PREAMBLE
From the first book of the Bible-Genesis, the importance of beginning is clearly underscored. You have thus: “Let there be this and let there be that” and it was so. Things begin and eventually become history. Human beings also are born and so history is made. Such too was the All Hallows Seminary, Onitsha.
Tracing the All Hallows pedigree will however transcend far more knowing just its ancestral line, descent or lineage. It will demonstrate necessarily the greater cause to which the Seminary has been called: a call to faith and to become instrument of salvation that is beyond mere ties of consanguinity and kins-man-ship. A call so challenging but indeed very interesting and assuring, and the response to which had to determine lot of things later. Let us now set out to see the origins, responses and development of this unique call in their respective stages.
STAGES OF HISTORY
EARLY HISTORY - THE BEGINNINGS: SEMINARY AT IGBARIAM
This was the earliest recorded attempt to site and begin a seminary in the Onitsha Vicariate/Diocese by Bishop Joseph Shanahan. Indeed, we do not know much about this stage and there are very few who may know. However, from available records and precisely according to Rev. Fr. Prof. Ikenga R.N. Ozigboh, “ The seminary has been the nursery of Catholic priests since the late 16th century. Its beginnings in Igboland were slow and painful. Fr. Lejeune had planned to open a seminary at Onitsha but it did not materialize before his premature death in 1905. Fr. Shanahan froze the project for nearly 20 years but eventually St. Paul’s seminary was opened in July 1924 at Igbariam. It was both a junior and senior seminary, all in one. It started with 9 students. Three were reading philosophy (John Anyogu, Patrick J. Doyle and Charles O’Donoghue) while the others were engaged in secondary school studies. The foundation students were: John Anyogu, Charles O’Donoghue (Irish), Patrick Doyle (Irish), William Obelagu, John Aghanti, Charles Nweze, Simon Okoye, Fredrick Anuhere and William Hens Peter” (Igbo Catholicism – The Onitsha Connection 1967-1984, Onitsha, Africana-Fep Pub., 1985, pp. 17-18). Fr. Michael Cyprian Iwene Tansi (now Blessed) joined in 1925 and Msgr. P. Nwanegbo of blessed memory were also among the pioneer indigenous students. Rev. Fr. Charles Heerey was the first Rector of the Seminary at Igbariam.
An Elementary Teachers’ Training College called St. Anthony’s Training College was also established in the same location under the principalship of Rev. T.J. O’Counor, CSSp. They were to produce seminarians and teachers for the pastoral and education ministry, respectively. But the location for both attempts proved unfavourable. Moreover, the Christian Community of Igbariam cooperated very little. The institutions were therefore, one after the other finally shut down.
THE SEMINARY AT ONITSHA: ST. CHARLES TRAINING COLLEGE
In 1928, the two shut down institutions name the Seminary and Teachers Training College were both relocated in the premises of St. Mary’s church, inland town Onitsha. They were official opened on 16th January 1929, as St. Charles Training College, bearing the name of the patron saint of Rev. Fr. Charles Heerey (the great later canonized Archbishop of Milan, St. Charles Borromeo). This same St. Charles was also the cradle of a secondary school for boys, Christ The King College founded in 1933, until 1935 when it is left to begin formally at is present site consequently, it was then not only a training college, but also a seminary and a secondary school, under the tutorial of Rev Fathers and Brothers, and their students some of whom also taught one or another of the courses.
Among the very first students of St. Charles College were Rev. Fr William Obelagu (late Msgr), Rev. Fr Michael Iwene Tansi (now blessed) and late Bishop Anthony Nwedo of the blessed memory. The studied and also taught others. At this stage again the seminary coexisted with the St. Charles Training College Onitsha.
Founded in 1933, Christ The King College started formally at the present site in 1935 and there co-existed with the junior seminary. The seminarians had their own separate hostel with a dinning apartment, but studied and celebrated mass together with the rest of the students. They have to be trained under a very strict discipline then such that seminarians in the same class with other are not allowed to speak together. The principle was also the Rector of the seminarians.
The seminary left C.K.C. Onitsha for Nnewi in1947 with Francis Cardinal Arinze as one of its first candidates. It did not get a name on leaving Onitsha except being referred to as the Junior Seminary. It was to do distinguish from Major Seminary which on leaving Igbariam had settled at Eke around Enugu and later to Okpala, where the present of St. Peter Claver’s Okpala Minor Seminary is located. The Rector who took the seminary to Nnewi was Rev. Fr. William Brolly, assisted by Rev. Fr. Regan and J. Breen. The seminary occupied St. John Cross grounds Uruagu Nnewi. The old church of Fr. Kettel and old Frs.’ house used both by the seminary farther and the parish priest still stands as relics of those days. The seminary spent three good years at Nnewi 1947-1950.
The Seminary life at Nnewi was generally hard but interesting. The seminarians were usually admitted formally. For instance the third set at Nnewi came in 1949 with now Bishop E. Otteh as one of them. They were one hundred who took entrance Examination in 1948 at C.K.C. Onitsha and from this number ten boys were selected. A boy, Mr. William Ibeneme from Abatete later on joined them. The total number of students was 21; 11 in class one, 7 in class two and 3 in class three, drawn from the whole of the old Onitsha Ecclesiastical Province which today comprises fifteen dioceses. As at this 1949 the seminary had one prefect who was a senior Seminarian and three priests, the Rector Rev. Fr. W. Brolly, the Bursar Rev. Fr. P. Regan and the Spiritual Director Fr. James Breen. The entire essential Seminary functions were distributed to the students they had a powerful choir, the best in the area. One long building served as dormitory, refectory and classrooms. It is still there at St. John Cross ground Uruagu Nnewi.
As already noted, Seminary life at Nnewi was quit challenging. Nnewi then had no water readily available. Students depended on the water collected from the big underground tank during the raining season and fetched water from very distant streams during the rest of the year. Students were kind and charitable to one another and joyfully suffered together. Food was meager and some smaller boys used to give up to their breakfast to their bigger boys who had to do harder works in the farm before classes. One day one of the big boys asked his friend that they should leave the Seminary before they die of hunger. His friend’s reply was that they do not come to Seminary to eat and therefore they should stay. So both stayed on. The Rector was a though and strict disciplinarian, a Second World War Army Chaplain but very kind and just. He always rewarded hard work and good performance in class. The spiritual director Rev. Fr. James Breen –a very brief man was simply good holy and fatherly. He could be approached at moment of the day or night. He console and reassured students. The seminarian paid no school fees. The Archbishop Most Rev. Dr. Charles Heerey was responsible for all the expenditure.
In January 1950 for reason best known to the authorities, the junior seminary was to move from Nnewi to Holy Ghost ground Enugu. It would be easier to move the Seminary from Nnewi to its present site at Onitsha in February 1952 than Enugu if the stay at Enugu would only be two years. Perhaps lack of water and size of the available land could have added to the reasons to move out. The movement however took one week. One Rapuluchukwu offered his lorries for the movement. One lorry would go to Enugu from Nnewi through Onitsha. Some Seminarians accompanied the lorry to unload it on arrival. Those who went on arrival well tell many stories about Enugu which made many desirous to go to Enugu also. When the movement of equipment was completed, the seminarians then followed.
The Seminary at Enugu consisted of the present father’s house and two other buildings. Parts of the Frs.’ houses were used as classrooms and Seminary fathers’ rooms. The other two blocs were used as dormitories and other needs of the Seminary. Fr Nicolas Tagbo and Dr. Fidelis Ezemanari were the prefects (what we call auxiliaries today).
The seminary was just between the Enugu Main market and the locomotive engine workshop. The constant loud blowing of horn of the locomotive engine, the trains carrying coal from the local coal camp to the workshop and the noise of the market were unbearable. The students all gradual became immuned to noise. It was certain that the above distracting situation plus what was said to be referred as Barbed Wire Conference of the seminarian quickened the departure of the seminarians from Enugu to another place. Barded Wire Conference: since there was no wall separating the seminary from the market, but a barbed wire fence, the seminarians used to discuss and buy things from the people through the barbed wire. The seminarians nicknamed the deal therefore: ‘Barbed Wire Conference’. Of course any one caught doing that knew his stay was over. For most seminarians, it was a great excitement coming from rural setup to embrace urban and township life. Enugu then consisted of coal camp, Ogui and construction. Enugu also was the seat of the Government of Eastern Nigeria of at that time.
By 1950, owerri had become a Diocese but its seminarians were still in the Archdiocesan Junior Seminary. In 1951, the Senior Seminary at Okpkala moved to Enugu under the title of Bigard Memorial Seminary.
On February 1952 the seminary moved down to the present site at Onitsha and assumed the name ALL HALLOWS. It occupied quite a virgin land and was no more co-existing with any other established institutions. When the Minor Seminary was leaving Enugu to Onitsha the Bishop of Owerri Diocese, Bishop Whelan withdraw his seminarians of class 1,2 and 3 to Okpala to occupy the Seminary vacated by the Major Seminary and it became St. Peter Clavers Seminary Okpkala. Owerri class four students who were in examination class went down to Onitsha with the rest to continue and finish their course. Of that group, Rt. Rev. Dr. Gregory Ochiagha and late Fr. Dr. Celestine Ibeh succeeded in reaching the priesthood. Francis cardinal Arinze and Mr. Joseph Okoli were the prefect then who took the seminarians from Enugu to Onitsha under the Rectorship of Fr. William Brolly, in 1952. The seminary then consisted of six imposing building; Frs’ Houses, two dormitories with refectory and a hall and one classroom block. The students’ major task was to clean and occupy the buildings and plan the grounds. The seminary nearest neighbor then was Dr. Onyeachonam’s hospital. No other buildings were around. The seminarians have to fetch water from Nkisi stream water works as it was called. It was initially very tough, but by December 1952, they had settled down properly.
Rev. Fr. W. Brolly left the Seminary finally at the end of 1952 handing it over to Rev. Fr. P Regan. The Exam students, Bishop E. Otteh’s set (1949 set) did there Senior Cambridge in November/December 1952, In January 1953, Mr. George Cletus Ibekwe and now Bishop Otteh were appointed prefects to replace Cardinal Arinze and Mr. Joseph Okoli. Because of the subject he was teaching Bishop Otteh was retained to do another year in 1954. Msgr. F. Ugwueze joined him then as the second prefect. Also his grace most Rev. A. K. Obiefuna and his Lordship Bishop S.A Okafor served together as prefects of All Hallows Seminary.
THUNDER INCIDENT AT ALL HALLOWS SEMINARY, ONITSHA, OCTOBER 1945
One night of October 1945, there was a heavy rain with fierce lighting and thunder. The seminarians were spending their night recreation after supper waiting to go in for night studies. About ten minutes to the end of the recreation, terrible thunder struck at one of the dormitories, tearing about six beds to pieces at different corners of the dormitory including Bishop Otteh’s own, then a seminarian. The thunder also struck down one tall seminarian Paul Kekelue from Abatete who was leaning on the outside wall of the dormitory and he died instantly. May God rest him, Amen. Several other boys playing at the recreation room had terrible shock and they were rolling themselves on the ground. It was a very sad experience. There was crying and weeping everywhere. Those under pain and torture of electric shock were rushed to Dr. Onyeachonam’s hospital for treatment. At the end of 1955, Fr. Regan handed over the Rectorship to Fr. McMahon (who had already begun to act as Rector before the formal handover)
With Fr. Regan handing over the Rectorship to Rev. Fr McMahon in 1955, a new era of the All Hallows Seminary began – the reign of Fr. McMahon (interrupted by Fr.B.Burke’s six months rectorship) which ended with the coming of Fr G.M.P. Okoye CSSP (later Bishop) as the first indigenous rector. During Bishop Okoye’s period, three more buildings were added – the chapel, the new father’s house, the lab and hall. When Bishop Okoye was made the first Bishop of Port Harcourt in 1961, Rev. Fr.Eneja (now Bishop Emeritus of Enugu) took over until the end of 1964. In August in 1964 Rev. E Otteh (now Bishop of Issele-Uku) was posted to the junior seminary to teach. They were seven priests on the staff then. In January 1965, Archbishop C.Heerey CSSP, the then Archbishop of Onitsha appointed Fr. E Otteh the incumbent Rector of All Hallows Seminary of Onitsha.
By 1965 Onitsha had grown fast towards All Hallows, with St. Charles Borromeo Hospital and Pepsi Cola Industry near the Seminary. Many people were building there house around. Pepsi Cola had to supply water to the seminary as part of its contract with its landlord, Justice Fred Anyaegbunam and Borromeo had to supply electricity to seminary. Late Justice Anyaegbunam remains still All Hallows Seminary landlord, all to the glory of God. May God rest his precious soul. Amen. The seminary land was very large. After civil war, good portion of it was taken during the construction of the Enugu/ Onitsha express road, which was about 3/4 of our present football fields at the frontage of the seminary. The Army Barracks took much land behind the Archishop’s house of what was all hallows grounds.
The Nigerian crises began in 1966, which culminated in the break away of the Biafra on May 30th 1967. The Nigeria/Biafra war began on July 6th and on July 10th all schools were compulsory closed. The Niger Bridge was broken on October 6th 1967 and most people leaving in Onitsha left for their home towns.
All Hallows Seminary temporarily closed but later reopened at Awka Etiti in January 1968 at St. Joseph’s Secondary School. About April or May, the Research and Production branch of the Biafran army came to St. Joseph’s Secondary School and shared the compound with seminary. Thing were becoming more difficult fuel was rationed as well as cash. One could not withdraw as much money as one would wish to do from the banks. In October 1968, Umuahia fell to the federal troops and the government hospital was also transferred to St. Josephs Secondary School Awka Etiti also. The seminary had no alternative than to give room to the Army.
Fr Tim Anunobi was appointed to the seminary after his ordination and was asked to look for a place where the seminary could start. The Archdiocesan Headquarters was at Amichi. Fr Anunobi surveyed areas of Biafara and recommended Ukpor, which was the safest at that time, because it was difficult for soldiers to reach there due to the topography of the place. The Rector, now Bishop Otteh came over to Biafra 1 (one) from Biafra two, and arrangement were concluded to reopen the seminary and so it was done. The Vicar Capitural of the Enugu Diocese then, late Msgr. Stephen Ezeanya later Archbishop of Onitsha, requested the Rector and the administration to accept his seminary to reopen with All Hallows Seminary at Ukpor. The request was granted. On 28th August 1969, by 4.00pm, the whole compound of St. Peter Clavers Primary School, Umunuko was full of seminarians of Onitsha and Enugu. The accommodation available was too small for the number of the boys who had arrived. Fr. Tim. Anunobi was very resourceful. He immediately ran round the village in search of accommodations.
One Mr. Fred Anughere (an ex-seminarian and Rtd. Superintendent of police) offered his whole house for the house for the fathers. St. Peter Clavers big Primary School became the administrative center, the classrooms, the Refectory and the dormitory for class 1 students. The Holy Rosary Primary School near by was the dormitory for class 2.
The primary school further away at Mputu/Amihe became the dormitory for class 3; the primary school at Ndede became the hostel for class 4; while Mr. Ukachukwu’s village hall became the dormitory for class 5 students. In that way the accommodation was fairly tackled. The timetable was quickly arranged and the programme announced and functions shared. At the center (administrative), there would be prayers; and mass at church; meal and class in the school hall. The various campuses seminarians would retire after classes, would do their evening studies and return to the center for evening prayers and supper after which they would retire to the center for night studies and sleep. Early in the morning they would reassemble at the center for morning prayers, mass, breakfast and classes.
The seminary was at Ukpor from August 1969 to January 1970, when the Nigeria/Biafra war ended. It was short but very memorable and quiet challenging. The decision then by His Grace Most Rev. Dr. F.A.Arinze, Archbishop of Onitsha and his consultors to keep the seminary going during the war years paid off to solve a number of immediate pastoral needs after the war. Moreover, the presence of the seminary gave much hope and life to Ukpor people.
At the end of the civil war, Enugu seminarians had to go back to Onitsha. All Hallows Seminary and Borromeo hospital were the battleground and every building was destroyed and construction had to be done before the seminary would reopen. Reconstruction work was vigorously addressed. Carpenters, masons and laborers started work immediately. The only market was Agbor in the mid west. All the material for the reconstruction were bought from Agbor and ferried across the Niger, as the bridge was broken during the war to stop the advancing of the federal troops to Onitsha. It was of course a hard and risky work but Mr. Gregory Chidili and seminarians did it. Before Easter in 1970, the seminary had already resumed. The grounds were cleared and the building were repaired and painted, and the All Hallows feast of November 1, 1970 was celebrated with solemnity and pomp.
Meanwhile Ukpor people had requested the Archbishop not to take the whole seminary away from them but to leave at the class one behind. The Archbishop His Eminence Francis Cardinal Arinze agreed to leave class one behind while the rest would go down to Onitsha. Those class one boys stayed with one prefect who taught and trained them amongst who was now Prof. F, U. Okafor. A priest would come every weekend for masses, confession etc. Umunuko people donated land, and plan to have permanent building were made and work on the site started in 1971. The 1971 class one boy (seminarians) had to go to Onitsha as the construction work had begun and the temporal buildings being used were demolished. That was the set of Msgr. Denis Isizor. The foundation stone was laid on the feast of St. Paul and the seminary was named after him. It was open in January 1972 with the class one boys. The dispute that arose between the 1969/70 and the class one student about which of them were the founder/pioneers of Ukpor seminary had been settled. Both have been established as cofounders with the name USEPSU-Ukpor seminary Era Pioneer students union.
The All Hallows Seminary Onitsha was approved by WAEC to do school certificate examination when the London GCE, which the candidate had been taking, was stopped. The first set did the exam in 1972. The second set to do the exam was prevented from doing it by the order of the then military Mr. Ukpabi Asika two days to the commencement of the examination because according to him, the seminary was not a school and should not take School Certificate Examination even when WAEC had approved of it and sent all the materials. To every body’s consternation, he maintained his stand and remained insensitive to the feeling and reaction of the students who burnt themselves day and night to preper for the Exam. The seminarians however behaved most calmly and maturely on receiving the bad news. They were given some day’s break to cool off after which they return to prepare for the November/December GCE. They took the exam eventually and the results were so excellent that people were going to the Ministry of Education notice board were they were posted to see and admire them.
The controversy about the seminary taken School Certificate Exam (WASC) was eventually resolved. The seminary was formally recognized as an educational institution. Before then, the practice was that if any boy left the seminary in any class he could not be registered into any secondary schools unless he would begin in class one.
FUTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE SEMINARY
In August 1975 the Rector now Bishop Otteh was transferred to the Cathedral as its Administrator and as also the Vicar General of the Archdiocese. Late Msgr. O.P. Achebe took over the Rectorship. With Msgr. Achebe, the seminary made tremendous progress in many spheres. He pursued several programs at the same time, and came out successfully in almost all of them. He loved education and worked hard to instill discipline. Collaboration with staff and with the cooperation of the students, he was able to make some significant inputs formation, in Education, Formation, Sports, Writing, Construction, Agriculture, ONYCAS, Culture, etc. He secured scholarships for some seminarians and advanced the seminary’s course both locally and overseas. He constructed the then non-academic staff quarters.
Msgr. Achebe before he left the office of Rectorship in 1987 had left behind a number of publications like Maturity Through Formation Forum, The Seminarian, Order and Progress in All Hallows Seminary Onitsha, and a number of plays to promote the ONYCAS programmes. He must be remembered for being the first to employ the females to teach in the seminary with women Religious taken first shot. They really had opened the doors for other lay women to teach in our seminary as in the practice today. With Msgr. N.C. Obiagba as his vices who himself was also powerful horticulturist-flower breeder and maintainer, All Hallows Seminary continued to grow in beauty and forms. Under Msgr. O.P too, the Seminary won and maintained a number of trophies and Victor Ludorum in several All Minor seminarians games. After some eleven years as a Rector, he was transferred to the secretariat by the then archbishop of Onitsha Most Rev. Dr. S.I. Ezeanya to serve as the Archdiocesan secretary and chancellor. Msgr. O. Achebe later died on his way to deliver a talk at St. Paul’s Seminary, Ukpor in 1997 as it was about to mark the D-day of its Silver Jubilee. May God rest his gentle soul. Amen.
In 1987, Msgr. Hypolite Adigwe assumed office of the Rector. With his team he worked tirelessly to advance the seminary formation and life in some definite directions. Saddle with several responsibilities in and outside the Archdiocese he still was able to integrate them bearing good result. The seminary also developed tremendously in sports winning and keep trophy in competitions, Drama hit the skyline under him. He wrote plays and shot some in films like- The Secret Coming. The seminarians had lots of exposure and learning acting that drama. With the seminary as the secretariat, he boasted the ONYCAS programmes and had till date worked as the National Chaplain of the Young Catholic Students (YCS). As a Rector he assisted too in laying the structure for democracy by participating in drafting the constitution for Nigeria in 1988.
Msgr. Adigwe began and completed the seminary laundry house. With the Parents’ Teachers’ Dialogue (PTD) he constructed the security walls round the seminary and attracted foreign assistant that equipped the seminary library with wide range of books that reflected various courses, cultures, disciplines and orientations.
In 1993, Rev. Fr. G.C. Okolo was appointed the Rector by Archbishop S.N. Ezeanya. Before then he was severing as the Rector of the spiritual year seminary-St. Pius X Akwu-ukwu. With the team, the seminary continued to thrive. There were a good number of admissions and increase in the staff strength – academic and non-academic alike. Striking was his special in agriculture and practical farming. He began piggery farming, which provided meat from time to time for the student’s meal and money too. Under him the seminary hosted all Minor Seminaries Sport in 1998, which was rated as very successful.
It must be noted that administrating the seminary is not anything easy-a very delicate and very sensitive role indeed. Thus, over the years, people must have judged the several Rectors/Administrator in administration to say who made it and who did not. But one indubitable truth is that the Seminary had continued to move on unstopped, learning of course from its failures and successes to date.
ALL HALLOWS AT 50: SOME ESSENTIAL STATISTICS
From the onset, it is noteworthy to distinguish the founding of the Seminary from its settling at this present site. We recall that the Seminary was founded in 1924 but it settled permanently to the present site in 1952 after many travels. So, what was celebrated in 2002 was the 50 years of the Seminary in the permanent site. We shall return to the events of the Golden Jubilee celebration later
Before 2002, precisely in 1999, the Archbishop of Onitsha then, Most Rev. Albert K. Obiefuna appointed Rev. Fr. Clement M. Aghadinuno the Rector of All Hallows Seminary to take over from Fr. G.C. Okolo. Fr. Aghadinuno had already served as Rector for 5 years in St. Paul’s Seminary, Ukpor which is now the minor Seminary of Nnewi diocese. It used to serve as a feeder Seminary (JSS I-III) to All Hallows Seminary from 1971 to 2001 when Nnewi diocese was carved out of Onitsha Archdiocese. Fr. Clement Aghadinuno came into All Hallows full of experience and faced the challenging task of keeping the flag of the Seminary flying high.
The first task he tackled with his team was the fortification of the academic staff by employing more qualified teachers to handle the key subjects like English Language, Mathematics, Physics, etc. At the same period, the roof of the chapel was as good as basket during the rainy season. He mobilized the PTD, as part of the preparations for the Golden Jubilee, and gave the chapel a befitting roof. Worthy of special mention is Fr. Aghadinuno’s flare for beauty. He beautified the compound with gardens and statues of our Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Saints. He loved music and organized music festivals and carnivals. As All Hallows was to have Junior Secondary Students following the creation of Nnewi diocese, he thought fast and started the foundation of a two storey building with 10 classrooms and a mini-hall in 2002 to accommodate them. The Annex Classroom Bloc was completed and commissioned by His Grace, Most Rev. Valerian M. Okeke on 20th May 2007.
The administrative and managerial qualities of Fr. C.M. Aghadinuno came out fully in 2002 during the celebration of the 50 years of the Seminary at the present site that he was popularly acclaimed “The Golden Jubilee Rector.”
To reach 50 years at the present site, not only the Rectors, but the Seminary staff, (fathers, teachers and non-tutorial workers), students, PTD, Old Boys (AHOBA), benefactors and benefactresses have all contributed immensely to the wonderful and glorious history of All Hallows Seminary Onitsha. The history continues.
1. Bishop Joseph Shanahan
2. His Grace, Most Rev. Charles Heerey
3. His Eminence Francis Cardinal Arinze
4. His Grace, Most Rev. Stephen N. Ezeanya
5. His Grace, Most Rev. Albert K. Obiefuna
6. His Grace, Most Rev. Valerian M. Okeke
ALL HALLOWS SEMINARY HELPERS
The history and development of All Hallows Seminary Onitsha can hardly be complete without putting to records a number of assistance that had come to sustain the great institution over years, even right from the very early inception at Igbariam. We remember all the proprietors of the Seminary, Bishop course his Joseph Shanahan, Archbishops Charles Heerey, Francis Arinze (now cardinal), Stephen N. Ezeanya, Albert K Obiefuna and of coadjutor Valerian M. Okeke for all the helps they had attracted, foreign and locally, to keep our seminaries going all these years.
The sacred congregation for the propagation of faith (propaganda fide), with the now superior council for the St. Peter, their apostle Rome cannot forgotten for their financial baking as we recall the milestone of the jubilarian seminary. The towns or landlords that gave their lands or institutions that supplied accommodation at various instance or stage of the seminary history like Igbariam, Onitsha, Nnewi, Enugu and person of late justice Fred Anyaegbunam are hereby being honored in great records.
All the teachers-cleric and lay alike male and female (living or dead) Who actually assisted in the intellectual, cultural, moral and spiritual formation of the students of All Hallows are hereby reassured in the words of the sacred scripture. “those who instructed others in virtue will shine like bright star”. Their sacrifice have served to put the seminary on admirable course.
The Non academic staff who worked in the kitchen, garden or served as carpenter drivers, buyers of commodities, typist , steward etc-their service have really been of invaluable assistance to the growth of the seminary . Medical institution that offered their services (private and public) like the then Dr. Onyeachonam’s hospital, St. Charles Borromeo Hospital, Onitsha etc. they remain indispensable to the seminary life sustenance. No life, no seminary.
Catholic women organization Onitsha archdiocese with serious food apostolate programme (initiated by St. Raphael’s Awkuzu, Parish CWO) must continue to be part of All Hallows great history. Without food, man will die. No food, no life.
Finally in the early years of its formal inception to date, the seminary PTD has become part of the seminary assisting in many ways. Truly, the dialogue of teachers and parents (PTD) has lasting contribution both financially and morally.
THE MOTHER: ALL HALLOWS SEMINARY TODAY: POST GOLDEN JUBILEE
Today is already part of the history. Developed or developing, history is being made. After all the perambulations, All Hallows had arrived in the present site in 1952. Following the footsteps and tradition of the early flag-bearers like Frs. William Brolly, P. Regan, D. McMahon, Burke, Bishop G.M.P Okoye, Bishop M.U. Eneja, Bishop E. Otteh, Msgr. O.P. Achebe, Msgr. H.A. Adigwe Frs G.C. Okolo and C.M. Aghadinuno, All Hallows Seminary has continued to improve in many dimensions and excelling too.
All Hallows reached the full circle of six years Secondary education in 2004/2005 academic year since the creation of Nnewi diocese in 2001. There was the challenge of providing accommodation for all the Classes from JS One to SS Three. The facilities like beds, lockers, pews, chairs, etc were in short supply. An average of 750 candidates apply for admission into All Hallows Seminary every year but for want of space only the best 90 or 100 candidates are admitted.
Serious renovation works on the toilets and bathrooms were embarked upon from 2004. Almost all the old roofs of the buildings in the Seminary have been replaced with long-span aluminium roofing sheets, thanks to the Archbishop, Most Rev. Valerian M. Okeke, who wants the best for his children. The perennial water problem of the Seminary received some boost when on June 29, 2005, the diggers of the borehole started in 2003 struck water. The project was sponsored by the Parents’ Teachers’ Dialogue (PTD). Another mechanized borehole was dug in August 2009 as the former hand-drilled borehole did not meet the water needs of the students. Earlier on July 12, 2005 the 114KVA Pekins generator bought by the PTD supplied light to the Seminary. A van for the collection of food from the Onitsha Archdiocesan Catholic Women Organisation (CWO) Food Apostolate was a reality in November 2004. In 2010 a fairly used Toyota Coaster bus and a Toyota pick-up were bought for smooth transportation of students and goods, courtesy of our untiring and ever-committed PTD.
The Seminary is always up-to-date and gives an all-round formation. In February 2006, Computer literacy was introduced to the students by employing qualified teachers to teach all the classes. To that effect a computer pool with initial 15 computers was set up for practicals. Our target is a minimum of 50 computers and we are grateful to all our donors. More people are pledging more computers.
Through the help of the Archbishop and the PTD, the Extension Classroom Bloc which was started in 2002 was completed and commissioned on May 20, 2007 together with the Information Centre build by the Students from the proceed of Tomorrow Magazine. Other internal renovation works are on as it is not easy to manage an old institution.
In December 2011, the foundation for Basic Technology Workshop and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) laboratory was laid. Earlier in the same year, the presbytery which was reroofed in 2008, received a total face-lift. In 2012 there was massive renovation of the students’ dormitories by covering all the staircases and re-roofing the entire buildings with aluminium profile and repainting of all the buildings in the compound. A Toyota Dyna truck (6 tyres) was bought in August, 2012. The 1984 Set of All Hallows Old Boys Association (AHOBA), in August/September 2012 gave the seminary a befitting entrance/gate and security house.
On 1st November, 2012, after the Mass of the Seminary feast, the Basic Technology and Information and Communication Centre Complex was blessed and commissioned for use by His Grace, Most Rev. V.M. Okeke. The Basic Technology was equally equipped with the necessary tools. Upgrading of our Chemistry and Physics laboratories were done this year. The foundation for a Guest House was started in November, 2012 and was blessed for use by the Archbishop on May 22, 2013.
In July/August 2013, the students’ kitchen was re-roofed, some portion of the Seminary fence was renovated and Walk-Way corridors connecting all the dormitories to the chapel were constructed. A student living in St. Peter’s dormitory can conveniently walk to the chapel under heavy rainfall without being drenched. We received from the state government under Chief Peter Obi, the sum of N2,000,000 for the equipment of our library and laboratory, a brand new 16 sitters JoyLong bus, a 30KVA sound-proof generator, 49 laptop computers and a V-Sat internet facility for our ICT lab. The Rector, Rev. Fr. Leo Mozie marked 25 years in the priesthood on 13th August, 2013 and the Seminary family celebrated with him on January 5, 2014. The P.T.D. presented a brand new Kia Cerato to him after the Mass presided over by the Archbishop. Chief B.O.B. Ugonabo JP (Ezeafojulu) donated drums of santext paint for repainting of the Seminary fence. He did the same in 2012.
During the Feast of the Seminary in 2014, a plan for a Library/Music Studio complex was presented to our guests. It is estimated to cost N35 million on completion. The foundation of the building was begun in November 2014. By October 2015, the decking of the second floor of the complex was completed. It took a little above ten million naira. Work will continue immediately after the 2014 annual feast. There was a total renovation of the Seminary main chapel. From 18th July to 17th September, 2015, ceiling, rewiring and painting of the chapel took place. Very Rev. Fr. Theo Odukwe kick-started the renovation with the initial donation of one million five hundred thousand naira on November 1, 2014. Some friends of the seminary contributed much in the painting work.
As the Seminary is prone to erosion, the two major playgrounds of the Students are being washed away by the rains. The battle is on to save the two fields and other parts of the compound. We remain grateful to those who have been behind us by donating table-tennis boards and games/sports equipments for the Seminarians. Those who sponsor Seminarians by paying part or full tuition are not forgotten. May God replenish their purses as we call for more sponsors.
