almighty God for the heights already attained since her inception. These heights constitute the uniqueness of the Seat of Wisdom family. The Wisdom Family is also grateful to all who have contributed spiritually, materially and otherwise to her growth and development these 25 years. And she invokes the maternal intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, the Seat of Wisdom, on her proprietors, rector, formators, seminarians, non-tutorial staff, friends, benefactors and well-wishers and on all men and women of goodwill.
Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom; Pray for Us who have recourse to thee!
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