Teachers needed at strategic seminary in Igbaja

ECWA Theological Seminary, Igbaja (ETSI) is located about 80 km from the large city of Ilorin. (See map below.)

The school offers Certificate, Diploma, Bachelor, Masters and Doctoral level qualifications in various disciplines including theology, pastoral studies, Christian education, mission and evangelism, church administration, pastoral counselling and organisational leadership. There is a library of around 20,000 volumes. We were very impressed with the chapel building (photo at left), constructed in 1998 with help from SIM.

Usually there are about 450 students during normal semesters with a further 45 in the doctoral programme (D. Min.). At present there are 260 in the summer programme. Extension centres in Ilorin, Ibadan, Lagos, Abeokuta and Kabba cater for another 65 students.

It has been several years since our last SIM missionaries (Ted and Rosette Kayser) left Igbaja. Before that Dwight and Miriam Singer and Jim and Salome Crouch served there in recent times. There were many others before that of course. The school began back in 1941, moving to post secondary level in 1965, and so celebrates its 70th anniversary in November this year. The founding Principal was Bill Crouch, father of the late Jim Crouch (Linda's husband). The succession of Principals since then includes several SIM missionaries (including Beth Cunningham's father, Norm Lohrenz) and two former ECWA Presidents (see photo).

Though SIM Nigeria currently has no members working at this seminary, we do have strong connections historically, are actively funding some projects there and would hope to post missionaries there in the future.

Needs and Projects.

• a badly needed new hostel for student accommodation.
• a new doctoral studies building, for which they have already secured a donor.
• digital library (SIM is assisting with this)

Please pray for this vital centre of Christian education. We would like to be able to once again have a missionary teaching there because of its strategic value to the church in Nigeria. There are many opportunities for teachers as part of the summer programme as well as longer term commitment.