Great Nigerian Christian, missionary, Dr. Panya Baba, goes to sleep

One of the founding fathers of missions in Nigeria and Africa, Rev. Dr. Panya Baba, has passed on. He died on Saturday.

A Christian and missions leader, Reuben Ezemadu in a trending post captured succinctly the life and times of Dr. Baba.

“…. Greetings from Abidjan, where we just concluded a meeting of the Local Hosting/Planning Committee for the MANI Continental Consultation 2021 yesterday. While here (as was the case in March, exactly 7 months ago when the news of Dr. Obed’s departure was broken to me here while we were just concluding the MANI Leadership Team meeting) I received the news of Rev. Dr. Panya Baba’s departure to his eternal rest and glorious reward!

“As Africa’s foremost pioneer indigenous mission leader, my own mentor in missions, and a Church leader wholly and totally sold out to reaching the unreached, his life and dedication to the cause of missions impacted several thousands of past and current missions-minded and mission-practicing believers across our country, the continent, and the world to the extent that his youngest son, succeeded him, firstly, as a Director of the Evangelical Missionary Society (EMS) under which he himself served as one of the pioneer indigenous missionaries and eventually a Director, as well as the current President of ECWA, a position in which Dr. Panya Baba also served after retiring from the directorship of the EMS.

“Dr. Panya Baba served as the Pioneer Chairman of NEMA, pioneer Director of AEA Evangelism & Missions Commission, pioneer African member of the WEA Missions Commission, one of the founders of the Third World Missions Association (TWMA) as well as the AD 2000 & Beyond Movement, pioneer Chairman of the Nigeria Finish-The-Task Network, as well as a patron of the Movement for African National Initiatives (MANI).

“His example, foresight, forthrightness, dedication, clarity of vision, focus, etc, inspired and reinforced the drive for African Church taking its frightful place in global missions!

“Following is a message from his most senior daughter who informed us recently at a meeting that Papa had told the family that he was ready to go, and had chosen the songs to be sung at his funeral, the person to preach, and where he should be buried.

‘”Good Morning and Happy Sunday. Following the transition to glory of my father, Rev (Dr) Panya Baba in the early hours of yesterday Saturday 19th October, be kindly informed as follows: Service of Songs: Date Friday 25th October 2019, Time is 4pm, Venue: Esu Karu Palace Ground, New Karu Nasarawa State. Funeral Service on Saturday 26th October 2019, Venue: ECWA 1 New Karu, Nasarawa State, Time 10 am.

‘”Please pray along, pass on the message and the Lord be with us all in Jesus name”