Former Zonal Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), North-East and the Rector, ECWA Theological College, Bayara, Bauchi, Rev Dr Shuaibu Byal has died at the age of 63, just few months after he lost his son.
He was said to have slumped and died on Friday evening from suspected cardiac arrest due to a long time sickness he had been battling following a fatal accident he had a few years ago which kept him bedridden for more than one year.
The Academic Dean of ECWA Theological College, Bayara, Rev Matthew Wakili Laslimbo who confirmed his departure, said that he was full of life the morning before he died adding that he was in the school till closing time.
Matthew Laslimbo who is the State Secretary of CAN said that the death came to the College community as a rude shock stressing however that when death comes, nothing can stop it.
Also, Chairman, Bauchi State CAN, Rev. Abraham Damina, described the death of Shuaibu Byal as, “shocking and a great loss not only to CAN but to the Christendom and the nation at large.”
The CAN Chairman said that, “Somebody called to tell me last night that Rev. Byal was gone. I had to call someone to verify if it was true and it confirmed to me that it was true.”
“He told me that he returned from Toro (town, Toro LGA of Bauchi State) and then he slumped and that was all. It was really shocking news to all of us. It is unfortunate that we lost that elder statesman,” he said.
Abraham Damina described the deceased, a one-time Executive Chairman, Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Bauchi State, as someone who was humble and gentle.
He said: “I knew him even before he became the North-East CAN Chairman. He was a very humble man, he was outspoken, and he was a very nice man. I knew him one-on-one.
The CAN Chairman added that “In fact, we (CAN) have tried to have a meeting with him before this happened. We were together about three weeks ago and we had a great time together. He was really a very nice man.”
“Certainly, CAN will really miss him, the Church will miss him, the School where he was the head, the Theological Institute, will miss him, his children, even Bauchi State and beyond will miss him because he was a well-known person”, he concluded.
He will be buried on Monday.