Leadership

The School Sisters of Notre Dame Province of Africa is currently led by her fourth Provincial Council since her establishment as a Province in 2011.

Left to right: Sisters Antoinette Cornelius, Dawida Krzempek and Oyin-oza Asishana.

The current leadership team were re-elected: Sister Oyin-oza Asishana, Provincial Leader; Sisters Dawida Krzempek and Antoinette Cornelius, Provincial Councilors. Their installation took place on August 28, 2023, the Feast of St. Augustine. They will serve till 2027.

Sister Oyin-oza Asishana

Sister Oyin-oza Asishana is the Provincial Leader of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, Province of Africa, serving a second consecutive term. As she passionately believes; “Together with my Provincial Council and the sisters of the province, I am dedicated to creating a synodal community of building and developing relationships, increasing collaboration where all members, associates and friends of SSND deepen communion, feel valued, empowered and inspire to contribute to our shared life and mission as pilgrims of hope”. Trusting in God’s grace for each other in our call to service, I am confident that together we shall continue to serve our sisters and all of God's creation with love, faith filled and serve as a beacon of hope in our daily commitment to love and service.

Born in Nigeria and professed her perpetual vows as a School Sister of Notre Dame in 2012. With a BSc in Accounting and an Executive MBA, she has served as a bursar, Provincial Treasurer, and facilitator for the Sisters Leadership Development Initiative in Africa. Her experience includes roles in finance and administration. Reflecting on her experience, she shared; “My role as treasurer called me to foster unity and a deep reverence for the people I encountered. Stewardship, for me, is eucharistic—it is a ministry of relationships and interconnectedness.” Through her leadership, she has remained dedicated to resource management and service.

Sister Oyin-oza stated; “In the spirit of Mother Theresa, we must continually recognize our call to unity as a divine call to be one and to bring others into the oneness for which Jesus Christ was sent. Inspired by Theresa’s spirit and the Call and Acts of the 25th General Chapter, we commit to actions that deepen our relationship with God and one another, wherever we are. Always remember: ‘Love is the bond that unites us with one another and with God.’ Together, within the province, congregation, and beyond, we embark on this transformative journey.”

Sister Dawida Krzempek

Sister Dawida Krzempek is originally from the region called Silesia, south of Poland, which borders the Czech Republic. She was professed in 1992 in Opole, Poland. She has been a SSND for 33 years.

In the year 2000, Sister Dawida was missioned to The Gambia. As she had a diploma in Dress Design from Poland Secondary Technical School, she was sent to teach Sewing and Dress Design in Notre Dame Vocational School in Soma. She also was asked to do pastoral work in Mary Mother of God Parish in Soma. Sister Dawida was responsible for Soma Pastoral Center, in which she welcomed children and teenagers from the region, and organized meetings for their missionary activities.

In 2008, she was sent to study at Notre Dame of Maryland University in Baltimore, Maryland. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education, with a specialization in Elementary and Early Children Education which would enable her to respond fully to the educational needs and aptitudes of children.

In August 2012, Sister Dawida returned to The Gambia. The vocational school had closed in 2010, and in its place, SSND created Notre Dame Basic School in 2012, where Sister Dawida began a new ministry, teaching Mathematics and Arts and Crafts. She continued doing parish work, visiting Christian families and offering prayer services in outstations. She always tried to be an agent of unity for others in a country where Christians were a minority.

Sister Dawida was elected as The Gambia Area Local Leader in 2016 and served for nearly three years. In this leadership position, she emphasized the SSND charism of unity, living out Mother Theresa’s words, “In unity is our strength; therefore, we must hold to this anchor above all.”

"I enjoy being of service and walking on the synodal path with my sisters towards unity," Sister Dawida shares. Her participation in leadership is animated by these words of the SSND Foundress ‘Unity lightens the hardships of our vocation; unity makes us invincible, As long as unity and an espirit de corps endure among us . . . no enemy will be able to harm us.’ Blessed Theresa Gerhardiger, Letter #3006, #4679.

Sister Antoinette Cornelius

Sister Antoinette Cornelius is a Ghanaian, from the southern part of Ghana. She had her first profession of vows in 2007 at the School Sisters of Notre Dame African Novitiate in Sunyani, Ghana.

She taught as a Christian Religious Education and Moral Education teacher at St. Martin’s Senior High School in Nsawam Adoagyiri, Ghana. Sister Antoinette journeyed with many young interested women as affiliate director.

Prior to her call to be part of the leadership team of School Sisters of Notre Dame Province of Africa in 2019, she was one of the pioneer sisters who were invited to be a community member and to support the formation of novices in SSND Congregational Novitiate in Rome. She is a community minded person, a deep, creative and a team spirited person. She is encouraged by the words of Blessed Theresa Gerhardinger, 'Let us give our whole heart to God; it does belong to him.' Blessed Theresa Gerhardinger Letter #714