He continued, “His grave stands as a sacred reminder of the cost of discipleship and the kind of priests we must continue to form—not men of comfort, but men of conviction, shepherds who will not flee in the face of danger.”
On the psychological impact of having Michael Nnadi’s grave greet visitors at the entrance of the Seminary, the Nigerian Seminary Rector offered a theological reflection. He said, “I believe that Michael is keeping watch over the Seminary and praying for us. He died as a witness to the faith. We are looking forward to seeing him gratified as a martyr. He died for preaching to his abductors.”
For him, “Coming into this Seminary means accepting the call to be courageous, even unto death. His grave is not a source of trauma but a reminder that we are being formed to be witnesses.”
“Our Seminarians are not left to carry this burden alone. We have psychologists and psychotherapists who work closely with them. The retreat director himself is a trained psychotherapist, and he used that opportunity to prepare the Deacons spiritually and emotionally for what lies ahead,” Fr. Usman explained.
At Good Shepherd Major Seminary, he went on to say, “we are instilling the understanding that the Priesthood is not a life of comfort. It is a life of sacrifice. And with faith, they are embracing it.”
Fr. Usman spoke with pride about the Seminary’s mission and what it represents in the larger context of the Church and Nigerian society.
“We are co-builders of the Kingdom of God here on earth. This Seminary is serving the Church and our nation, Nigeria, and by extension, the world,” he said, adding, “Good Shepherd Major Seminary, Kaduna, is not just a house of Priestly formation; it is a beacon of hope in a region plagued by insecurity, economic hardship, and social unrest.”
At the Major Seminary, Fr. Usman further said, “we stand for peace, truth, discipline, and dialogue. We are forming Priests rooted in integrity, prayer, and love. These are the leaders who will bring healing and reconciliation to a wounded world. By doing this, we are enriching the moral and spiritual life of Nigeria.”
Following the 2020 attack, significant security upgrades were carried out at the Seminary.
“At the time of the attack, the perimeter of the Seminary was not well-defined. Since then, we’ve taken major steps. We raised the wall to a secure height, and most importantly, the government responded positively by stationing military personnel at the seminary,” he said.
