Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA), renowned for its intellectual and theological rigour, marked the official start of the 2024/2025 academic session with a dynamic orientation programme held across its Port Harcourt main campus and Obehie campus in Abia State. The two-day event, from November 28 to 29, 2024, saw students, staff, and dignitaries gathered for what has become a critical prelude  into CIWA’s culture of excellence.  

The Sub-Dean of Students Affairs,  Rev. Fr. Dr.  Justin Jingoe Temswang, anchored the proceedings, ensuring a seamless flow of events as a roster of distinguished faculty members and administrative officers took the stage. These speakers unpacked vital information on financial regulations, ICT utilization, counseling services, security and liturgical celebrations. The atmosphere was imbued with a sense of purpose as students were immersed in the ethos and operational mechanics of CIWA, a premier Catholic institution driving intellectual discourse across West Africa subregion  and beyond. 

At  Obehie campus, the crescendo of the orientation came on Friday, November 29, when the Rector, Very Rev. Fr. Prof. Jude Abidemi Asanbe, delivered a welcome  address brimming with gratitude and vision. Having addressed  Port Harcourt campus the previous day, he reiterated his appreciation for the bishops, religious superiors, parents, and sponsors who entrusted CIWA with their wards’ education. He lauded the new students for choosing CIWA, a decision he described as a commitment to excellence in theology, canon law, and Arts &  social sciences.  

Prof. Asanbe turned a spotlight on the Communication Department, acknowledging the sacrifices of students who do not have the luxury of relocating annually from Obehie to Port Harcourt to complete their studies. The Rector introduced Rev. Fr. Dr. Okhueleigbe Osemhantie Amos, an alumnus whose academic journey culminated in a successfully defended dissertation in June 2024. Now a member of the CIWA faculty, Fr. Amos represents the institution’s benchmark of excellence. “CIWA graduates drive Catholic theology across the sub-region, showcasing the best of West Africa’s intellectual and spiritual heritage,” the Rector declared, emphasizing the institute’s transformative role in the Church and society.  

The Rector did not shy away from addressing challenges, noting that every great institution faces hurdles. He underscored collaboration as the key to overcoming them, hinting at the great plans to elevate  Obehie campus into  Catholic University of West Africa. This vision, he revealed, was already in advanced stages, and he called on studentsto contribute by dedicating themselves to their studies and the sacramental life of the Church.  

As part of the orientation, Rev. Fr. Dr. Samuel Gwimi detailed the academic structure of CIWA, describing its evolution from a postgraduate school to a full-fledged research institute with three faculties—Theology, Canon Law, and  Arts & Social Sciences—and ten departments. These departments, he noted, are led by experienced heads who double as academic advisors, supported by faculty deans who oversee interdisciplinary collaboration.  

Adding texture to the programme, Rev. Fr. Prof. Kenneth Egere, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, emphasized CIWA’s hallmark: contextualized research. Prof. Egere, who is set to deliver his inaugural lecture on December 6, 2024, inspired students to embrace the institute’s mission of marrying global academic standards with local relevance.  

Key moments included JaneFrances Okeke’s tour of the library facilities and Sr. Dr. Natalie Ajayi’s health briefing alongside Nurse Faith. Notable speakers like Fr. Dr. Chijioke Azuawusiefe, Acting Head of  Communication Department, and Fr. Dr. Philip Omenukwa, Acting Head of the Department of Philosophy, enriched the orientation with their insights.  Fr. Okhueleigbe detailed the students in the use of CIWA facilities and the role of students in their preservation. Other members of staff who were in attendance included: Sr. Dr. Elizabeth Aduloju, the Subdean of Students Affairs, Rev Fr Dr. Cajetan Ani, CFM, et al. 

The programme  reached a reflective conclusion with a Eucharistic celebration, presided over by Fr. Dr. Justin Jingoe Temswang and featuring a homily by Fr. Okhueleigbe Osemhantie Amos. Drawing on the words of St. Thomas Aquinas, Fr. Amos exhorted the students to approach their studies as a form of worship, with the ultimate goal of glorifying God.  

As the chapel doors closed, the orientation left an indelible impression on all participants, signaling the beginning of another academic chapter steeped in intellectual rigor and spiritual depth. For CIWA, the story of shaping minds and souls continues, one session at a time.

Fr. Okhueleigbe Osemhantie Amos

@CIWA, Nov. 29, 2024