Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Rector, Bigard Memorial Seminary, Enugu, Very Rev. Fr. Albert Ikpenwa, says the seminary has produced four cardinals, 14 archbishops, 37 bishops and thousands of priests since it officially opened in 1924.
Ikpenwa disclosed this on Tuesday at a news conference to give insights to Bigard Centenary Celebration scheduled to begin on Nov. 10 in Enugu.
He said the seminary had also produced thousands of priests working in Nigeria, Europe, America, Australia and other parts of the world.
Ikpenwa listed the Cardinals to include Francis Arinze, Dominic Ekandem, Christian Tummi and Peter Okpalaeke.
According to him, some of the archbishops are Valerian Okeke, Bishops Callistus Onaga, John Okoye, Albert Obiefuna, among others.
He added that the seminary had also served in the formation of seminarians from Cameroon, Sierra Leone and Liberia and produced professors in many universities as well as other individuals who studied there but did not serve as priest.
The rector said Bigard Memorial Seminary started as St. Paul’s Seminary, Igbariam, Anambra, in 1922, an initiative of Bishop Joseph Shanahan, the then Vicar Apostolic of the Vicariate of Southern Nigeria.
“The seminary was, however, officially opened in 1924 to teach theology and philosophy following Pope Benedict XV’s 1919’s letter that emphasised the need and urgency of establishing indigenous clergy in mission lands.
“In 1928, the seminary was moved to Onitsha and a senior seminary was opened at Eke in Enugu State in 1934 to separate it from the junior seminary.
“The senior seminary was later transferred to Enugu in 1939, then to Okpala, Imo State, in 1942, and finally back to Enugu in 1951, where it has remained as Bigard Memorial Seminary,” he said.
He explained that seminary was named Bigard to honour Stephanie and Jeanne Bigard, the mother and daughter foundresses of the Opus Sancti Petri Apostoli society, which funded the building of the seminary.
Speaking on the 100 years anniversary, the Chairman Planning Committee, Rev. Fr. Kelvin Udenwagu, said the event was going to be a great and unique one as it would be a reunion of the people that passed through the seminary in the past 100 years.
He listed the activities to mark the event to include inaugural Mass, inauguration of academic year and award to distinguished students, cultural event, Biblical quiz, symposium, football match and dance.
The clergyman added that the celebration would begin on Nov. 10 and end on Nov. 21.
The highlight of the conference was a media facility tour that include the new student hostels built by Ikpenwa.
