Pascal Mwanache, TEC
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| The late Professor Charles Nyamiti |
The bishop of the Diocese of Mahenge Rt. Rev. Agapiti Ndorobo said that the family of God in East and Central Africa has lost an outstanding resource person who equipped African experts for the well being and development of people of God.
“He was a professor who loved his students and wanted to make sure that students understood the lesson he was teaching. This was based on the fact that he was fulfilling his mission as a priest in teaching, leading and sanctifying people of God. He also emphasized the concept of inculturation of the Church in Africa,” said Bishop Ndorobo in Interview with Radio Vatican Swahili.
Secretary General of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) Rev. Fr. Charles Kitima has stated that the TEC is joining with the faithful of Tabora to mourn the death of Professor Charles Nyamiti who made a significant contribution to the formation of the priests, in particular in the field of Systematic Theology.
This he said in a statement made on behalf of TEC following news of the death of Fr. Nyamiti on Tuesday, May 19 at the age of 89 at St. Anna Ipuli hospital in Tabora disclosed by Archbishop Paul Ruzoka of Tanzania’s Tabora Archdiocese.
Fr. Kitima added that Prof. will be remembered for the various gifts God gave him and used them for the benefit of the Church in Tanzania, Africa and the world at large.
“The Church recognizes his distinguished contribution in the preparation of experts in the field of theology at CUEA for almost 34 years. Fr. Nyamiti boasted about his belief in Christ from African context and will continue to live in our memories through his publications, more than 56 of them,” said Fr. Kitima.
Following his death, The Catholic Archdiocese of Tabora is committed to develop the dreams of Prof. Nyamiti of setting up a music college.
According to the coordinator of Liturgy Department in the Archdiocese Rev. Fr. Deogratius Mwageni, himself a student of Prof. Nyamiti, "the late professor was eager to establish a music college and was ready to be one of the instructors in Music Theory and Practice".
“Until his death, he had three students, seminarians, whom he was teaching music. On Monday he taught for a long time and tirelessly until he was asked to rest. Then he went to rest a bit. After the break, his condition changed and was taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with severe malaria,” explained Fr. Mwageni.
“Fr. Nyamiti once said that the songs we sing during liturgy are not African. We copy Western music and asked why should we not copy produce Church music from African traditional songs? And he urged our music professionals to go to the countryside to listen to the chants, record them and make them appropriate for liturgies but with musical standards”
Prof. Nyamiti has taught many bishops including Bishop Agapiti Ndorobo of Mahenge Catholic Diocese, Archbishop Judah Thaddeus Ruwaichi of Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam, Bishop Michael Msonganzila of Musoma Diocese and Bishop Severine NiweMugizi of Rulenge-Ngara Diocese.
He was born in 1931 to Theophilus Chambi Chambigulu and Helen Nyasolo and belonged to the Wanyamwezi tribe of Tanzania. After primary and high school education, Nyamiti joined Kipalapala Senior Seminary in Tabora, Tanzania where he acquired his philosophical and theological education. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1962.
Soon after his ordination, Nyamiti was sent to Louvain university in Belgium where he graduated with a PhD in Systematic/dogmatic theology and a certificate in Music Theory and Piano.
He was then sent to Vienna where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Music Composition, and graduated with another PhD and licentiate respectively.
He was then sent to Vienna where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Music Composition, and graduated with another PhD and licentiate respectively.
From 1976 to 1981, he was professor at Kipalapala Senior Seminary in Tanzania and a co-worker in some neighbouring parishes. In 1983, Nyamiti moved to Nairobi to found what is today CUEA.
Nyamiti is among the proud founding scholars of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) where he became full professor of Systematic Theology and became an outstanding resource person in the Anglophone bloc of African theological thinkers.
He was buried on Thursday, May 21 at Itaga Minor Seminary, Tabora.