By Danjuma Auta
The ECWA President, Rev. (Dr.) Stephen Baba Panya, the General Secretary and five others have bagged honorary doctorate degrees from the Jos ECWA Theological Seminary.
Other recipients included General T.Y. Danjuma, Eze Chukwuemeka-Eri, the Ezeora 34th and Akajiovo Igbo, the Executive Secretary, TETFUND, Prof. Suleiman Elias Bogoro, Major General Daniel Arum Bako and Barrister Mrs. Deborah Usman.
In his welcome address, JETS Provost, Rev. Prof. Sunday Bobai Agang, thanked God for the successful hosting of the 2020/2021 graduation ceremony as the event could not be held last year due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He disclosed that the recipients were carefully selected considering their track records and contributions to the growth of the church and the nation at large.
On the reason for setting up the school’s Sustainable Development Resource Center, he said that despite the nation’s huge human and natural resources, there had been a weak connection between theology and contemporary issues, especially economic and environmental sustainability which had limited church involvement in national and global issues which the resource center will help strengthen.
To the graduating students, Prof. Agang said that because the the world was witnessing spikes in troubles, extraordinary challenges and uncertainties, he urged them to prepare to proffer solutions to them.
Speaking on behalf of the ECWA executive, Acting Assistant General Secretary, Rev. Samuel Atu, thanked JETS for honouring two of its leaders and pledged to continue to support the institution.
Plateau State Governor, Simon Bako Lalong, represented by the Commissioner for Special Duties administration would continue to identify with the church towards the development of the state and nation at large.
He urged the graduates to maintain the tempo of the training they received because, according to him, the institution is known for academic excellence worldwide.
Earlier, the commencement speaker, Prof. Andrew Haruna, former Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara State, stated that there was the need for pastors to continue to update their knowledge about communicating the unchanging gospel of Christ to the changing world.
Speaking on the topic, “The church missional response to current global trends: Implication for Christianity in Nigeria today,” Prof. Haruna noted that the church in Nigeria should forget about what divide them and join hands to move the gospel forward.
The occasion was attended by people from many walks of life, parts of the country and USA, Canada, South Africa, Kenya, Botswana and Ethiopia, among others.