Luke Swem Beba was born in Yandev, Benue State to the royal family of Zaki Apuun KaakaSwemAselaII. He discerned a calling to the priesthood from a young age and entered seminary in 1987. Over the next decade, he studied philosophy and theology while also becoming a professed member of the Claretian Missionaries. Fr. Luke was ordained a priest in 1997. After ordination, Fr. Luke gained pastoral experience in several parishes before being appointed Provincial Secretary of the Claretian Missionaries in Nigeria. He later served as Regional Superior and pursued further studies. In 2008, Fr. Luke became the first missionary priest in Africa to

1. BRIEF LIFE STORY OF REV FR LT LUKE SWEM BEBA,CMF
Swemas he isfondly calledbyhis family wasbornto the familyof Late Mr and Mrs Abraham Kaase
BebaApuunof the royal parentage of:HisRoyal HighnessZaki Apuun KaakaSwemAselaIIof Yandev
Districtof GbokoLocal Governmentof Benue State.He began hispubliclifeatthe age of sevenat the St
JamesRomanCatholicMissionPrimarySchool Genyi Yandev.Oncompletion of hisprimaryeducation,
he proceededto the secondaryschool in1982 at the CommunitySecondarySchool Yandevwherehe did
onlytwoyearsand was transferredtoa nearby Commercial College Gboko where he eventually
completedthere in1987.
Swemwhoinhistenderlife desired of becomingapriestwasofferedadmissionintothe MajorSeminary
inthe same yearhe completedhissecondaryschool education in1987. So by 3rd
of October1987 he
reported atthe ClaretianInstituteof PhilosophyNekedeOwerri ImoState (Affiliate of UrbanUniversity
Rome,Italy) tokick-starthisdiscernmentprocess tothe priesthood.
Afteran introductoryone yearintothe seminarylife(Postulancy) and philosophical inquirieshe was
sentto the ClaretianNovitiateUtonkonBenue State where he inculcatedthe spiritualityof the Founder
of the ClaretianMissionaries(StAnthonyMaryClaret) andthe Congregation’slifestyle.Atthe endof the
one yearspiritual bake, Swemtookhisfirstreligiousprofessioninthe Congregationof MissionariesSons
of the Immaculate Heartof Mary (Claretian Missionaries) inthe year1989 throughthe handsof a loving
and caringfatherVeryRevdFr. ChristianMary Ihedoro,CMFthroughwhomalsothe Claretian
Congregationcame toNigeriain1971 after the endof the Nigeriancivil war.
Swemnowbeginningtorealizehisdreamstothe priesthood throughhis membershipof the Missionary
Congregationbythe virtue of hisreligiousprofession,he wasapprovedtoproceedforhisintensive
academiclongingatthe Institute of Philosophywherehe startedin1987. In the year1992,Swem
graduatedas a successful scholarof philosophy.
Due to hisardent andindebtknowledge inthe secretarialadministration, Luke SwemBeba,cmf was
probatedandsent to the central administrationof the Province of Nigeriaof the Claretian Congregation
as under-secretarytothe ProvincialSecretary from1992-1993. Atthe end of thisservice year,he was
thenrejoined toproceedforhistheological scholarshipin1993 at the prestigiousBigardMemorial
Seminary Enugu(anAffiliate of UrbanUniversityRome,Italy) where he graduated asatheologian in
1997. However,in-betweenthe periodof histheological studies Luke SwemBeba,cmf wasmade to
combine withinaverytightschedule of hisacademicpursuit toacquire aprofessionalcompetencyin
computerscience andtechnologywherehe baggedadiplomaincomputersciences in1996.
Perhaps,Luke’sdreamswere comingclosertorealityamidstterribleturbulence through the journeyof
beinga HighPriest.In1995, Luke scaredthrougha toughscreeningboardinlieuof approval forhisfinal
religiousvowswhichfavoredhimbythe providentialdeathof hisbelovedfather andfriend (Abraham
BebaApuun). Onthisgloriousandblessedday,onabeautiful andserene goodmorningof 8th
of
September1995, a distinguishingcrowdtogetherwiththe entire Apuun’sfamilygatheredinthe church
of St Paul’sUmualumNekede Owerri towitness asolemn andperpetualreligiousvow takingof Swem to
the life of Chastity,PovertyandObediencethereby biddingfarewell tothe pressuresof world’slife,to

2. remainforeverincelibate(nottomarry) life, steadfastinthe poverty of JesusChristandtobe obedient
to hissuperiorsbyacceptingtheirdecisionforhislife tilldeath.
In 1996, anothermomentof trial came aroundthe life of Swem where adice hadto be cast for his
ordinationtothe Orderof Diaconate.However,the philosophyof ‘God’stime isthe best’which he holds
as hispropellinggeartosuccess,Swemwasordainedon the 6th
Julyof the Lord’syear,1996 by Most
RevdVerdzekovof the blessedmemory(Archbishopof Bamenda,Cameroons).
Now, Rev Swemcouldease a fresh airof breathas he was goingintohisfinal yearof the priestlytraining
whichat thistime hadalreadygulfed tenyearsof noeasy experience. He now enteredhisfourthand
lastyear of theological andseminarytraininginwhichatthe soundof the bell he will be namedRevFr
Luke SwemBeba,CMF.
Inspite of all the experiences,Rev Swemacceptedthemas toolsthatare necessarytostrengthenhim
towardthe future ministrywhichhe will soonembrace forlifesohe wasnot dauntednordepressed by
any one of them. He wasnow more stable inmindtoconcentrate and tackle the strenuousanddifficult
final stepstohisvocation.
RevSwemhavinggraduatedfromhisacademicfitswasfoundworthy forordinationtothe priesthood.
So on the 5th
of July1997, the entire YandevfamilygatheredinEnuguwhileotherswaitedat hisnative
Yandev home to witness the historicbreakthroughof this firstYandevson tothe priesthood.So,today
we rememberthatgloriousdaywhenhandswere laidonthe headof RevFr Luke Swem Beba,Cmf,itis
15 yearstoday andwe saybravo to an iconof history!!!
AREASOF PASTORALEXPERIENCESANDAPPOINTMENTSAFTERORDINATION TOTHE PRIESTHOOD
Afterhis ordination,RevFrLuke Swem Beba,CMF wasposted underthe pastoral guide of an elderly
priestat St Theresa’sCatholicChurchNguru NgorinOwerri Archdiocese of ImoState. However,his
experiencesinthisfirstappointmentwere notpalatablebutitisbettertoreserve thatto posterity asno
conditionispermanent andnoone isperfect.However, afterhisshortstayin thisplace of first
appointment(9months) FrLuke was postedtoSS PeterandPaul Mbutu Ngwain IsialaSouthLGA of
AbiaState and amonga teamthat has made himproudin hispastoral life till date,mayGodreward
those brothers andkeepthemforhischurch.
However,due tosome urgentpastoral needs, FrLuke wascalleduponto supplyfora pastoral position
at St DominicCatholicChurchkwali inthe FCT Abuja in1999, andthat again cut shorthissecond
pastoral experience inAbiaState.Consequently,astowhatwas seenasa supplyassignment,FrLuke
was insteadconfirmedthe substantive ParishPriestof the parochial domain of StDominicparish for
three years.Withinthisperiod,Fr.Luke engagedhimself notonlyinhisprimarypastoral duties of
developingthe people spirituallyandphysically butalsobegandevelopinghimself atthe same time as
he enrolledinthe Universityof Abuja in2001 to prepare to enhance himself forthe role of the priestas
a teacher.

3. Fr Luke was offered todohispost graduate studiesinthe facultyof Educational Scienceswhichagainhe
distinguishedhimself innomeanway andwas immediatelyofferedadmissionto hismaster’sprogram
but couldnotcontinue ashe wasposted at the expirationof histenure andappointedasthe Provincial
Secretaryof the Claretian MissionariesinNigeria,WestandEast Africarespectively in2003.
Due to hisardent desire andindebt knowledge of the secretarialwork he wasapplauded bythe then
General Prefectof ApostolatenowSuperiorGeneral of the ClaretianMissionaries worldwide forhis
brilliantperformance asaChapterSecretary and desiredhimforthe general secretariatinRome which
nevermaterialize due tointernal exigencies.
Consequentially, FrLuke wasappointedbythe successive provincial governmenttoheadthe North-
WestDependentRegionof the ClaretianMissionariesasa delegation/regional superiorwith
headquartersinLagos.Fr Luke became the seconddelegationsuperiorof the region.Havingmovedto
Lagos to commence hisnewdutiesof leadership,FrLuke groomed the regionsuccessfullyfroma
dependentorgantoa fullyrecognizedindependententity.
Beside the majorandprimarytask giventoFr. Luke,he headedmanycommitteesandgroupsandwas
memberof manyassociations.Fr.Luke wasa memberof the AmnestyInternational (1992-1995), a
memberof the ReadingAssociationof Nigeria,UniAbujaChapter(2001-2003), a memberof the World
Council of CurriculumandInstruction,UniAbujaChapter(2001-2003). Fr.Luke wasalsothe Provincial
Director,Justice Peace andDevelopmentCommission,ClaretianMissionaries(2003-2006), the president
of Menand WomenReligiousOwerri Archdiocese(2004).
LATER ASPIRATION INTOTHE ARMED FORCES CHAPLAINCY:
Duringhis service asProvincial Secretary,Fr.Luke startednurturingthe strongdesire of openingupthe
horizonsof pastoral opportunitiesashe requested histhenSuperior(VeryRevFr.WenceslausMadu,
CMF, and now Rector of Imo PolytechnicUmuagwu) forpermissiontobe seconded toserve inthe
NigerianArmyChaplaincy. However,before he couldrealize thisaspiration,FrLuke wasalreadyundera
tutorial of veryseniorofficersof the NigerianArmyatthe 34 ArtilleryBrigade Obinze foraboutthree
yearsand laterbecame the chaplainthere instead.He wasalsoappointedChaplaintothe Christthe
KingMilitaryChurchIpajaLagos where he latersucceeded atthe selectionboard.
However,afteraprotractedperiodof trials to joinarmybeginningfromyear2003, God’sown time
came andFr Luke was selected intothe prestigiousNigerianArmyOfficers’cadal in2008. Fr. Luke began
histrainingas a DirectShort Service Officeratthe NigerianArmySchool of InfantryJaji KadunaState.
Andon the blesseddayof the Lord and the gloriousfeastdayof his fatherfounder(the Claretian
Missionaries) StAnthonyMaryClaret,24th
October,2008 Fr Luke was givenapresidentialcommission
duringthe PresidentMusaYar’Aduaadministrationtothe rank of a Lieutenant.
As a militaryofficer,FrLuke became the firstmissionarypriesttobe commissionedintothe armed
forcesto say the leastinAfricaif not aroundthe entire continentsof the world. Maythe name of the
Lord be blessednowandforever.

4. Afterhis commission,Fr.Luke wasfirst postedto22 Armoured Brigade Ilorinwherehe workedasthe
Brigade ChaplaincoveringShaki andKanji until he wassecondedin2009 to beef-up312Artillery
Regimenttogoon a peacekeepingmissioninDarfur-Sudan.Onhisarrival fromthe peacekeeping
mission,Fr.Luke reportedtothe HQ of the JointTask Force (JTF) Yenegoa,BayelsaState andwas
deployedtoSector1 JTF Warri where he ispresentlytakingcare of the BlessedPope JohnPaul IIMilitary
Chapel Effurun,inDeltaState.
It isto hiscredittherefore thatFr Luke has the cause to celebrate todaywiththismammothcrowdfor
more and betteropportunitiesaheadinhislife.