LIFE AND TIMES OF LATE BISHOP PHANUEL BORKONO AGONGTARA

LIFE AND TIMES OF LATE BISHOP PHANUEL BORKONO AGONGTARA
by Rejoice Agongtara

The church service began with praise and worship songs, being Easter Sunday of 2016. The day was also a day to remember the ten years anniversary of late Bishop Phanuel Borkono Agongtara and his wife Mama Margret Auchimati Agongtara who passed on ten years and two years
respectively. The church in Dumne was filled to capacity and Bishop Musa Filibus was the presiding Bishop for the Sunday service. Bishop Dimga Jones kadabiu the host, Bishop Briska Boyi, Bishop Edward Ishaya, a Bishop Isaiah Lerum, Bishop Amos I Tentiribiu and Bishop Barthlamaus Peter were in attendance.
Our emotions as a family was on tiptoe, knowing something special was happening where loved ones joined us to celebrate ten years of a legend passage, our late father.To welcome the guest, Bishop Dimga J. Kadabiu stood and welcome the Bishops, visitors and members to this special Sunday service being
Easter, when Christians world over celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. It was also a day ear marked by Agongtara’s family to remember the late pioneer Bishop of shallholma Diocese, He traced the beginning and life time of Late Bishop Agongtara from 1937, when he was born to the family of late Bwalangra of Bwace clan of Sah, in Dumne Song Local Government Area. The coming of missionaries in 1933 to Yungur land, opened way for Phanuel Agongtara an orphan child to enrolled in school in Dumne, in 1950 by Rev. Carl Bunga’rd. He later on moved to Numan town school (NTS) in 1952, then to Pastors school in Dashen before proceeding to TCCN Bukuru in 1962 where he underwent the Theological education, after which he was ordained a Pastor, endorsed by then Yungur District as the first Yungur ordained Pastor. He got married to Mama Margret in 1958 with whom they embark on the Pastoral journey together.
He was known in the LCCN circle as a teacher and have spent most of his life time in the service of the LCCN church teaching in various educational institutions since 1960 in Hausa classes to Diploma awarding level of the church, before he was transferred to the cathedral in Jimeta as the District Pastor in 1990. In 1995, he was elected to pioneer Shall Holma Diocese as the first Bishop. Many of the Pastors in LCCN were his students. His educational pursuits were in Theological education, where he backed both his first and second degree in Theology from University of Chigago in U.S.A.
Eulogising late Bishop Agongtara, Bishop Dimga said, we remember him ten years after his demise as a father, a pastor, a teacher who have trained a lot of the LCCN pastors, Evangelist, as well as some of the
Bishop seated here for the remembrance service. He said, he has formed and molded a lot of the pastors in the LCCN. He also brought a lot of infrastructural development in the educational institutions he has served in various capacities. Bishop Dimga further highlighted the contributions Agongtara made as the pioneer Bishop of Shall Holma Diocese. He acquired the land where the Diocese headquarter is sited now, he build the Diocese secretariat to the correct designed specification and sung a borehole in the secretariat with recommendation for pure water production for commercial services by NAFDAC. Because of his passion for education, he established the first Woman to Woman Bible College for women in LCCN, as well as Fotta Bible School in the Diocese. Many districts were created an outreach to viz
and Maiduguri areas where LCCN where not in place before reached, Mission field activities commenced in these areas.
He successfully completed two terms as Bishop in Shall Holma Diocese, retired to his home in Dumne and spent a year in retirement before he fell ill and his demise on March 12th, 2007. In his sermon, Bishop Musa Fillilus said, we are celebrating Easter to remember the suffering and resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who today world over, is celebrated by Christians as the risen one. We all as Christians look forward to the coming of Jesus Christ to redeem the world. He uphold the virtues of Bishop Phanuel Bokono Agongtara and his service to the church. He conveyed the greetings of the Arch Bishop who was unavoidably absent for this occasion. He thanked and appreciates Bishop Agongtara for spending most of his life time in the service of the church and God. He admonishes that, others should pick up from where he stopped and continue to spread the gospel while we await the return of our Lord.
When the family members were invited to say why they are holding the memorial service, the eldest male son said, to us the family, today was like a funeral again, because in years passed, we lost our dad, mum as well as our two sisters, Nahande Kalang and Irene Agongtara, as such, their memories were fresh in our minds on this day. But the shock of our father’s demise then could not allow us celebrate his
life time. Now ten years after, the shock is over, therefore to us today 27th March is funeral in a way, but of a life well lived. We were all in uniform, happy and cheerful, to remind ourselves that sometimes tears are good; yes this time around the tears was a good one. Looking back we saw what Agongtara has given out to God and the LCCN, the best of his life time and we thank God for that. Two of his grandchildren Emmanuel Stephen Agongtara and Rahila Samuel Agongtara, read from Psalms 145:1-7 and Philippians 4:8-9. Then reasons for the remembrance service was enumerated as follows:-
i. To remember our dad in the tenth year of his demise.
ii. To celebrate his life and the service he rendered in the church to retirement before he was called to rest.
iii. To thank the church leadership in the Headquarters Shall Holma Dioceses for allowing the tomb of Bishop Phanuel Borkono Agongtara and
that of his wife, be laid in the church premises in LCCN I Dumne
iv. To thank the entire LCCN fellowship, who stood by us during those trying moments. A lot of people, friends, relatives and the church supported and stood with us on both occasions, we appreciate, the time resources, prayers and presence in Dumne.
v. Not only when Baba and Mama passed on, but our two sisters Nahande Kalang and Irene gongtara people were there for us.
vi. Our special appreciation to the Arch Bishop Nemuel Babba, Bishop Amos I Tentiribiu, Bishop Dimga J. Kadabiu, Rev. Dean Bulus Yaro, Staff of Shall Holma Dioceses office, church Elders of the cathedral in Gombi and the congregation, Bishop William Lautai, Late Bishop David Windibiziri, Bishop Edward Ishaya, Rev. Theman Muradu, Rev. Samuel Goro, Rev. Amson Hamma and wife, Rev. Joseph Umar Rev. Yohanna Aketomon, Rev. Kilyobas Numra, Mrs. Michael Bongi, Baba Dick Mboduom, Mrs. Egla Bitrus, Dr. at Vimbough Hospital in Denmark, Mr. & Mrs. Irving Serjesen, Dr. Edwin Habila of FMC Yola, Mr. Henry Badung of FMC Yola, Mrs. Dinah Bille of FMC Yola, Our Uncle Mr. Elson Awano, Mr. Ibrahim Kirim, Mr. Amos Sunday, Sgt. William Kefas, Baba Mauda, Mama Adeniban, Mama Tendau, Mama Beauty Kirim, Justice Adamu Hobon, Uncle Kamtoro Amabisa, and Dada etc, etc for the role they played during the last moment of our dear parents. We thank you all.
viii. We thank LCCN I Dumne for accepting that the tombs of our parents be laid in the church premises. Although we would have loved to bury them in the family compound, but the church was kind to have allowed them buried in the church premises.
viii. The most of all is to thank God for having prepared Bishop Agongtara to work in his vineyard for almost 50 years of his service years in the church. A lot of blessing was enjoined by Bishop Agongtara while in the service. He bore ten (10) of his children within the service years and the children are also blessed with their own children and numerous other blessings. We appreciate God for that.
Even though Bishop Agongtara have suffered some set back in the bid to accomplish his call to the service of God, it was basically a matter of his principles which a lot of people have testify to it, in their
various remarks of his faithfulness, strictness and frankness. We thank God, he finished well and we are remembering him today ten years after and many of his legacies. The family hopes that with his demise the church will grow stronger and do exploits in preaching the gospel as we were admonished by Christ to go into the world and preach the Gospel to the uttermost of the earth. While we all do that, as a family and to continue with the ideals of late Bishop Phanuel Borkono Agongtara, who has passion for education, we have set up Bishop Agongtara Foundation (BAF) with the aim of encouraging young people have interest in Christian education and Theology. We will particularly work within schools established by churches in the Diocese he pioneered. We have so far reached out to over ten (10) Junior/Senior secondary schools of Government Schools of Song Local Government Areas in the Diocese, we distribute Bibles to the best students in every class every year.

ON WOMAN TO WOMAN
ix. The most personate thing to remember late Bishop Agongtara with is the Woman to Woman Bible College which was so dear to his heart. Even though the commencement of the college was not actualized in his life time, we thank God, Bishop Amos I Tentiribiu and Bishop Dimga J. Kadabiu did not kill the vision of their pioneer Bishop. They ensured the school came to fore. We as a family thank God that in our lifetime, we are fortunate to witness the commencement of this school. A lot of women have graduated from the college, with the efforts of the Bishops that came after him. They have therefore captured Bishop
Agongtara’s vision and desire for women education in his Diocese, his efforts was not in vain.
HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL
Late Bishop Agongtara was truly born a teacher; he spent over thirty (30) years of his service in LCCN as a tutor/teacher, Vice Principal and Principal in various Bible Schools, Colleges and Seminary which are institutions of the church. In 1968 – 1969 at Dashen, the LCCN church initiated a programme to admit girls in the college. Then as the principal he admitted and
tutored along with other teachers and graduated a set of girls from Dashen Bible College. The graduated girls later turn to be Pastors, some nurses/ midwives, some teachers, public servants and others house wives. The experience of training women for public and church service became a passion for him especially in the church. God granted another opportunity to have his vision/desire for women education actualized. When he was elected Bishop of Shall Holma Diocese and on 16th March, 1996, in his inaugural speech after his instolatation and was given the key to the cathedral as pioneer Bishop, he made the declaration that the Diocese would established a school as one of his priority and the school will cater for the needs of women. He call it Woman to Woman Bible College. The 1968/1969 experience born his desire to have a replica of the women school of Dashen in the Dioceses of Shall Holma, which he was to pioneer. He did not only replicate but he had
the exact design of the building in Dashen also in Gombi. From 1996 –2006, he swang into action by setting up a committee to work-out the modality of how the Diocese can set up the school. He sought for assistance to build the school from friends, as well as well-wishers
from within and outside the country Nigeria. Particularly USA, Denmark, Sons/daughters of the Dioceses schooling then abroad, and women fellowship in the Dioceses. He at all times make special request for offerings from Districts each time he was on routine visitation to
churches in the Dioceses. He ensured a separate account was open for the school. He was able to complete the building to roofing level before he retired in March, 2006. The subsequent Bishops after him, Bishop Amos I. Tentiribiwu and Bishop Dimga J. Kadabiu improved on it and ensured that the vision of Baba Agongtara does not die. More so,
they were both his former students, they both desires to carry out the legacy. Today the Woman to Woman Bible College named after late Mama Margret Auchimati Agongtara has been completed and is fully put to use by the Dioceses. As a teacher in Dashen, another teacher who taught also in Dashen, Bishop Edward Ishaya of Yola Dioceses have established a secondary school for married women called “Second Chance” to cater for women who are house wives complete their education. These are visionary approach to ensure women education in the church and for the benefit of the society. We remember Bishop Agongtara today 27th March not as father to us the Agongtara’s but we remember and honour him for a vision to see that women out there who have no formal education, come and learn skills, get to know the Bible, learn good hygiene to bring up healthy children, with good behaviour and rise godly children. Today, a lot of women have graduated from the college, Bible classes are taught the women and those that have not gone through formal school read and understand the Bible, lessons for those who are unable to pass WASC/NECO are conducted to prepares such girls make up their papers and get into universities and colleges of education. What then do we have to tell God and Agongtara, it is to remember and appreciate him for his vision and legacies. To crown it all, Agongtara can best be described as “He who has done his best for his own time, lived for all time”. Let continue from where he stopped for our times.