As members of Methodist Church, Nigeria continue to mourn the late Prelate Emeritus, Dr. Sunday Coffie Mbang, who died on May 16 at 86. He was one-time President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and the World Methodist Council. As Prelate, Dr. Mbang served Methodist Church, Nigeria for 22 years. In recognition of his contributions, the Federal Government awarded him Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), among others.

Speaking with The Guardian on the cleric’s death, the current Prelate of the Church, His Eminence, Dr. Oliver Ali Aba, who had a very intimate relationship with the late Mbang not only revealed some deep insight about the cleric, but also was very proud of the man whose prayer paved way for his emergence as the current Prelate of the church. He described Mbang as a fearless man, vocal and a voice of the voiceless, especially when it comes to issues concerning Christians.

Aba said: “He lived a fulfilled life, as head of the Methodist Church, Nigeria. He was loved by people and celebrated by those at home and abroad. His voice meant well for every Nigerian.

“I have just lost another father, the man who loved me to his marrow. This man played a very significant role to where I am today, as head of the church. He prayed for it, mobilised people and at the end of the day, God answered his prayers. Before the election time, he said, I would be elected as the Prelate of Methodist Church, Nigeria and that as soon as that is done, I should return to the Chapel in Uyo. And so, as soon as the conference was over, I think it was around August 18, 2022, I returned to Uyo and spent over five days with him.

“As we were talking, he was giving me fatherly advice and also blessing me. I did not want to enter the office of the Prelate without a retreat, so, I organised one, which was held in his Chapel in Uyo. At the end of the retreat, he blessed me and said: “I am his son” and that I am his fulfilment and with that he can now go. We were scared and for him to have stayed till the time he died was another miracle.”

Revealing how the late Mbang gave him a revered Patriarchal Bible, which the First Patriarch, Prof. Bolaji Idowu used and passed to him, but because of the crisis between Prelate Emeritus, Dr. Samuel Kanu Uche and Prelate Emeritus, Dr. Sunday Ola Makinde this revered Bible was not given to either of the two.

“So he gave me a Patriarchal Bible, this Bible was given to him by our first prelate, Prof. Bolaji Idowu. This is something that is supposed to be passed on from one succession to the other, but because in the Makinde and Uche era, the two were not in good relationship, the handing over never happened. So, he did not give them this power till when I became Prelate. The Bible was handed over to me in the presence of great men/women. The late Prelate instructed that I should hand the Bible over to the next Prelate whenever my tenure is over.

“I am in pains because we have lost a father, a gem, a material. On his last birthday, last year, I was there. When we returned from church service and were about to eat lunch, he asked me to sit on his seat at the dining table. He left his seat at the dining for me and moved to another place. This meant, I am supposed to be the father of the house from that moment.

I am in pains, because he was somebody who cared, somebody who loved so much and wished Methodist Church, Nigeria well. He said that with me a new Methodism has begun and we call it a new dawn. I cannot express my relationship with him in few words, but I know that the whole Methodist Church, Nigeria, and even those who must have come across him in life have missed somebody. And I know that Akwa Ibom people will also be in pains too because he was a rallying point to both politicians and the clergy,” he said.

“This is the time we need a man like Dr. Sunday Mbang, but he is no more there for us. So, more responsibilities have been added to my responsibilities because I should see myself as the father to his children in that house. They are expecting me to come to the house in Uyo, so that, we can discuss about his burial.

He was sick and died at 86. We used to bring him to Lagos for treatment but this time around we allowed him to remain at the hospital at Uyo. Mbang settled the crisis in the church and reconciled Methodist people. We cannot easily forget this. Akwa Ibom State Government loves him and we must involve the government in his burial,” he added.