BY SEGUN ADEBAYO, ABUJA – The 3-day event celebrating the silver jubilee anniversary of Fr. Williams Kaura Abba is to commence tomorrow, Easter Sunday April 4, 2021 with a singing competition by different Zumunta Mata choral groups drawn from the outstations of St. Paul’s Parish Madakiya and some selected groups from parishes where Fr. Abba served as priest. Expected to also participate are the women groups from ECWA, ANGLICAN, FIRST AFRICA, METHODIST Churches, all from Madakiya, the current place of assignment of Fr. Abba.
According to a press statement signed by the Chairman of Protocol and Publicity committee of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the event, Mr. Benjamin Gudaku, “The following day, Monday April 5, 2021 is to feature a unity novelty match between the Catholic Church team and protestant football team to be held in honour of the celebrant that is expected to kick off at 4pm in Madakiya town.
“The third and final day is billed for another mass at 10am to offer thanks to God for his bountiful mercies on the celebrant in the last 25 years of his priesthood.
The highpoint of the celebration will be the public presentation of books, ‘Inclusion, Fairness and Good Governance: The Pragmatic Philosophy of Patrick Yakowa’ and ‘From the Pulpit To The Public: Quenching The Flames of Division’ written by the cerebral priest who is also a lecturer at the St Albert’s Institute, Kagoma in Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
“While Mr Steve Bawa is to chair the public presentation of the books, the former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Engr Andrew Yakubu, will unveil ‘From the Pulpit To The Public: Quenching The Flames of Division’. Alhaji Yahaya Amfani is to unveil ‘Inclusion, Fairness and Good Governance: The Pragmatic Philosophy of Patrick Yakowa’ during the reception programme. To review both books is Dr. Philip Idachaba of the Department of Philosophy, Federal University, Lafia, Nasarawa State.
“The wife of the late Governor Yakowa, Dame (Mrs) Amina Yakowa, is to serve as Mother of the Day, while Air Cmdr. Emmanuel Jekada, Ph.D will serve as Father of the Day. The Guest of Honor is Barr. Sani Abbas, while Sen. Danjuma La’ah is the Distinguished Guest of Honor. The Bishop of Kafanchan Diocese, Most Rev Julius Yakubu Kundi is to serve as Chief Host.
“Other prominent Nigerians including clerics, members of the National Assembly, Kaduna State House of Assembly and top government officials are expected to grace the occasion.
“Fr. Abba is reputed for his incisive writing and advocating for good governance. He has also deployed his priesthood calling in building bridges across ethnic and religious divides.”
