Inception
Cardinal Ekandem Seminary, Uyo, initially
christened, ‘Cardinal Ekandem Seminary College’ was established in 1976, by the
then Bishop of Calabar Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Brian Usanga to cater for the
teeming indigenes of Uyo and its environs who had the choice of pastoral
vocation but could not access the then Calabar diocesan minor seminary because
of its distance.
The institution was named after Dominic
Cardinal Ignatius Ekandem, the first Anglophone West African to be consecrated
a Bishop for the Roman Catholic Church and subsequently, the first African to
be created a Cardinal.
A man of many firsts in all respect and
an outstanding churchman of the 20th Century, Cardinal Ekandem’s life and dedicated
priesthood had been a source of light to the hitherto ‘dark continent’ and a
formidable model to many who wished to serve God in that respect. Naming the
seminary after him came as a recognition of his exceptionalism and a modelling
symbol for the students who were aspiring priests.
Administration
From
its inception in 1976, amid the political, social and economic hitches that had
bathe the Nigerian State, even till today, the Seminary has been blessed with
erudite leadership and management insight, with beaming enthusiasm and
commitment to service. This has been responsible for the envious height the
Seminary has attended today.
The
following have dutifully served as Rector of this noble institution.
1.
Msgr. Godwin Akpan (Late) 1976
2.
Very Rev. Fr. Gall Okon (Late) 1977
3.
Very Rev. Fr Dr. Leo Etim 1978 - 1979
4.
Most Rev. Dr. Joseph
Ekuwem 1979 - 1980
5.
Rt. Rev. Msgr. Emmanuel Umoetok 1980 - 1982
6.
Very Rev. Fr Sabastian Eboh (Late) 1982 - 1984
7.
Very Rev. Fr Patrick Okure (Late) 1984 - 1986
8.
Very Rev. Fr Dr. Michael Idobo 1986 - 1990
9.
Very Rev. Fr Michael Bassey 1991 – 1994
10.
Very Rev. Fr Augustus Effiong 1994 – 1996
11.
Very Rev. Fr Ephraim Asanausung 1996 - 2000
12.
Very Rev. Fr Dr Michael Idobo 2000 – 2006
13.
Very Rev. Fr Francis Essien 2006 – 2007
14.
Very Rev. Fr Isidore Akpan 2007 - 2012
15.
Very Rev. Fr Ephraim Ukpe 2012 till Date
Growth and Structure
The
Seminary started off at Uyo Town Hall, Akpapan Street, Uyo Local Government
Area, Akwa Ibom State in 1976. It began with about twenty students. When the population had risen considerably, the school moved to the Catholic Education
Center, Uyo (the present day, St. Dominic Church) where there was a larger
space for classes and admiration.
Seeing
the prospect of the fast-growing school and the need for a conducive environment
to be created for the formation of the seminarians, arrangements were made for
the school to move to its permanent site. However, it was through the assistance
of Chief Dominic Utuk that the present site was acquired and dedicated as a permanent
geographical location for the Seminary.
Faced
with the problem of structures, the leadership of Very Rev. Fr Dr. Leo Etim saw
the erection of the first building in 1978. This achievement served the
Seminary an administrative block, partitioned-out classrooms for the now fifty
plus students and a small hall to serve as a chapel.
Still,
the Seminary could not accommodate her students. Seminarians had to operate
outside the school from Eka Street and some, from the Pastoral Centre. However,
by 1980, the leaderships of Bishop Joseph Ekuwem and Msgr. Emmanuel Umoetok were
able to put forth three hostel blocks named after St. John, for the students who
had now numbered about a hundred.
Over the years, with the knowledgeable
leadership and frugal management of scares resources, there have been recorded significant
changes in the structural, moral, academic and aesthetic outlook of the
Seminary. These transformations have unarguably placed the seminary on a very high
pedestal among its contemporaries.
Besides, with the addition of the
current projects undergone by the present leadership - water factory, state-of-the-art
auditorium/drama theatre, dedicated classrooms, school farms, et cetera – the
Seminary has grown into a modern sophisticated academic facility with the
capability of producing enterprising minds.
Academic/Moral Formation
As
a minor seminary, Cardinal Ekandem Seminary runs both the Junior and Senior
Programmes specified in the National Curriculum of Education – offering wide
variety of subjects in the Sciences, Arts, Commercial and Vocational studies.
From
a strong team of professional teachers who are experts in their dedicated
fields, to large, spacious, traditional and dedicated classrooms, perfectly
equipped laboratories for practicals in sciences and vocationals, a large
productive and entrepreneurial school farms in poultry, piggery, rabbitry, and
cultivational farmland, well stocked
libraries, professionally staffed sickbay to cater for minor ailments of the
students and a standby affiliated hospital, Uwakmfon
Hospital, to attend to major cases whenever the need arises, the Seminary
remains one of the very few establishments defined by the expensive principles
of excellence and credibility.
For the past
forty-three years of its existence, Cardinal Ekandem Seminary has formed out
credible and very industrious Nigerians both priests and lay. Very Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Efiok Effiong, Former Chairman of
Oron Local Government, Hon. Victor Ini Okon, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Justin Udoma,
Engr. Mfon Essien, Engr Emmanuel Ekandem, Barrister Austin Ekpo and the chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalist, Akwa Ibom State Chapter, Elder Patrick Albert, are the
very few resounding ambassadors of this great institution.
Since
1976, the Seminary has been graduating well-trained students who are now very
important personalities in the country and have contributed greatly to the
success and development of the country in all the major field of enterprise.
