Bishop Stephen Dami Mamza, on Tuesday February 23rd, announced that it is with a heavy heart he received from Port Harcourt the news informing him of the death of “our brother, Fr. John Gangwari.”
Fr. Gangwari died after a brief illness reported the Registrar of the Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA), Rev Fr. Dr. Patrick O. Okuta.
“In view of this” Fr. Okuta notes “the CIWA family begins a nine-day novena for the repose of his soul.” Condolence register has since being opened in St. Theresa’s Cathedral Yola, Adamawa State.
Fr. Gangwari was born in Sugu, Ganye Local Government Area of Adamawa State on July 7, 1955 and was ordained priest on April 12 1980. He spent his entire priestly life training others for the priesthood since 1986, first in the Seminary in Makurdi where he was pioneer Rector and then St. Augustine’s Jos before moving to CIWA in 2002.
While in CIWA, Fr Gangwari was promoted to the rank of a Professor of Canon Law in 2008 and was also given the prestigious title of the Fellow of Canon Law in Nigeria by the Holy Father, Pope Francis, a distinguished award of the Fellowship of Canon Lawyers which signified that he had distinguished himself in the field of Canon Law to attain a referral point.
Burial arrangements to be announced in due course. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.
