SMA in Nigeria

The Society of African Missions (Societas Missionum ad Afros – SMA), is a Catholic missionary Society which was founded by Monsignor Melchior de Marion Brésillac SMA at the Shrine of Our Lady of Fourvière, Lyon, France on 8th December, 1856, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The members of the Society commit themselves to a solemn resolution to be witnesses of the Gospel through serving the peoples of Africa and encouraging vocations to the priesthood.

The original intention of the SMA Founder, Monsignor de Brésillac, was to establish the Church locally by organising parishes and recruiting local candidates for the diocesan priesthood. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit progress was rapid. Somewhat earlier than expected it became obvious that the time was ripe for the Society of African Missions to begin recruiting young Africans to become members of the Society.

Though the idea of recruiting young Africans into the SMA had been discussed at several SMA General Assemblies the historic decision to start was taken during the 1983 Assembly held in Rome. As soon as the decision was taken a former SMA Superior General, Fr. Joseph Hardy, was chosen to prepare for the take off of what was then called the “African Project”. Fr. Hardy resided in Abidjan and travelled across West Africa, meeting different bishops to discuss with them and hear their reaction to the SMA decision to start recruiting in Africa. Invariably they were supportive. In Nigeria he collaborated with Fr. Kieran O’Reilly, SMA (now Archbishop of Cashel & Emily in Ireland) who at the time was a member of the teaching staff at Ss. Peter & Paul Major Seminary in Ibadan. Fr. Kieran had already been discussin with the Rector, Fr. (now Msgr.). John Aniagwu, about the possibility of kick starting the project by accepting the first group of SMA applicants to begin their studies at the Seminary. Fr. John readily agreed and the first group of SMA aspirants enrolled at the Major Seminary in September, 1986.

Fr. Hardy had headed the interview board assisted by Frs. Eddie Deeney, SMA, (Regional Superior), Fintan Daly, SMA (Rector, St. Teresa’s Minor Seminary, Ibadan) and Kieran O’Reilly, SMA (Lecturer at Ss. Peter & Paul Major Seminary). They conducted the final interviews for the pioneer SMA candidates (Augustine Onwuzurike, Robert Obro, Noel Musa, Innocent Okozie, Felix Enegho and Basil Soyoye), all of whom were accepted. Out of these six young pioneer candidates five were ordained. Over the past thirty-three years many young students from Africa, India, the Philippines and Poland have been admitted into the Society.. Today 60 Nigerian SMAs have been ordained.

As early as 1988 the ‘African Project’ whose first Superior was Fr. Des Corrigan, SMA became the ‘African Foundation’ (AF) with its headquarters in Lomé, Togo. The Superior was Fr. Harrie van Hoof, SMA who was succeeded in 1995 by Fr. John Dunne, SMA. The year 2001 saw the evolution of the ‘African Foundation’ into the ‘African District-in-Formation’ (ADF). The dream was gradually becoming a reality. Hence the creation of a new status within the SMA, building on the achievements of the more established units in Europe and America. The day of the first African Superior dawned in 2001 when Fr. Michael Adrie, SMA from Ghana took over at the helm of affairs. Michael was later succeeded by Fr. François Gnonhossou, SMA (now Bishop of Dassa-Zoumé in the present Republic of Bénin), It must be noted that at that time the whole of Africa for SMA was one entity with only one Superior and his Councillors. Gradually, Africa and the number of African candidates applying to join the SMA increased fairly rapidly and it was soon obvious that there were too many applicants for just one person to manage.

Thus the need in 2008 to divide Africa into three zones, comprising Nigeria, Bénin Republic and the Central African Republic, to form what was called the Bight of Bénin District-in-Formation (DFBB). In December, 2008 Fr. Basil Soyoye, SMA became the first Superior of this new development with the headquarters at SMA House, Challenge, Ibadan. Fr. Basil was succeeded in 2011 by Fr. Reginald Nwachukwu, SMA. There was further progress in the year 2016, during the SMA Plenary Council meeting in Accra, Ghana, when Nigeria was carved out of the existing DFBB and adopted the name, the Nigeria District-in-Formation (NDF) with Fr. Reginald continuing as the Superior.

Finally, at the SMA General Assembly meeting in Rome in May, 2019 it was decided that the time was ripe to raise the Nigeria District-in-Formation (NDF) to the status of a Province (NP). During the inaugural Nigeria SMA Provincial Assembly held at SMA House, Jabi, Abuja from 11 ^th to 22 ^nd November, 2019 the Society elected her first Provincial Superior, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Nunayon Zinsu, SMA.

As we celebrate today the establishing of the SMA Nigeria Province and the election of Fr. Zinsu as the first SMA Nigerian Provincial we pay tribute to all the Superiors in Francophone and Anglophone Africa who played their part in helping us to reach this day, to the Rectors and Staff at both Ss. Peter & Paul Major Seminary and in more recent times the Staff at the Dominican Institute in Ibadan who have all played a prominent part in guiding our students on their path to missionary priesthood. In the memorable words of our Founder, Msgr. de Brésillac we thank you all ‘from the bottom of our hearts’.