Meet the First African Professor of Hausa Bible Translation

Understanding the word "Hausa"

Hausa is one of Africa's most commonly spoken languages after Arabic, French, English, Portuguese, and Swahili. It is a lingua franca and a language of trade in West Africa. It is spoken in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Eritrea, Germany, Ghana, Niger, Sudan, and Togo.

However, Professor Wambutda Daniel Nimcir, an accomplished Academia, is the First African Professor of Hausa Bible Translation. He was born in Plateau State, Nigeria.

                                                 Prof. Wambutda Daniel Nincir

Educational Journey

He attended Sudan United Mission Primary School, Kabwir, Pankshin LGA of Plateau State, Nigeria; then to Boy's Secondary School, Gindiri, where he obtained GCE Cambridge School Certificate in 1959 and was named "Man of the Year"; he obtained Diploma  in Theology in 1965 from London University; Theological College of Northern Nigeria and obtained a Higher Diploma in Theology; in 1965 and was the overall best student!; Luther Theological Seminary, USA, where he obtained Masters in Divinity, New Testament in 1967; Princeton Theological Seminary, USA, and obtained Th. M. Old Testament (Hebrew, Arabic and Syriac in 1968) and was awarded the Best student of the Old Testament Class!; University of Ife, (now Obafemi Awolowo University) and obtained Ph.D. in Social Anthropology (of Religion) in 1976. Interestingly, his research work was described by the Institution as "break-through in knowledge". He became a trained Bible Translator in Arnoldshain, Germany, in 1968 and ordained Minister of the Gospel in 1969.

He had academic interest in Islam, African Traditional Religion, Church History, Philosophy of Religion, Bible Studies Comparative Religion and Sociology Religion.

Service

His wealth of knowledge was highly relied upon and was called upon in both secular and the religious circle.  He served in sensitive capacities at the Universities of Ife, Ahmadu Bello, Ibadan, Nsukka, Jos Imo Glasgow, Bayreuth, and the African University, Mutare, Zimbabwe. He also served in various capacities which include  Chairman of Trustees, Ekkilisiyar Kristi a Sudan (EKAS), 1973-2000, Chairman, West African Association of Theological Institutions Northen Nigeria, Member, International Religious for World Peace, New York from 1980 till November 19, 2010 when he passed on; member, Nigerian National Merit Award, Deputy Chairman, American Bibliographers' Association in 2003, among several others.         

Breakthrough 

Professor Wambutda made history by becoming the first Professor of Anthropology Bible Studies in West Africa, First Professor of Hebrew Language in West Africa and the first Professor of Hausa Bible Translation in Africa.