The former Archbishop of the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria (LCCN), Archbishop Emeritus Most Rev. (Dr.) Nemuel Abubakar Babba, who died on November 24 at he age of 73 has been laid to rest in the Faroe Islands, Denmark.
He was laid to rest on Monday December 15 after a funeral service at The Lutheran Church, Rituvík, Faroe Islands, Denmark.
One of the Bishops of the Church, Rt. Rev. Robert Tonborokai Gajere in an interview with Church Times informed that Archbishop Abubakar Babba passed on after a prolonged illness,.
He said it was his wish to be buried in the Faroe Islands where his wife comes from.
Biography
Born on December 31, 1952, Abubakar Babba hailed from the royal Bwatiye family of Bengin in Fufore Local Government Area of Adamawa State, and was the second male child of five children.
Bishop Gajere informed Church Times further that the late Archbishop was educated at Pariya Primary School and Central Primary School Jimeta-Yola. He completed his studies in 1973.
“His theological education included a Certificate in Theology from Dashen Bible College in 1977 and a Diploma in Theology from the Theological College of Northern Nigeria (TCNN) in 1981. He later bagged a bachelor’s degree and a Masters degree in Sacred Theology.
Archbishop Babba’s life according to Gajere was devoted to Christian ministry. “He served as the first indigenous Stewardship Secretary of the LCCN Headquarters in Numan in 1981, and was ordained into the pastoral ministry in 1985. In 1995, he was elected Bishop of Todi Diocese and consecrated in February 1996.
“He was elected Archbishop in 2002 and served until his retirement in February 2017. He also served as President of TEKAN from 2005–2011, a Council Member of the Lutheran World Federation from 2003–2010, and a Federal Commissioner of the National Christian Pilgrims Commission from 2011-2015.”
He was the Chairman, Board of Trustees for the Adamawa State Government House Chapel, Yola as well as the Chairman of the Batta Bwatiye Bible Translation and Language Development.
He was also the person that challenged the Yandang ethnic nationality of Adamawa and Taraba States to have Christian hymns in their native dialect.
The late Archbishop is survived by his wife, Mrs. Kaja Nemuel (whom he married on September 26, 1982, in Denmark), their three sons – David, Paul, and Simon – and some grandchildren.
About Kaja Nemuel
Mrs. Kaja Nemuel (born Kaja Lamhauge) has a long and influential history in Nigeria, spanning over five decades. While she is technically a citizen of the Kingdom of Denmark (as a Faroese woman), her identity and work are deeply rooted in the Faroe Islands and Nigeria.
She first arrived in Nigeria in 1969, during the height of the Nigerian Civil War (Biafran War). She was sent by Mission Afrika (formerly known as the Danish Sudan Mission).
At that time, the organization had around 100 missionaries in the country; by the time she retired, she was one of the very few remaining. It was during her active days as a missionary in Nigeria that she got married to the late Archbishop.