BISHOP NATHANIEL YISA, A FATHER LIKE NO OTHER, A LEADER OF NO COMPARISON; A TRIBUTE
It was a great privilege for me to know and serve as a Priest under the Episcopal oversight of the Rt. Rev. Nathaniel Yisa. I had the opportunity as a Priest to serve under five wonderful Bishops in the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion).
Bishop Nathaniel stands out among these five Bishops we were privileged to serve. Many people might not have found Baba easy to work with because he was a perfectionist, very meticulous, very principled, and very firm. Many saw him to be very strict but No; Baba was not strict but wanted the best in everything.
Again Bishop Nathaniel hated wastage and carelessness – the tap must not be running when no one is fetching the water, the light bulb mustn’t be on in the afternoon, you must not spend more than three minutes on the phone when you are not the one paying the bill, you must not dish out the food you cannot finish in an occasion and you must not be late to any meeting and keep people waiting; especially as a leader.
Baba was also a disciplinarian, yet a father to all, and a great servant of God like no other. He was only a Bishop while in the church service, but as soon as he takes off his robe, he sees himself like every other person. He was always available, always reachable, always admirable, and always playful.
My closeness with Bishop Nathaniel made it very difficult for me to work with other Bishops when he (Nathanael) retired. In fact, any Clergy who worked with Bishop Nathaniel will find it extremely difficult to work with any other Bishop because of his openness and fatherly disposition to everybody. Baba would sometimes ask his Clergy whether they wanted to be transferred, and which parish or Archdeaconry they would like to go. He would also call a clergy or his wife to ask how they were feeling where they are working.
At a point he introduced what he called kitchen allowance for Clergy wives. Indeed, a leader of no comparison. In Baba's time in Minna Diocese, the term, ‘My Lord’, ‘Your Lordship’, ‘Lord Bishop’, was not very common. All we knew was ‘Daddy’. Nobody visits his house without eating or drinking something, at least groundnut and a hot cup of coffee. Baba was not just a leader but a father, a brother, an uncle, and a friend. Above all, he was a Christian, a child of God indeed, a true church leader, a detribalized Nigerian, a man of high integrity, an epitome of love and compassion, a man with a very large heart, kind-hearted, classically humble, and a friend of all.
Nobody can say it all about Daddy Nathanael, but I won't stop without mentioning that Baba was so free, close, and friendly with my first daughter, Marvellous at her infancy, that she called everybody with white hair, Bishop, because Baba would always allow her to play with His grey hair while He sang the hymn:
Marvellous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sins and guilt,
Yonder on Calvary Mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sins.
Daddy, it is needless saying that all who knew you have been missing you since your retirement, not to talk of now you have gone to be with your creator, a thing you had for a very long time desired. As you enjoy the eternal kingdom bliss, don't forget to pray for the church you so much loved and labored for. Pray also for the leadership of the church, especially the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), because things are falling apart and the centre is no longer holding, despite the efforts of our leaders.
Adieu Baba Minna! Adieu Daddy!! Adieu Man of Principle!!!
Kachifo!
Till we meet on the resurrection morning at the feet of our Lord Jesus Christ. SLEEP ON GREAT CONQUEROR
+Dan and Regina Olinya
Bishop and Wife, Eha-Amufu Diocese.