Ezra Baya Lawiri
Encyclopedia
Canon Ezra Baya Lawiri was a Sudan
ese teacher, Episcopalian
priest
and scholar, responsible for translating The Bible into the Moru
language. He is commemorated by a statue in niche 174
on the Great West Front of Salisbury Cathedral
.
and attended school there from 1927. He then went to Lui Elementary Vernacular School (CMS) in 1930 for two years. He was appointed sub-grade teacher at the age of 15 and later attended a training course for teachers in 1937.
Baya Lawiri committed himself to Christianity in 1934 and was baptised Ezra. In 1936 while working at Kedi’ba Village School he met his wife Hanna and they were married the same year. They later produced six children – two boys and four girls. In 1937 Ezra was transferred to Mideh sub-grade school as headmaster where he worked until 1944.
In 1945 he attended an evangelism course at Yei Divinity School. In 1948 he began theological studies at Bishop Gwynne College in Mundri graduating in 1949. He was ordained as a deacon in the same year and then ordained as a priest in 1950. He was appointed pastor in the parish of Mundri for 4 years. He then transferred to Lui parish as pastor-in-charge. In 1959 Ezra went to the London School of Divinity where he graduated with a diploma in theology. From there he went to Bishop Gwynne College as vice-principal. He became the college’s first indigenous principal in 1963, holding the post until 1965.
, Uganda
.
The Anya Nya War resumed in 1988 and all staff from Bishop Gwynne College were relocated to Juba. However, Lawiri chose to stay in Mundri. In March 1991 the government army retreated from Mundri towards Juba taking 2000 civilians including Ezra Lawiri and his family. The SPLA eventually caught up with the fleeing army and followers and a battle ensued.
. The rest of his family survived and continued to Juba.
. It was carved by sculptor Jason Battle.
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
ese teacher, Episcopalian
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
and scholar, responsible for translating The Bible into the Moru
Moru
Moru is an ethnic group of South Sudan. Most of them live in Equatoria. They speak Moru, a Central Sudanic language. Many members of this ethnicity are Christians, most being members of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan . The Pioneer missionary in the area was Dr Kenneth Grant Fraser of the Church...
language. He is commemorated by a statue in niche 174
Table of the Statuary of the West Front of Salisbury Cathedral
This article tabulates the statues to be found on the Great West Front of Salisbury Cathedral, in Salisbury, England. It names all the statues and their dates of installation, sculptors where known and the attributes and identifying features of the statues...
on the Great West Front of Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Cathedral, formally known as the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an Anglican cathedral in Salisbury, England, considered one of the leading examples of Early English architecture....
.
Early life
He was born in Lanyi, in SudanSudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
and attended school there from 1927. He then went to Lui Elementary Vernacular School (CMS) in 1930 for two years. He was appointed sub-grade teacher at the age of 15 and later attended a training course for teachers in 1937.
Baya Lawiri committed himself to Christianity in 1934 and was baptised Ezra. In 1936 while working at Kedi’ba Village School he met his wife Hanna and they were married the same year. They later produced six children – two boys and four girls. In 1937 Ezra was transferred to Mideh sub-grade school as headmaster where he worked until 1944.
In 1945 he attended an evangelism course at Yei Divinity School. In 1948 he began theological studies at Bishop Gwynne College in Mundri graduating in 1949. He was ordained as a deacon in the same year and then ordained as a priest in 1950. He was appointed pastor in the parish of Mundri for 4 years. He then transferred to Lui parish as pastor-in-charge. In 1959 Ezra went to the London School of Divinity where he graduated with a diploma in theology. From there he went to Bishop Gwynne College as vice-principal. He became the college’s first indigenous principal in 1963, holding the post until 1965.
Exile in Uganda
In 1965 the Anya Nya War in Sudan intensified and reached Mundri causing Ezra and students from the college to flee into exile in Uganda. He continued teaching in accommodation provided by The Church of Uganda until the students graduated in 1967. At about this time he started translating The Bible into the Moru language while working in the Nabu Mali Secondary School in MbaleMbale
Mbale is a city in Eastern Uganda. It is the main municiplal, administrative and commercial center of Mbale District and the surrounding sub-region. The district is named after the town.-Location:...
, Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
.
Return to Sudan
Ezra continued with this work until the war ended in 1972 and he returned to Sudan in 1973. He also updated the Moru Prayer and Hymn Book.The Anya Nya War resumed in 1988 and all staff from Bishop Gwynne College were relocated to Juba. However, Lawiri chose to stay in Mundri. In March 1991 the government army retreated from Mundri towards Juba taking 2000 civilians including Ezra Lawiri and his family. The SPLA eventually caught up with the fleeing army and followers and a battle ensued.
Death
On Good Friday, March 29, 1991, Lawiri was fatally wounded by an artillery shell; his daughter Cecilia Baya was also killed. He was buried the next day in RokonRokon
Rokon is a city in southern South Sudan, lying in the state of Central Equatoria, a part of the region of Equatoria. Ezra Baya Lawiri, priest and scholar, was buried here following his death in 1991....
. The rest of his family survived and continued to Juba.
Commemoration
In July, 2008 a statue of Lawiri was installed in niche 174 on the Great West Front of Salisbury CathedralTable of the Statuary of the West Front of Salisbury Cathedral
This article tabulates the statues to be found on the Great West Front of Salisbury Cathedral, in Salisbury, England. It names all the statues and their dates of installation, sculptors where known and the attributes and identifying features of the statues...
. It was carved by sculptor Jason Battle.
External links
- http://www.sudan.anglican.org/
- http://www.salisburycathedral.org.uk/