As part of celebrating the 136th Feast Day of the Patron Saint, St. John Bosco, the St. John Bosco’s College of Education in the Kassena Nankana Municipality of the Upper East Region, on Wednesday, January 31, 2024, unveiled a statue in his honor.
St. John Bosco, was the patron saint of apprentices, editors, publishers, school children, and juvenile delinquents.
He was born on August 16, 1815, and died in 1888. History has it that his birth came after the end of the Napoleonic Wars which ravaged the city of Becchi, Italy with drought and famine equally hitting the population at the time.
It is reported that his life attributes of hard work, diligence, and loving amongst others were largely influenced by a dream he had at a tender age. In the said dream, he envisioned himself being told by a majestic man that “in meekness and charity” he would “conquer his friends with another majestic lady subsequently telling him to be “strong, humble and robust when the time comes.”
He started his quest to serve humanity by learning the art of magic, which he would later use to stage shows for kids, recited the day’s homily, and ended by inviting a friend to pray with him.
After years of hard work and dedication, he became a priest in 1841 with his first assignment being in the city of Turin. His visits to prisons triggered his desire to ensure that young boys due to poverty no longer end up in prison, which gave birth to apprenticeship, as he sought jobs for young boys.
After his death on January 31, 1888, there were immediate calls for his canonization which later happened in 1934 and saw him being given the title “father and teacher of youth.”
It is on this score that early settlers named the now 93-year-old St. John Bosco’s College after the saint.
Apart from unveiling the statue in honor of St. John Bosco, another saint, St. Francis of Assisi, also had a statue unveiled in his honor.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the feast day, Rev. Fr. Lawrence Azure, Vicar General of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diosces noted that St. John Bosco inspired the youth and finds the naming of St. Bosco’s College of Education, an institution of learning to prepare young people to impart knowledge as worthy.
“He devoted his life to the care of the delinquent youth. The youth who were without a future, who were without hope and John Bosco used some intelligent ways by which he could bring these youth together through drama, plays, and other activities at the end of which he would impart the word of God to the youth. By doing that, he was helping to transform them, he was helping to bring them closer to God so that they may find meaning, they may find hope in life, and not live a meaningless life. St. John Bosco inspired the youth and the forebears named this institution after this great man because it is an institution to also form the youth, especially in the spirit of the Catholic Church.” He detailed.
The principal of the College, Prof. Joseph Amikuzuno, explained St. John Bosco’s love for humanity was unmatched adding these values should be reflected in the day-to-day activities of students.
He disclosed that the college started as a carpentry shop.
