PROTOCOL
- We are gathered here, today, to bid farewell to an embodiment of Christian virtues, and icon of national unity, of love, of morality and of tolerance.
- Death, by its nature, is meant to deprive us of our joy and happiness and replace them with sorrow, and grief. It is meant to create a vacuum, and inflict on us such pain and anguish that may be difficult to bear.
- As painful and sad as we may feel at this moment, we are, however, not going to be draped in the garment of grief; we are not going to be seized by a paroxysm of anguish, we are rather going to celebrate this very embodiment of our national aspiration, a man of deep faith, who also saw the ennobling ideals in other faiths, a great patriot who considered character and principles of those who came in contact with him, over the limiting impulses of geography.
- Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here to bid farewell to a shepherded who stayed close to his flock even at a point of personal harm, a quintessential son and an ecclesiastical Ambassador of our dear State, the late Prelate Emeritus of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, the first Chairman of the World Methodists Council of African ancestry, an advocate of religious or inter-faith collaborations and tolerance , a proponent of good governance, who was not afraid to speak truth to power, the late Prelate Emeritus of the Methodist Church of Nigerian, Dr. Sunday Mbang, CON.
- The assemblage of prominent Nigerians across religious, political, social and professional lines, attest to his pan-Nigerian mind-set. He saw his calling as a clergy not just to win souls for Christ alone, but as an avenue to demand social justice and good governance and he went about this, without being confrontational but through the force of his personality and moral bonafides.
- As a long-serving President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN), he galvanized the Christian community to preach and practice love- love for the poor and the downtrodden and tolerance for other faiths. He did not allow the unfettered access he had with the people within the corroders of power or the boardroom of corporate world to mystify him, he rather demystified the power those opportunities had availed him.
- Today, Nigeria is a better place because he collaborated and worked with other religious leaders so the rainbow of colors on our national religious firmament would illuminate and beautify our diversity.
- Back home, our late Prelate was a voice of morality and reason. He loved his people and wanted the enthronement of good governance with Godly values.
- When religious leaders in the State came together to form an Association called : Fathers in Faith’ dedicated to supporting the peace and development in our State, he offered to be the moral force of the Association.
- When it pleased God to reveal me as the chosen successor to my political father and worthy predecessor, H.E. Mr. Udom Emmanuel, CON, he embraced me totally, prayed and supported me wholeheartedly, When I won, even on his sick bed, he was full of praise to God, for giving us such a massive victory. What a great father he was!
- It was the legendary British writer, Christian thinker and the man whose name, the State of Pennsylvania, in the United States is derived from: William Penn who wrote these aptly reflective lines that : they that love beyond the world cannot be separated by death. Death cannot kill what never dies”.
- Our Prelate Mbang, CON, cannot therefore, die. Death cannot kill or erase his huge contributions to the Body of Christ. Death cannot kill his love for this nation and especially our State, and our capacity to ARISE and be all that God had intended for us. Death cannot kill his deep spirit of altruism. Our Prelate will continue to live in our hearts, because he was a generational gift and what he represented will forever live in our memories for generations.
- May the soul of our departed Prelate Sunday Mbang, CON, rest in prefect peace. Ete, Esiereoo!
IBIBIO VERSION
🎤 PROTOCOL
1. Nnyịn idi mi mfịn adidikọọm anyeami akedagha anọ nti edu’wem mbon Christ; mbo anye saña sʌñ; anye ami akenyʌññọ ado nte idiọñọ adidiana keed ke afịd idʌñ, nti ido mme adiyọ emọ-emọ.
2. Mkpa ke ido amọ, ado adibọọ nnyịn inemesịd nnyịn nyaak mfʌhọ inọọ nnyịn. Ado adinam nnọ inana mkpọ mmaana nnọọ ubiak mme ntaeded ami asọñọ adiyọ.
3. Akpesʌk ado nnyịn imikeme adikop mfʌhọ ke ini ami, nnyịn idifʌhọke afọñ mfʌhọ, ntaeded idikanna nnyịn ado nnyịn iyaikappa inam idara eti akikere afịd idʌn; awo ntotono mbọdidem ami amakekịd mme akpan mkpọ ke mbọdidem anyʌñ amaana akịd mme nti mkpọ ke mme mbodidem mfen. Akammba awo akemagha idʌñ ami, akeseghe nti ido mbon awo s’idiọñọ anye akan nte mme awo etogho.
4. Ibaan mme ideen, nnyịn idi mi adikọọm akpeme edọñ ami akesehe aba mme edọñ amọ kọm akpedodie, ibo anye saña sʌñ; ataa nnennen ayịn mme asaña utom awo Abasi nnọ sted nnyịn, Prelate Emeritus Methodist Church ke Nigeria ami imibagha aba, akenyʌñọ ado akpa atiei-wuod akpokodo ke World Methodist Council ke Africa Ancestry, anye ami akemagha daña mme nsio-nsio mbọdidem ediana keed enyʌñ edukoppo uyio emọ-emọ, anye ami akemagha eti akaada ami idikifeheke ndək aditañ akpanikọ nnọọ ukada, Prelate Emeritus Methodist Church ke Nigeria, Dr Sunday Mbang CON ami imibagha aba.
5. Adiwuọ-ndi afịd mme ikpọ awo idʌñ Nigeria ami etoghoke nsio-nsio edu-ukpono, mbre ñka ukada, edu uwem mme usʌñ unam utom ado siwọd daña anye akedo ataa awo Nigeria ke akikeede amọ. Anye ikikịdde ikood amọ nte adikọ ukpọñ nnọ Christ ikpọọñ, ado akekama anye ayem unen mbon awo mme nti ukaada; ke adikinam ami, ikinamma anye ke ikọ ado akedad adudu ami anye akeniehe ke ndaha amọ mme adinie eti ido amọ.
6. Nte President Christian Association Of Nigeria amaakanam utom ikpeene, anye amaanam mme Christian ekwọdọ ikọ enyʌñ enam ewọd ima, ima mme mbon uweene, mme mbon ukụụd amaana ayọ mme mbọdidem mfen. Anye ikiyakka nnọ ewaana ami anye akenieghe mme mbon awo ke ukada anam nnọ awo idikpedeke anye idem ado anye akekab anam nnọ ukada añwaña awo ke mme ini ado anye akeniehe ufañ.
7. Mfịn Nigeria afọn akan daña akedo akpa kedo anye amaadian ubọk anam utom mme medad usʌñ ke mbọdidem mfen man atoodo m’uyai anyen uñwana akpebaha nte adʌkabasi ayamma ke nsio-nsio ubon nnyịn.
8. Ke ukañ ufọk, Prelate idibaha aba akedo uyio eti ido mme akikede. Anye ama ama mbon amọ akenyʌñ ayem edịppe eti ukada edod ami anieghe nti ido Abasi.
9. Idagha ami mme adadusʌñ ke ukpono Abasi ekedidianake keed etʌññọ eboho ekoodo Fathers In Faith ami edagha enọ adinọ ibededem ke emem mme ufodo sted nnyịn, anye akedo eti ibededem ke eboho ado.
10. Idaha akenemme Abasi esịd adinyaada mien nnọọ ete mmi ke mbre ukada HE Mr Udom Emmanuel, CON nte anyeami emekke nte andidiibọ ukada nto anye, anye amanyịmme mien afịd ukeed, abọñ akam anyʌñ annọ mien ibededem ke afịd esịd, Ami ñkekan, anye akeyọhọ mme ekọọm anọ Abasi daña ikinie utọ akpakʌb edikan ado, akpesʌk ado anye akenaha ke nnaa udọñọ. Ataa eti ete ke anye akedo.
11. Awed ñwed awo Britain, akeede mkpọ Christian mme ami adogho anyịñ amọ ke State Pennsylvania ke united State anie anyịn ato; William Penn akewed mme ikọ ami ate “Mbon ami enieghe ima eboiyo ededimbod, mkpa ikemeke adidiaña ammọ. Mkpa ikanna iwod mkpọ idisikpaha”.
12. Kentodo Prelate Mbang CON nnyịn, ikemeke adikpa. Mkpa ikemeke adiwod mme adisọọk akammba utom amọ ke eboho Christ. Mkpa ikanna iwod ima amọ anye akeniehe anọ idʌñ akpan-akpan sted nnyịn mme ukeme nnyịn adidakka nda nnyʌñ ndo se Abasi akebo ke nnyịn iyaido. Mkpa ikanna iwod ntotoño sịbeadịd ima uduod awo amọ. Prelate nnyịn ayaakaiso adu uwem ke esịd nnyịn kodo anye akedo enọ ayio emana ami ndion se anye akeda anọ ayaakaiso adu uwem ke akikede mme emana nnyịn.
13. Yak ukpọñ Prelate Sunday Mbang CON nnyịn idibagha aba abọ ataa nduọk adudu. Ete Esiedeoo!