Auchi Diocesan Priest Becomes First Nigerian Priest To Bag a Doctorate in Sacred Scripture at the Biblicum

The news filtered out in the late hours of Monday, 24th May, 2021, of the successful doctoral defense in Sacred Scripture by Reverend Father Stan-William Oshiozekhai Ede at the prestigious Pontificium Institutum Biblicum, Rome. The defense that was described as seamless by some Priests who were in attendance makes Fr Stan- William the First Nigerian Priest to obtain a Doctorate in Sacred Scripture at the Biblicum, abbreviated as SSD, and the second Nigerian to reach this feat after Sr. Mary Jerome Obiorah of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Congregation in the Archdiocese of Onitsha.

Fr Stan-William had his Seminary formation at the Seminary of All Saints, Uhiele Ekpoma, where he distinguished himself in all areas of Seminary formation. He was thereafter ordained as a Deacon on 23rd April, 2006 and as Priest, on 4th November, 2006 by his Local Ordinary, Most Rev. Gabriel Ghieakhomo Dunia, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Auchi. He had about five years pastoral stint in the diocese of Auchi in the following apostolates: Associate Priest at Saint Jude, Afuze (2006-2007); Associate Priest at Saint Theresa, Fugar (2007- 2008); Vice Rector at the Immaculate Conception Minor seminary, Ivhianokpodi (2008-2011) and Rector, Saint Thomas Aquinas, Ivhioghe (2009-2011).

With the permission of the Bishop of Auchi, He began studies in October 2011 at the Pontifical Biblical Institute known as ‘’Biblicum’’, a research and postgraduate teaching institution in Rome with specialty in biblical and Ancient Near Eastern studies. He obtained the Licentiate in Sacred Scripture (SSL) in June 2014. He then proceeded for the Pre-Doctorate Research Programme in December 2014 and concluded it successfully with the Lectio Coram in December 2015. With this he was admitted into the Doctorate programme which he began in April 2016, and on the 24th May, 2021, he brilliantly defended, and obtained the Doctorate in Sacred Scripture (SSD).

As part of the events marking this ground breaking academic achievement, a reception was organized in his honour by the authorities of the Pontificio Seminario Lombardo in Rome, where Fr. Stan resided in the course of his studies. In attendance were some Auchi Diocesan Priests studying in Rome and a host of friends of the doctor and across Europe.

The journey of Rev. Fr. Stan- William Ede, SSD reminiscences the words of Henry Wadswoth Longfellow when he said that ‘’the heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.’’ We praise his pertinacity in these long years of rigorous studies amidst uncertainties. Now he has become not only the pride of the Diocese of Auchi but of the Nigeria Church and beyond.

We give thanks to God for the gift of Fr Stan-William Ede and for sustaining him thus far in the realization of his dream. We cannot but thank the Bishop who God used to make this possible, for his constant support and nudge to such accomplishment. We entrust him, Fr. Oshiozekhai Ede to the maternal protection of Mary Mother of the Clergy, while asking the Holy Spirit to inspire him more and grant him success in his future endeavours for the Church and humanity.

Rev. Fr Timothy ETSENAMHE
Assistant Director of Social Communications, Auchi Diocese.