WELCOME ADDRESS BY THE EVER PRO-LIFE RECTOR MAGNIFICUS, REV. FR. DR. PATRICK IDOKO ABEM.
AN ADDRESS OF WELCOME PRESENTED BY THE RECTOR, REV. FR. DR. PATRICK ABEM ON THE OCCASION OF THE 2024/2025 PRO-LIFE WEEKEND, HELD IN ST. JOSEPH MAJOR SEMINARY IKOT EKPENE, THIS DAY MAY 10, 2025.The Vice Rector, Very Rev. Fr. Felix Loveday Bornwin,The Moderator of Pro-Life Association, Rev. Fr. Ekemini Augustine Inyang,The Paper Presenter, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Michael Etim, The Paper Respondent, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Moses Sade,Beloved Colleagues on the Formation Team,Reverend Deacons,My Dependable Seminarians, Cherished Religious Sisters,Distinguished Guests,Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,Good morning!1.
It is with immense joy and a profound sense of responsibility that I, on behalf of the Seminary Community of St. Joseph, Ikot Ekpene, warmly welcome you to this year’s Pro-life Weekend. As we congregate for this intellectual event bordering on a morally compelling matter of responsibility, our focus turns to the thought-provoking theme: The Growing Rate of Violence in Nigeria and Its Implications on the Sanctity of Human Life.2. In recent years, Nigeria has witnessed a deeply troubling surge in violence, spanning from terrorism and banditry to communal clashes, police brutality, political thuggery, domestic violence, sexual harassment and ritual killings. We can also extend this to the actions of bad leadership which has caused both psychological and existential violence of poverty and multidimensional insecurity. This trend or culture of violence is not only a stark reminder of the nation’s struggle with law and order but a profound threat to the very idea of sanctity of human life. As the value of human life tend to depreciate under the weight of unchecked aggression and systemic failure, we are faced with an urgent moral and societal crisis.3. At the heart of every civilized society lies the inviolable truth that human life is sacred. This principle transcends religious, cultural, and political divides. This is so captured in Dignitas Infinita, “Every human person possesses an infinite dignity, inalienably grounded in his or her very being which prevails in and beyond every circumstance, state or situation the person may ever encounter” (Dignitas Infinita, no. 1). This is enshrined in our constitution, embedded in our Faith tradition, and essential to our collective humanity. Yet, the current landscape in Nigeria presents a stark contradiction. Day after day, headlines carry tales of lives cut short—of schoolchildren abducted, communities razed, women violated, youths gunned down by the very institutions meant to protect them. The seeming normalization of such tragedies is perhaps the most harrowing sign that something is fundamentally wrong, this wrong can be traced to lack of moral consciousness.4. Violence in Nigeria today is not confined to one region, ethnicity, or class. In the North, insurgency and banditry have displaced millions and decimated entire villages. In the Middle Belt and parts of the South, communal clashes over land and resources have turned into ethnic bloodshed. Urban centers have continued to experience cultism, robbery, and political violence. And everywhere, there is a growing sense that human life is cheap – easily taken, rarely mourned, with no justice served.5. With all this growing disregard for human life, it breeds nothing but a culture of fear and trepidation. When violence becomes routine, compassion begins to fade. People withdraw emotionally from their neighbors, unwilling to empathize with suffering that feels all too common. Communities fracture, and the social fabric weakens. When human life is no longer sacred, then every other right becomes negotiable. The right to speak, to worship, to work, to love, these all depend on the foundational belief that life is worthy of protection. Without it, law becomes empty, lady justice wields unbalanced scale, and peace becomes only something we can only imagine.6. Pope Benedict XVI in his address to the Pontifical Academy for Life in 2010, declared that human dignity is a fundamental principle which faith in the Crucified and Risen Jesus Christ has always defended, especially when in respect of the simplest and most defenseless people, it is disregarded. Human dignity as affirmed by Pope St. John Paul II as a Gospel value that cannot be despised without greatly offending the creator, must be defended. Friends, life is sacred, life is precious, we must all defend it.7. Distinguished colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, I am confident that our discussion today will yield valuable insights and illuminate new perspectives in our efforts to create a society that respects, celebrates and promotes human life. I warmly invite you to engage fully, listen attentively and contribute thoughtfully, as we explore this all-important topic together. It is my hope that this will lead to an enriching and lively discussion that promotes the values of human dignity. 8. Once again, I express my best wishes and gratitude to everyone present here and those participating virtually. May this event sow in our collective minds, the consciousness to be Prolife in being truly at the service of human life.
Rev Fr. Dr. Patrick Abem (Rector)
