CAN national secretary, Musa Asake, is dead

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has confirmed the death of its national secretary, Musa Asake.

Mr Asake died on Friday after a brief illness.

A statement sent in by the media assistant to the CAN president, Adebayo Oladegi, confirmed this on Friday afternoon.

Mr Oladeji explained during a telephone interview with PREMIUM TIMES that Mr Asake had been sick for a while.

“The General Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rev Dr Musa Asake, 66, has passed away today, 11 May, 2018, after a brief illness. Asake was born on 15 September, 1952, Ung/Rimi Bajju- Kafanchan in Zango Kataf Local Government Council.

“His last official assignment was the press conference he addressed few days ago on the incessant killings in the country where CAN called on Christians to embark on a peaceful protest with a view to waking up the Federal Government with the security agencies to its constitutional responsibilities.

“Rev. Asake was between 1999 and May 2005, the General Secretary of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), with its headquarters in Jos, Nigeria. He was a pastor and teacher, conference speaker and counsellor, rose to the office with a wealth of family, educational, academic, pastoral, teaching, education and church administration, cross-cultural, national and international, government and political experiences.”

According to the statement, Mr Asake began his career, as an assistant pastor with the Evangelical Church of West Africa, (ECWA) church in 1976.

“He started his pastoral career as an assistant and senior pastor at the ECWA Church, Unguwar Rimi, Bajju, his hometown in Zangon Kataf Local Government of Kaduna State in 1976. In 1996, he became the pastor-in-charge of ECWA Headquarters Church in Jos on completion of his doctorate degree in philosophy, PhD at the Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas, USA with specialisation in Bible Exposition. Between 1976 and 2012, the new CAN General Secretary pastored at three different churches and lectured part-time at Jos Theological Seminary (JETS).

“He was a member of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) between 1999 and 2005. Dr Asake served as chairman and member of several Christian boards and governing councils, like the Plateau State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board where he was chairman between 2003 and 2005. He served as a member of the Board of Trustee, ECWA Bingham University and became chairman, Ministers Development Initiative (MDI), Jos, Nigeria.”

The statement said the deceased is survived by wife, children, (biological and spiritual), brothers and sisters among others.

The statement added that Mr Asake’s burial ceremony will be announced later.