With great joy, our Seminary, Ss. Peter and Paul Major Seminary, Great Bodija, welcomed
the news of the appointment of a substantive Rector Magnificus, Rev. Fr. Anthony
Oluwagbemiga Igbekele, whose appointment was made public in the early hours of the first
day of the first month of the new year, 1 st January 2024, by the Archbishop of Ibadan and
Metropolitan of Ibadan Province and Chairman of the Seminary’s Commission and
Governing Council, Most Rev. Gabriel ‘Leke Abegunrin. Rev. Fr. Anthony Oluwagbemiga
Igbekele, a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Ondo, and an alumnus of Great Bodija, who at
various times held administrative and formative responsibilities as Dean of Studies, Registrar,
Vice Rector and has been the Acting Rector since the appointment on December 28, 2022, of
the Erstwhile Rector, Most Rev. Anthony Ovayero Ewherido as the bishop of Warri diocese,
was appointed Rector of the Seminary by the Holy Father, Pope Francis, through a Bull of
Appointment that was signed by the Pro Prefect for the Section of First Evangelization of the
Dicastery of Evangelization, Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle and the Secretary of the same
dicastery, His Excellency, Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu. On 7 th January 2024, the
Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, the Seminary Community, with the active liturgical
participation of scores of priests and friends of the Seminary and the Worshipping
Community of the Ss Peter and Paul Seminary Chapel, witnessed the Installation of the new
Rector by the Principal Celebrant of the Mass and the Archbishop of Ibadan and Chairman of
the Seminary’s Commission, Most. Rev. Gabriel ‘Leke Abegunrin. The simple but moving
Rite of Installation, which took place after the Homily, consisted of the allucutio/admonitio
of the Archbishop in which the duties and rights of the Rector were enunciated; the public
reading of the Papal Bull of Appointment in both Latin and English and Letter of
Appointment; the customary Profession of Faith and oath taking by the new Rector; the
Prayer over the new Rector by the Archbishop and the declarative words of Installation by
the Archbishop.
Present at the Installation Mass were priests, superiors of sister religious houses of formation,
consecrated men and women, Seminarians, both Diocesan and Religious, members of the
Seminary’s Governing Council and the Appointment and Promotions Committee, Academic
and Non-Academic Staff, friends of the Seminary, and family members, who all came to
witness the great and auspicious event in the annals of our Great Seminary, Mother Bodija.
May God bless the tenure of our new Rector with great milestones, developments, and
achievements in the annals of our Great Seminary.