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Northern Nigeria Union Conference Elects New Officers During 3rd Quinquennial Constituency Session

Posted on Nov. 15 2023

Northern Nigeria Union Conference Elects New Officers During 3^rd Quinquennial Constituency Session

[Photo: Newly Elected NNUC Officers L-R   Pastors Abed Chidawa - Treasurer, Istifanus Ishaya - President, and Iorkyaa Vealumun - Executive Secretary]
By Ezinwa Alozie, NNUC Communication Director
On November 8th to 12^th, 2023, the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Northern Nigeria Union Conference held her 3rd Quinquennial Constituency Session in Abuja Nigeria. to mark the successful end of NNUC 2019 to 2023 Administration led by Pastor Yohanna Harry as president as well as to elect new officers for the Union.
Chaired by the West-Central Africa Division President, Prof. Robert Osei-Bonsu, alongside the WAD Executive Secretary, Pr Selom Kwasi Sessou, and WAD Treasurer, Elder Markus Musa Dangana,  the 3^rd Quinquennial Constituency Session elected Pr Istifanus Ishaya  as President; Pr Iorkyaa Vealumun as Executive Secretary and Pr Abed Chidawa  as Treasurer.
The new officers will oversee the affairs of the church in Northern Nigeria Union Conference for the next two years thereby aligning with the WAD and GC leadership calendar.
The departmental directors elected include:
Munaji Musa - Evangelism/Sabbath School/Personal Ministries; 
Benjamin Yusuf Yemson - Chaplaincy/Public Campus Ministries/ Adventist Possibility Ministries; 
Emmanuel Gbazi Jugbo - Ministerial Association/ Family Ministries; 
Jidauna Ephraim - Global Mission/Youth Ministries;  
Laraba Okah - Women Ministries/Children Ministries;
Sunday N. Abednego – Public Affairs and Religious Liberty/ Planned Giving and Trust Service; 
Ibrahim S. Aridi - Publishing/Spirit of Prophecy;
Jael Yohana - Education; 
Gideon John – Health Ministries; 
Ezinwa Alozie - Communication;
O. Momoh - Adventist Men’s Organization;
Alex Kamalu - Strategic Planning & Development,
Emmanuel Ogbonna - Stewardship.


[Photo: WAD President, Pr Robert Osei-Bonsu leading out in the dedicatory prayers for the newly elected NNUC Officers and Directors]

The WAD President, Prof Osei-Bonsu in his dedicatory prayers commended the outgoing NNUC administration led by Pastor Yohanna Harry for their diligence and service, urging the newly elected NNUC officers and departmental directors to work for the growth and progress of the church in Northern Nigeria.
As a way of connecting to the fading high ways of Nostalgia, the leadership of Pastor Yohanna Uchopo Harry's led NNUC administration made remarkable strides in various areas of stewardship. The period from 2019 to 2023 was a journey of unwavering dedication, passion, and commitment towards fostering spiritual growth and community engagement.
For example, through evangelism, community engagement and strengthened total member involvement, Northern Nigeria Union Conference under Pastor Harry's watch experienced substantial membership growth of over 57,040 as at September 30th, 2023.
It was a quinquennium characterized by mission oriented and transformative initiatives, leaving an incredible mark of success regarding, Spiritual Revival; Church Planting and Infrastructural Development, Humanitarian Support Services; Human Capacity Building amongst others.
The dedicated efforts of the entire workforce of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Northern Nigeria from 2019 to 2023 were quite profound. As such, some of the landmark achievements recorded within the period include but not limited to the followings:

Adventist College of Nursing Sciences, Jengre:
The establishment of the Adventist College of Nursing Sciences, Jengre is indeed a dream come through for the Seventh - day Adventist church in Northern Nigeria. Given the approval by the Nursing & Midwifery Council of Nigeria to commence training at the college dated 30th October, 2023, this institution will not only provide top-quality education in nursing, it will also integrate Christian principles into the curriculum and will become a tool for mission to students, staff and the general public, preparing students to serve with excellence and compassion in the healthcare sector.

Adventist Medical Centre, Abuja:
Under the pragmatic leadership of the Union Adminstration, the church in Northern Nigeria within the period under review, equally witnessed the birth of Adventist Medical Centre, Abuja. Which is marked to commence operation January 2024.

NNUC Trustee's Incorporation:
Pastor Yohanna Harry's led administration played a pivotal role in the successful incorporation of the Northern Nigeria Union Conference (NNUC) with the Corporate Affairs Commission as a legal entity to protect all the territorial property legally. This legal milestone will in great measure enhance the organizational structure of the union, ensuring transparent governance and financial accountability, thereby strengthening the foundation of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Northern part of Nigeria.

[Photo: WAD President, Pr Osei-Bonsu performing the official handover of leadership from Pr Harry to the newly NNUC President, Pr Istifanus Ishaya]
Pastor Harry's led administration had also applied for an Adventist University in the Northern part of Nigeria with National University Commission ( NUC) and the first official interaction with the Commission are still ongoing.

AWR Listeners' Conventions in Northern Nigeria
Another historic achievement credited to Pastor Harry's led administration is the Adventist World Radio Listeners' Conventions held in Kano State and Adamawa State respectively, which led over 232 souls to baptism, the first of its kind in West-Central Africa Division.
In spite of the perennial security challenges that abound in Northern Nigeria, it is gratifying to say that the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Northern Nigeria has stood as a beacon of hope, service, and faith.
It on this premise that the newly elected NNUC President, Pr Istifanus Ishaya who served as the executive secretary of the Union in the last administration pledged to unified the entire membership of the church in Northern Nigeria for mission as well as  build on the existing foundations laid by the past administration. 
Pastor Ishaya assured that his administration will maintain and sustain the legacies of the transformative years of the past administrations in such way that they  will continue to inspire future generations, reflecting the true essence of stewardship and commitment within the Seventh-day Adventist community in Northern Nigeria and the country at large.
"There is no way we are going to abandon the already laid foundation by our past leaders. Rather we are going to maintain and sustain them as our institutional memories, he emphatically said, disclosing that evangelism and youth development among others, would be given utmost priority by his administration.
The 3rd NNUC Quinquennial Constituency Session ended with the ordination of four Pastors including the WAD Treasurer, Elder Markus Musa Dangana as Ministers of the Gospel in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

[Photo: L-R  Pr Kwame Kwanin Boakye - WAD Ministerial Association, Prof. Ademola Tayo - VC Babcock University and Prof. Chimezie Omeonu - VC Clifford University]
The Constituency Session witnessed the presence of Prof. Ademola Tayo, Vice Chancellor of Babcock University, Prof. Chimezie Omeonu, Vice Chancellor of Clifford University, and Pr Kwame Kwanin Boakye, WAD Ministerial Association among others.