Key Points:
- Many district superintendents in the Nigeria Episcopal Area serve villages that are inaccessible by vehicle.
- The donation of 48 motorcycles aims to facilitate their travel for pastoral supervision and evangelism.
- The bishop requested that the motorcycles be used strictly for missionary purposes and announced that further distributions would follow for districts not yet equipped.
Nigeria Area Bishop Ande I. Emmanuel distributed 48 motorcycles to district superintendents from the country’s five annual conferences, with the goal of strengthening pastoral care, evangelism and missionary work.
The motorcycles are intended to alleviate transportation challenges faced by district superintendents, particularly those ministering in rural communities with rugged terrain that is often inaccessible to conventional vehicles.
Addressing the superintendents during the presentation ceremony, Emmanuel urged them to use the motorcycles solely for the mission for which they were intended, to view them not merely as a personal aid but as a missionary tool entrusted to them to reach communities, plant churches, win souls and advance the work of The United Methodist Church.
“Go forth with courage,” he told the recipients. “Conquer the lands entrusted to you for The United Methodist Church. Plant churches, win souls and make the Lord proud.”
Speaking on behalf of the superintendents of the newly formed Southwest Nigeria Conference, the Rev. Markus D. Jauro, superintendent of the Sunkani District, expressed his deep gratitude to Bishop Emmanuel for what he described as a great relief to ministers serving in challenging terrain.
“There are villages that are sometimes inaccessible by vehicle,” he said. “This motorcycle will make it easier for us to reach our people and expand the church’s ministry.”
On behalf of the superintendents of the Central Nigeria Conference, the Rev. Hassana Raymond, superintendent of the Haske District, thanked the bishop for addressing one of the practical needs of ministers in the field.
“My travel burden is now lighter, and I assure the bishop that he will see results,” she said.
From the Northern Nigeria Conference, the Rev. Antiya Ishaya described the initiative as unprecedented after more than two decades of ministry.
“I have been in church ministry for more than 20 years, and this is the first time I have seen a bishop directly address the specific needs of district superintendents,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the superintendents of the Northeast Nigeria Conference, the Rev. Monday Marwa noted that this distribution directly addressed the missionary needs of his conference.
“Many of us face travel difficulties, but we see this donation as a response to that need,” he said.
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The Rev. Eli S. Sule, dean of the cabinet of the Nigeria Episcopal Area, described the distribution as a significant response to one of the church’s central missionary needs in Nigeria.
Sule urged the recipients to demonstrate the impact of the motorcycles in their respective districts through regular progress reports. He also encouraged those who were not included in this first batch to remain committed and continue their work diligently, assuring them that further distributions would follow.
In his closing remarks, Emmanuel called on the district superintendents to seize this opportunity and take full advantage of this new mobility.
He emphasized that this distribution represents a significant investment in field ministry and illustrates the episcopal area’s commitment to removing practical barriers that hinder evangelism and mission.
Auta is the senior director of communications for the United Methodist Church’s Nigeria, Senegal and Cameroon Episcopal Area, based in Nigeria.
News media contact: Julie Dwyer at newsdesk@umnews.org. To read more United Methodist news, subscribe to the free UM News Digest.
