By Olivia Obijiaku
The Vice Rector of St Joseph Minor Seminary, Bassawa Zaria, Rev Fr Benedict Nkom attributed the continued existence of the school to God’s grace and mercy.
He2024.Chronicling made this known at the Mass of the Feast of St Joseph, and Patron Saint of the school which took place in the school chapel, Tuesday, 19th March 2024.Chronicling the trying times of the institution, the priest thanked the women group, Zumuta Mata that has stood with them for decades praying for them, past and present rectors, formators, students and every other group and individual that have contributed to what the school has become.“By the grace of God St Joseph Minor Seminary is 60 years this year.”
The clergyman revealed. “We thank God for His mercy and His love. They were so many times that this school was supposed to be closed down. There was a particular time in the history of this school when the Archdiocese of Kaduna had no money to feed the minor seminarians and it was then that the Zumuta Mata of the diocese rose up and made it every year to visit us in the Minor Seminary. Up till today, the Zumuta Mata of the diocese continues to do that. May the Almighty God continue to bless them through Christ our Lord.In 1987, this school was burnt down. Everything was lost.
We thought St Joseph Minor Seminary would end there but God in His mysterious ways brought us back. There was religious crisis. There have been serious problems and challenges but to the glory of God, today, we are still 60 years.Today we celebrate excellence. St Joseph Minor Seminary has produced so many excellent people.
So many old boys of this school are doing well in so many places, giving us the good example wherever they find themselves, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah; our late Bishop George Jonathan Dodo; Bishop Gerald Mamman Musa, the new bishop of Kastina.”Fr. Nkom leaned on the good qualities of St Joseph in charging the students to make good use of their opportunity in the school so that they too may become good ambassadors of the school as priests or father in future.
