Société des Missions Africaines –Province d'Irlande

né le 11 septembre 1923 à Belfast dans le diocèse de Down & Connor, Irlande membre de la SMA le 2 juillet 1944 prêtre le 13 juin 1948 décédé le 10 juin 1984

1948-1951 Blackrock Road, Cork, études supérieures 1951-1953 Belfast 1953-1984 missionnaire au Nigeria,  1953-1963, diocèse de Benin City 1963-1973, diocèse de Warri 1973-1984 diocèse d’Issele-Uku décédé à Benin City, Nigeria, le 10 juin 1984, à l'âge de 61 ans

John Henry Jones was born at Euston St. Belfast (the family address was at 261 Ravenhill Avenue), in the diocese of Down and Connor, on 11 September 1923. He died in the university hospital, Benin City, Nigeria, as a result of an accident at Ibusa, on l0 June 1984.

Harry Jones studied at St. Mary's Christian Brothers school, Belfast, from 1937 1942, before going to the S.M.A. novitiate and house of philosophy at Kilcolgan, Co Galway. He studied theology in the Society's seminary, at Dromantine, Co Down, between 1944 1948. He was admitted to membership of the Society on 2 July 1944 and was ordained a priest by Bishop Eugene O'Doherty of Dromore diocese, at St. Colman's cathedral, Newry, on 13 June 1948. He was one of a group of fourteen ordained on that day.

Harry was ordained at a time when secondary education was opening up rapidly in the Province's West African missions. To meet the need for qualified teachers and headmasters, the Society intensified its policy of giving a number of its members university training. Harry was one of those appointed to study for a degree. Residing in the Society's house at Blackrock Road, he attended U.C.C. and, in June 1951, was awarded a B.A. degree in English, history, economics and sociology. He was then appointed to Ondo diocese in south-western Nigeria. However while preparing to take ship in December 1951 he fell ill and had to cancel his passage. For the following year and a half he remained under doctors care, living at the family home in Belfast. In July 1953, after making a full recovery, he sailed for Africa, this time for the diocese of Benin City. This jurisdiction had been erected as a diocese in 1950, under the leadership of Patrick J. Kelly. Previously it had formed part of the old vicariate of Western Nigeria, the Province's first mission in Nigeria, dating back to 1918.

On his arrival Harry was posted briefly to Ossiomo leper settlement. He was then appointed to St. Patrick's college, Asaba, the first secondary school in the jurisdiction, opened in 1943. Anselm Ojefua, a Nigeria priest (Ishan), was principal, while other staff members included Michael O'Keeffe, Jim Flanagan and Tony McDonagh. There were 350 pupils in the school, most studying for the West African school certificate. In November 1955 Harry went to Ireland on his first home leave. On his return, in February 1956, he was appointed acting principal of Immaculate Conception college, Benin City. This institution incorporated a secondary school, a minor seminary and a catechist-training school. A year later, with the return of the principal from leave, Harry was re-assigned to St. Thomas teacher training college, Ibusa, the first training institution for catholic elementary-school teachers in western Nigeria, founded by Bishop Thomas Broderick in 1928. Harry tutored in the college until January 1960 when he was appointed principal.

On his return from his next home leave, in January 1961, Harry was transferred to St. Peter Claver's college, Aghalokpe, as principal. He was founding-principal of St. John's college, Fugar, between March 1961 and August 1963. In 1964 the Warri district of the diocese was detached and erected as a separate jurisdiction under a Nigerian, Lucas Olu Nwaezeapu. Harry was assigned to Bishop Lucas' staff and during the following ten years, did much to build up education in the diocese. His first appointment was to Mater Dei college, Ashaka, where he was principal. In April 1965 he became principal of St. Kevin's college, Kokori. On his return from his next home leave, in April 1968, Harry was appointed principal of Notre Dame college, Ozoro. In July 1973 an area of the Benin City diocese was detached and erected as 'the diocese of Issele-Uku', under Anthony Okonkwo Gbuji. Harry was appointed to the new jurisdiction. From 1973 until 1982 he served as principal in the Ibusa training college, spending the last two years of his life semi-retired in the local mission (acting as chaplain in the college and sometimes tutoring the students).

It must be recorded that while Harry spent most of his life in education, he always maintained an interest in pastoral work. One parish priest recounts how when Harry was principal of Mater Dei college, Ashaka, in the early 1960's, he took responsibility for the outstation of Utagbe Ogbe; and it was largely due to Harry's work that this station eventually became a full residential parish. After his 'retirement' from St. Thomas' Harry stayed on in the diocese until the accident which claimed his life in 1984. He died tragically. He was living in Ibusa mission at the time and was going to say Mass in his beloved St. Thomas's college; when he got out, in the rain, to open the gate his car rolled forward down the incline, and struck him from behind as he slipped and fell on the soft ground. The surgeon who attended him was one of his former students. He died peacefully about ten days after his accident. His Requiem Mass was held in Asaba.

Harry will be remembered as one of the great school-men of Nigeria, an excellent administrator and teacher, liked by everyone. He was described by one of his superiors in mid-western Nigeria as 'a blessing to our teacher training college and to the several secondary schools in which he served'.

He is buried in Asaba, Nigeria.