Governance

As a national seminary under the U.E.C., Alokloum shares a lot with the other National Major Seminaries. The developments of its policies are, therefore partly influenced from ‘above’ like all the National Major Seminaries. Nonetheless, it would also develop its own peculiarities through the years as a result of adaptation to local needs.
Through the Episcopal Commission for the Seminaries (E.C.S), the U.E.C. runs the National Major Seminaries making the use of the planning Committee for Seminaries whose membership include the Rectors of the National Major Seminaries.

The ordinary daily direction and administration of the Seminary is entrusted to the Rector and his Staff. The Rector is appointed by the Episcopal Conference while the staffs are proposed by the E.C.S.
At the birth of Alokolum National Major Seminary, Fr. Nazareno Inya of Arua diocese was appointed the first Rector. Fr. N. Inya saw Alokolum through its beginning in 1973 to 1977. He was replaced by Fr. Egidio Nkaijanabwo of Mbarara (now bishop of Kasese) who arrived at Alokolum in April 1977. The month preceding the departure of Fr. Egidio in May 1983 saw the arrival of Fr. Deogratias Byabazaire, (he became later the bishop of Hoima Diocese). He was to become the Rector of Alokolum. Before his appointment as Rector of Alokolum, Fr Deo was teaching at Katigondo Seminary. Fr. Deo was to lead Alokolum Seminary through one of the most difficult periods in its history, the exile to Katigondo in 1987. When Deo left the rectorship and became the coadjutor bishop of Hoima in 1990, Alokolum was still in Diaspora.

It was Fr. John Baptist Odama, then a priest of Arua Diocese (who later became the bishop of Nebbi Catholic Diocese, and now the Archbishop of Gulu Archdiocese) who took over from Fr. Deo as rector in 1990. He is another great man in the history of Alokolum National Major Seminary who led Alokolum into the return to its original home and proper premises at Alokolum. In 1996 upon creation of the Catholic Diocese of Nebbi, Fr. Odama left the seminary and in his place, in August 1996, Fr. Sabino Odoki of Gulu Diocese was appointed Rector. Fr. Odoki was to continue to see and sail with the Seminary through the turbulent Joseph Kony’s war against the government of Museveni in Northern Uganda; and the brief 2003 to 2005 difficult exile years at Bukalasa Seminary in Masaka. It was to be him to return Alokolum back to its home in Gulu. In July 2006 Fr. Odoki was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Gulu Archdiocese and continued to be the Rector of Alokolum Seminary. In February 2007, Bp. Odoki had to leave the Seminary in the hands of Fr. Cosmas Alule of Arua Diocese who had just arrived to be on the Seminary staff the previous month of September 2006. Fr. Cosmas left the seminary after 12 years as the rector in June 2019 to Fr. Charles Olweny of Gulu Archdiocese who had been the Vice Rector of Alokolum Seminary since March 2017.

Fr. Nazareno Inya, as the first Rector, had only four other administrative and teaching staff at the opening of Alokolum Seminary. His first vice Rector was Fr. Mario de Francesco, a Comboni Missionary priest, while Fr. Bukenya was the first General Spiritual Director. In the years to come, many priests, Brothers Sisters and even lay people joined in the teaching and administrative staff at Alokolum.

Most of the teaching staff and formators over the years have been priests. These have come from various dioceses and different religious congregations including: the White Fathers; Comboni Missionaries; Mill Hill Missionaries; and the Holy Cross. At present, the entire teaching staff is made of the local diocesan clergy.

The Brothers have mostly been part of the administrative and support staff. The Brothers’ communities in Alokolum through the years included the Banakaroli Brothers and the Marian Brothers (who first came to Alokolum in 1976). At present there are no religious Brothers represented at Alokolum.

Right from the start, it was the plan to have a community of sisters at Alokolum Seminary to provide support and administrative staff. Due to lack of accommodation this could only be realized from 1983 up to date when the Little Sisters of Mary Immaculate of Gulu (L.S.M.I.G) have opened their community at Alokolum Seminary.