The need felt by the various missionary bodies – the Church of Scotland Mission, the Niger Delta Pastorate (later to be the Niger Delta Diocese), the Wesley Methodist Mission, and the Church Missionary Society (now Church Mission Society), to have more workers and staff to address the wide opening fields of evangelism, coupled with the greatest need of Christians (the various missionary bodies) to be united in presenting one Gospel to the world, was the one motivating factor for the founding of Union Theological College, as it was called then, a vision which matured in 1948.
The land was acquired at Okwulaga – Afaraukwu in Umuahia, by the Diocese On the Niger but was not immediately developed. Instead, the College opened at Awka, the present site of Paul’s University, Awka, on 6th February 1948. The pioneer students included five Anglicans, three Methodists and six Presbyterians. The first Principal was Rev’d. A.W. Hodgetts, a Methodist. This started the joint venture of theological education by the three Churches. It was in September 1950 that the college came to its present site at Okwulaga, Afaraukwu Umuahia.
Right from its inception, the College Founding Fathers emphasized three values:
(i) Learning into righteousness and holiness of life for a Godly Nation.
(ii) Equipping and meeting the needs of the Staff in mission fields, and
(iii) Broadening and deepening the Church’s base by emphasizing Christian unity and an actual participation in joint ventures by the three co-operating Churches.
Many leading academicians in Nigeria Universities are products of this College. It is not without some justification that Trinity (Union) Theological College has been described as the “nerve of the Church” in Nigeria.