By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
As final burial rites and respect were paid to the Chairman of the Zone D Tsaunin Kura GRA Residents Association (Sabo GRA), Mr. Emmanuel Tagwai, no fewer than 14 Priests were counted at the funeral service held on Saturday September 24, 2022 at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Sabo GRA.
Notable dignitaries sighted, included Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL) Kaduna State Team Leader, Dr. Abel Adejor and his colleague, Istifanus Akau.
In his remarks at the funeral service, President General of Sabo GRA, Dr. Danjuma Saleh said that Mr Tagwai’s demise is a huge loss to the community.
Represented by Barrister Ben Churchill, he said that he played an important role in the community.
“When we set up a JTF to check the emerging security threats, he stood tall in ensuring the success.
” To the family, we are always together, as a. community, we will always be there for you,” he said.
Earlier at the Wake Keep on Friday at the same venue, the Roman Catholic ArchBishop, Archdiocese of Kaduna, Most Reverend Matthew Man-oso Ndagoso led the clerics at the service.
Shortly after the funeral service, late Tagwai’s remains were committed to mother. Earth at his residence, located along Dabo Lere Road in Sabo GRA.
From the brief biography made available by his family, late Mr. Emmanuel Tagwai Sunday was born on January 11, 1970, at Zaria
Kaduna State, into the family of Mr. and Mrs. Malachi Sunday Tagwai into the family of nine (9) with six (6) male and three (3) female. He was the fourth born, from
family of Mabushi Atyap, Zango Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Education
Late Emmanuel Tagwai Sunday, obtained his first leaving certificate at ST. Andrews LEA Primary School Makera, Kaduna South and proceeded to St. Joseph Minor
Seminary Zaria, which he left and completed his secondary
school at Government Day Secondary School Sabon Tasha, in 1990.
Before his death, he was a student of Political Science at Ahmadu Bello University, by International Relations at Kaduna State University (KASU) Distance Learning.
Marriage
Late Emmanuel Tagwai Sunday, got married to Mrs. Victoria Duniya in 1989. He then blessed the Marriage on October 1, 1994 by Rev. Fr. Mark Monaghan at St.
Peter’s Parish Sabon Tasha, and God blessed them with the following children:
1. Barnabas Emmanuel (son)
2. Gerard Emmanuel (son)
3. Polycarp Emmanuel (son)
4. Teresa Emmanuel (daughter)
5. Raphael Emmanuel (son)
and he was a grandfather of
Shimfo Barnabas Emmanuel (grand-son)
Work
Late Emmanuel Tagwai Sunday, worked in UNTL, Chinese Club Barnawa, Kaduna.
He later worked with REENS Nigeria Ltd, after which he moved to St. Gerard’s Catholic Hospital in the same year on a temporary appointment.
He also worked with Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU).
He started work with Justice Development and Peace Caritas (JDPC) as a volunteer in 2007 and his appointment was regularized in August, 2009.
Until his death, he was a staff of Development and Peace Initiative JDPC in the Archdiocese of Kaduna, where he grew to be head of programmes and Assistant Coordinator.
His role and capacity in Civil Society Organization in Kaduna is unparalleled.
He played pivotal roles for peace and good governance in Kaduna.
He had served as Chairman Sabo Youths.
Christian Life And Service To God
Late Emmanuel Tagwai Sunday had infant Baptism in 1970, first Holy Communion in 1982 and the Sacrament of Confirmation in 1983 at St. Nicholas Trikania,
Kaduna.
In his spiritual and commitment in the association of Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary, late Emmanuel Tagwai Sunday enthroned and
consecrated his home to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary
on September 1, 1994 and was admitted on February 18, 1996, at St. Peter’s Parish Sąbon Tasha.
He held positions at different levels. At the provincial level, he became the vice president.
Emmanuel Tagwai Sunday as he came into the association, was elected into various positions.
He was elected as the national registrar of the national council (in absentia) under late Mrs. Mshelia from 2005 to 2009 at Benin National Conference in 2008, he was elected treasurer from 2009 to 2015.
Then he became the national assistant secretary at the Kaduna Ecclesiastical Province, he was elected and served from 2010 to 2015.
In fact, at their national convention in Jos in 2015, he played unforgettable roles in contributing to the success of that national conference.
Sunday served in various committees and sub-committees in the national council.
He also served as national publicity secretary.
Late brother Emmanuel Tagwai
at Kaduna Regia Committee Meeting was appointed as a
corresponding secretary to Concilium in Dublin in Ireland.
In 2004, he led visitor
In Legion of Mary, he served as assistant secretary, in the Presidia, Curia, who came from Ireland to Nigeria to see the growth.
Late brother Emmanuel Tagwai
Sunday was a pioneer founder of most presidia in St. Peter’s Sabon Tasha parish.
In 2004, after the Miss World Crisis, he was appointed to coordinate the rehabilitation project of Catholic Relief Service (CRS) under the leadership of Rev. Fr. Bulus Karis
who was then the Archdiocesan coordinator of Justice Peace and Development Commission (JDPC).
He was the first president and pioneer of CYON in St. Peter’s Catholic Church Sabon Tasha, Kaduna.
He served as their patron until death called.
He was a pioneer coordinator of SMA Support Group at St. Peter’s parish, where he also served as catechism teacher and marriage instructor for several years.
Late Emmanuel Tagwai Sunday will be mostly remembered as an interpreter par excellence at St. Peter’s parish for many years.
He along with others nourished St.
Peter’s Kankomi then outstation of St. Peter’s S/Tasha to growth.
He chaired several committees and sub-committee in the parish.
After the emergence of Immaculate Conception Independent Mission, he served twice as harvest and Bazaar chairman, was a Lector in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Sabo GRA.
He would be remembered for putting others first before self
and family, as a peace advocate and campaigner for good governance at all realms.
In various tributes that poured in, Coordinator of JDPC, Fr. Joshua Achir said that, “Dear Mr. Tagwai, we remember you for your brilliance, hard work and simplicity of life. You were very resourceful to the office and the Archdiocese. We sure will miss you. Continue to rest in the peace of Christ. Amen.”
For Sabon Tasha Deanery JDPC Chairman, Tobias Nyam, he said, “JDPC encyclopedia’ as one of us will fondly call you, you left too early we saw you recuperating and were hopeful you join us in this militant activities. Alas, you went ahead of us we pray as a triumphant that we should rather join you later. A part of me as a person has gone. Resource gone!”
Representative of Christian Aid Nigeria, Peter Samuel in his words, said, “Mr. Emmanuel Tagwai, you were a very humble, dependable and resourceful person that we
enjoyed and loved to have met and worked with. Your support to our work made it much easier to
reach those that worked with and for. We pray that may your soul continue to rest in peace.”
In tears, his wife, Victoria Emmanuel Tagwai Sunday said, “Oh death you took away my happiness, my hero and my husband, I will forever miss you.”
His son, Barnabas Emmanuel Tagwai Sunday in his tribute said, “Dad you went without saying goodbye to me. I will miss you so much. For the good that you offered me, I am saying thank you very much sir. Rest in peace daddy”.
There were also tributes from PERL’s Dr. Abel Adejor and Istifanus Akau, as well as thousands of mourners who thronged his residence for the interment.
