LCCN elected new archbishop
On the 24th of November, 2016 at the second siting of
the LCCN biannual general church council in Jimeta Yola the Adamawa state
capital a new archbishop was elected. The election process was started at about
1PM when the Archbishop most rev. Nemuel Abubakar Babba
introduced the electoral committee to oversee the election. The chairman of the
committee Mr. Mark Dauda announced the commencement of the election and all
pastors and delegate where verified to partake in the elections.
It started with nomination of candidates. Eleven Bishops including
the siting archbishop were nominated among the nominees the top three were
Rt. Rev. Musa Filibus who score 194 votes, Most Rev Nemuel Babba got 151 votes
and Rt. Rev Amos Bukata scored 44 votes. Election was conducted on the three by
444 pastors and 108 delegates. At the end of first round of the election Rt.
Rev. Musa Filibus got 345, Most Rev Nemuel Babba got 200 and Rt. Rev Amos
Bukata got 17 votes. In order to get the required two third majorities as
stipulated by the constitution of the LCCN there was second round of voting between
the two with the highest vote. At the end of which Rt. Rev. Dr. Musa Filibus
got 440 votes, Most Rev. Nemuel A. Babba got 108 votes.
The chairman of the electoral committee declared Rt. Rev. Musa
Filibus as the elected Archbishop. Thanking the electoral committee, pastors
and delegates Most Rev. Nemuel Babba said time for the church to move to
another level had come. He said the electoral committee was “hardworking and
dedicated and have done a wonderful job. I appreciate you for doing good
job.” About the Archbishop elect, the Archbishop said, “Bishop Musa Filibus
will take this church a greater height with your support. You supported me and
I believe you will support him. My new role is to advise him and support him to
ensure LCCN has become a greater church.” The archbishop presented the
Archbishop elect to the General Church Council.
In his acceptance speech Rt. Rev. Dr. Musa Filibus started by
thanking God for calling him to the higher calling. He thanked the Archbishop
for the leadership he has given the church and asked the GCC to ensure that he
was supported in like manner. “His Grace the Archbishop was first elected in
2001 and has served this church for 15 years. I am sure it is because you
supported him that he succeeded this much, I therefore urge you to continue to
support the church so that we can work to higher glory. I thank His Grace for
the service and stewardship he has given the church. I will not be able to do
anything without your support and prayers. I call on all the church to endevour
to work for the glory of the name of God.”
Rt. Rev. Musa Panti Filibus holds a degree in and Masters in
Theology from Theological College of Northern Nigeria and he also obtained a
PhD from the Luther Seminary in the USA. He worked at the Bronnum Lutheran
Seminary Mbamba where he was made the Provost until he took appointment as the
Africa Regional Secretary at the LWF. At the LWF, he later became the Director
at the Department of Mission and Development (DMD) until he was elected Bishop
of Mayo-belwa Diocese in 2012. Rt. Rev. Musa was consecrated and installed as
the first Bishop of Mayo-Belwa Diocese in October 2013. Later in November that
year he was elected as the Assistant to the Archbishop. Rt. Rev. Dr. Musa
Filibus will be consecrated as the third Archbishop of LCCN in February, 2017.
