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Dear Johnson family and brothers and sisters in Christ,
It is with great sadness that we received the news of the sudden passing of The Most Rev. Dr S. Tilewa Johnson, Primate and Archbishop of the Church of the Province of West Africa. I write to express my sincere condolences as well as those of the World Council of Churches. The Archbishop was respected and beloved among you, the Church of the Province of West Africa, but also within the ecumenical movement, through his leadership in the Christian Council of The Gambia, the Anglican Communion and the World Council of Churches.
Within the context of the WCC, the Archbishop was a member of the WCC Alternative Globalization Addressing Peoples and Earth (AGAPE) reference group, representing the All Africa Conference of Churches. He possessed a strong commitment to the vision of fellowship and common witness and service. His ecumenical leadership internationally and nationally was inspirational and has been a blessing beyond your church. He was a highly motivated and effective church leader. I came to know him in 2013 at the assemblies of both the All Africa Conference of Churches and the WCC. The Archbishop was elected to the new central committee of the WCC at the assembly in Busan, Republic of Korea. This is a great loss to the churches. Our prayers are with you, his church and his family.
I extend my sympathy most especially to Mrs Johnson and the entire family who mourn, and pray for peace and comfort at this difficult time.
Your brothers and sisters in Christ join you in thanking God for the life and witness of The Most Rev. Dr S. Tilewa Johnson and his contribution to church and society.
Yours in our common Lord,
Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit
WCC general secretary
