All Hallows Seminary Marks Centenary With Cultural Displays As Rector List Achievements

By Julie Sylvia, Onitsha

All Hallows Seminary, Onitsha, an institution where young boys who are desire to become priest are trained,on 1st November marks their 100 years of existence with cultural displays.

According to the Rector of the Institution, Rev Fr. Paschal Onunkwo, believing that culture can never go into extiinction, hinted that why they focused on cultural display throughout the event, is that culture is part of life, and as an institution training people who would become priest.

“If you want to get somebody to understand what you are saying, you have to preach the person in the language he would understand and that is why the seminary is involved in the culture of the people.

“The evangelization would be fruitful and go to the root, that is why culture is important as an aspect of seminary formation.

The Rector who noted that he came to the institution as a Rector in 2021 recounted his achievements which are human formation, structural developments, renovations of buildings, reconstruction of dilapidated school road, which he said was done 45 years ago or thereabout.

“Mounting of new school gate to replace the old one mounted 72 years ago, renovation of father’s house by the school old boys, excellent in academic pursuit, wonderful WAEC results, other external exams, music and other wonderful achievements.

“It is for a favour and Grace of God for an institution to exist for 100 years and also thank God for it is happening in our own time and to celebrate this 100 years, we have to look at our old boys, those who are priests and those who are not priest.

“We have seen the progress they have made in the society and it is a thing of gratitude, we resolve to be fruitful in order to produce men who would be of great substance to the society.

“The significance of this 100 years are that the school have come of age, secondly,100 years of existence is not something that should be neglected but rather it calls for gratitude to God and gratitude to people who had and still made it happen.

“One of the events to mark the celebration was award giving, because for 100 years, there are and were people of good will who had worked so hard, like people who donated the land, the rectors of the Institution, our major benefactors.

“The Catholic Women Organization, CWO who contribute food to feed the seminarians and subsidize the school fees and make the seminary affordable for the rich and the poor.

The highpoint of the celebration are display of all types of masquerades, cultural dance, drama etc.

There were many dignitaries at the event which one of them was the Labour Party, LP, Presidential candidate at the just concluded presidential election, Mr Peter Obi.