Without doubt, Fr. Joe Mancha awaits the Greatest Master’s reward!
Tributes have trailed the death of an exemplary Catholic priest described by many as “a friend of the poor” in Nigeria, whose charisma was born at a time the Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Nigeria (CCRN) was just beginning. Fr. Joseph Zi Mancha, a renowned charismatic priest, who chose evangelical poverty amid a growing tendency for “healers” to be obsessed with riches, began his ministry in the then Jos Diocese, which now comprises Bauchi, Shendam, Pankshin, and parts of Kafanchan and Lafia over 40 years ago.
Referring to him as “a household name and friend of the poor,” a priest of Kafachan Diocese and Parochial Administrator, St. Elizabeth Seton Parish Sun City, Arizona, Fr. William Abba, stated that Fr. Mancha “was extremely generous and kind to the poor and needy,” adding that many “young boys and girls traced their success and breakthrough to him.”
He attracted people not for “profit but healing and counselling.”
On the impact of his ministry, Fr. Abba narrated that, “the hitherto sleepy town of Jagindi became a Mecca of some sort in 1986 (attracting people upon) the arrival of a great charismatic priest – not in search of profit but in search of healing and counselling” because the priest worked “purely for the love of God and his Church.” Extolling his gifts, the cleric who said, “he was the wonder man, a miracle worker, a nightmare of witches and wizards” assured that “he spoke in tongues with reckless abandon, (and) had this mystic around him,” stated that, “everyone feared him (because) he exuded strength and trod on snakes at no harm to him.”
Fr. Abba emphasised that “the ascetic and miracle worker was on a mission…determined to liberate those who were held captive” and also said that he mentored youths whom he “took under his care and provided for their needs. To his credit today, many of them are priests, religious and bishops.” Citing his legacies, the fide donum priest to Arizona said, “he was a pastor per excellence… (with) an extraordinary love for rural Churches and took interest in the spiritual life of his flock (who) was in hot demand by parishes and Dioceses around.”
“He bore the name parish priest while his assistants ran the show.” – Bishop Ajang
Bishop David Ajang of Lafia Diocese observed that Fr. Mancha was “a gifted priest with lots of qualities – hard work, generosity, and humility,” underlining that wherever he worked, “he bore the name parish priest while his assistants ran the show.” Bishop Ajang, who preached at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, K-Vam, Plateau State on May 18, 2023 during the priest’s 70th birthday and 40th priestly ordination said, when we were ordained, 11 years after Fr. Mancha, he was already “a household name not only in the then Jos Diocese, but throughout Northern Nigeria and indeed, across the country.” He asserted that “as young priests, he was someone we looked up to and admired greatly.”
On his part, Fr. (Dr.) Stephen Ape, Parish Priest of St. Joseph’s Du, in the Archdiocese of Jos, stated that “the memories of Fr. Mancha bring to mind the undying zeal of a man of God, fervent in service, resilient in prayer, and dedicated to the ministry.” Dr. Akpa submitted that “Fr. Mancha, lived selflessly, had no taste for wealth like contemporary ministers even when he could have acquired stupendous wealth because he began his healing ministry at a time of glare innocence and affluence” surmising that, “he gave his all and could go begging to simply give again.” On his part, a congregant, Wilber Gowal, stated: “I am deeply grateful for how you touched my life at the time our paths crossed…I may not remember any sermon you have preached but I remember the kind gestures and your simplicity.”
Gowal, who referred to him as “a remarkable priest, a father and a shepherd who took absolute care of his sheep,” urged all to honour his “value of love, compassion, and selflessness.” Eulogising the cleric, Fr. George Barded Dong, Parish Priest of St. Augustine’s Pastoral Area, said, he mentored me and “restored my sanity and compass in the priesthood … with a new lease through the sheer power of his unconditional love and compassion.” Barde who worked with the deceased for a year testified that “he uses all his money to travel for funerals and celebrations and to feed the poor.”
He “taught us that the temporality of this life is real and only fools ignore it.”
He “traversed this country and beyond in his desire to lead people to God and for some of us for reasons of filial proximity, was our ladder to the Catholic priesthood,” were the words of Very Rev. Fr. Sylvester Dagin, Parish Priest of St. Jospeh’s, Barkin Ladi. Dagin, who was preaching during a wake-keep Mass organised in honour of the deceased at Our Lady of Fatima Cathedral, Jos on Monday, February 12, told sympathisers that he served under the late Mancha as a Seminarian at Jagindi in 1990 and revealed that, “It was my first experience of explosive charismatic healings in which we dealt with abandoned charms and fleeing witches and wizards.”
He affirmed that “many have levelled Fr. Mancha as carrying extra-large generosity-tendency, which is a perception, but it is engraved in the priestly identity.” The former Rector of St. Augustine’s Major Seminary, Jos, who regretted that “it is quite sad that we live in a world today in which obnoxious accumulations are honoured and sacrifices are looked upon as imbecility and outright foolishness,” observed that his death teaches us that “outrageous accumulation is futile and the only thing that lasts is service to humanity.”
Conclusion
The former President of the Alumni Association of St. Augustine’s Major Seminary, Jos, National Chaplain of CCRN (1997-2004), National Coordinator of CCRN (2004 till death), and National Chaplain of St. Patrick Berom Catholic Association from 1985 until death, graduated from the famous St. Joseph’s College, Vom, in 1977, enrolled for priestly training and was ordained by Archbishop Gabriel Ganaka of Blessed memory on 21st May 1983 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, K/Vom. Born on 17th March 1953 to the family of Da and Ngo Mancha Mwadkon Nbyong in Dantau (Danye 11) Turu District, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, Fr. Mancha studied Human Growth and Development Counselling at the Institute of St. Anselm, Kent, London from 1992 to 1993.
Speaking about his last hours, Fr. Bernard Akhuele, his assistant at St. Peter’s Pastoral Area Gyel, said, “I am glad, I anointed him and gave him holy communion while he was 90 per cent conscious in the house before rushing him to Unique Care hospital, Jos, where he died on February 4 at about 12:55 pm – all these happened within three hours – 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.” His mortal remains were interred at the St. John Vianney Minor Seminary priest’s cemetery, Barkin Ladi, after requiem Mass. Though Fr. Dagin laments that “the great Master is gone, the available marisco is no more,” he lives forever in our hearts as a generous-nonmaterialistic priest and friend of the poor – without doubt, Fr. Joe Mancha awaits the Greatest Master’s reward!
• Justine John Dyikuk, a Catholic priest, is a Lecturer of Mass Communication at, the University of Jos-Nigeria, Senior Fellow, International Religious Freedom Policy, Religious Freedom Institute (RFI), Washington DC and PhD Candidate, University of Strathclyde Glasgow, United Kingdom.
