Category Archives: Bishop

The Bishop of Kumbo takes security measures for his faithful

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Bishop of Kumbo: Mgr George Nkuo says church services on Sunday the 7th of October 2018, elections day in Cameroun should take place only on the basis of security, otherwise Sunday Eucharist should be celebrated Saturday the 6th of October as from 3:30 pm while Sunday be used to pray especially the rosary at home with the families.

KD/A-103/2018/29
27th September 2018
To
The Clergy,
Consecrated Men and Women,
The Lay Faithful,
Diocese of Kumbo
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Sunday Obligation, 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
As the times in which we live get even tougher, insecure and uncertain, I use this chance to assure you of my spiritual closeness. In times like these, we must remain close to God, praying with the psalmist that the Lord may give us joy to balance our affliction for the years we have known misfortune (cf. Ps 90:15).
As you may well agree with me, the days ahead do not seem bright but we must face them as Christians that we are. Because of the uncertainty and insecurity, I call on all the parishes to give the Christians the opportunity, on the 27th Sunday in ordinary time, to fulfil their Sunday obligation as from Saturday evening. Sunday Masses, therefore, can be celebrated on Saturday, 06th October 2018 as from 15h30. Of course, Masses on the 07th October 2018 should equally be celebrated within the limits of the security and safety of the faithful.
The 27th Sunday in ordinary time, this year, providentially falls on the feast of Our Lady of Victory (or Our Lady of the Holy Rosary). While we remember the victory She brought at the battle of Lepanto against the Islamic invasion, let us prayerfully turn to her. Let us especially invoke her intercession and seek her maternal protection during this period of crisis in our land. If we remain attached to God, and with Mary as our companion, we will be able to sail through this difficult moment. Take time on Sunday 07th October to pray the rosary with your family.
Do keep safe. We remain united in our prayers.
Yours devotedly in Christ,

+ George Nkuo
Bishop of Kumbo

 

Bishop Andrew Nkea spends New Year with the Refugees

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Mamfe- South West Cameroon:

Thank you Lord!! From Bishop Andrew of Mamfe Diocese

I just returned to Mamfe after spending 31 December and new year’s day visiting a great part of the flock of the diocese of Mamfe who are refugees in various places in Nigeria. I stopped in Nashua and Emana to see them and bring some supplies for New Year. Some of their stories are pathetic and the conditions under which they live is appalling. They are scattered all over the place and sleeping on verandas and open space like people without a Homeland. It was a great joy for shepherd and flock to be united again and the happiness of our visit almost moved us to tears.

The same was true of the remnant of people in an almost deserted Akwaya town. New year day was full of dancing and rejoicing. We had prayed for peace during the Mass and we all walked into 2018 full of hope. Hope for a more peaceful and just society and hope that our displaced brothers and sisters return soonest to their homes and feel again like human beings and citizens of this country.

Shey Tatah

Bamenda: Positive outcome of Archbishop Kleda’s trip to SWR & NWR

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Positive Outcome of Bishop Kleda’s Tour:
Archbishop Kleda’s trip might be a positive one:
For him to have admit that the radio and Tv has been spreading lies, and that he found the truth himself is enough reason for him to have made that trip. It might help him when writing the next letter.
The question is? How come, of all the & dioceses, Kumbo Diocese was left out, What did the people of Kumbo do this time around:
The Intervention of Mgr Lafon patrick and Hon. Jua were timely and fearless.
Another opportunity for the regime to start a fresh dialogue.
This and more on this article. Read, share and comment
http://sheytatah.dk/bamenda-positive-outcome-of-archbishop-kledas-trip-to-swr-nwr/

A lot of ink has been spit on the on-going tour made by the National Episcopal Council of Cameroon (NECC) president  Archbishop Kleda Samuel of the Douala archdiocese. The trip was a follow up to the letter he signed on behalf of the bishops to convince catholic bishops and other institutions get schools to resume in those regions and call off the strike. The meeting ended today with the Archbishop visiting 4 Dioceses out of 5 with Kumbo being the only one left out. Reason for this is still unknown.

The first visit in Buea on the 2nd on May as reported by Fr Niba Herbert couldn’t start until the arrival of the Governor who came with heads of all services (police, brigade, gendarme, procurer general, Mayor, GCE board registrar, & 3 of the people who took the Bishops to court. “Over 25 man entourage and the Governor finally became MC of the meeting, (appointing who to talk, ordering the drafting & signing of a communique.” He said.

At the end of the meeting it was reported that ” The Bishop of Buea Mgr Bushu Immanuel  was resolute about maintaining the status quo until a frank dialogue with the state was initiated and that The Bishop went further to say he and others had done their best by keeping their schools open but that the solution could be sought in the hands of Southern Cameroons Parents”

The case of Kumba and Mamfe needless to belabored as the Archbishop met with the same results and resistance as the parents did not only get angry in Kumba , Mamfe Bishop Called for calm and challenged the Mayor to be the first to bring his kids to schools as the Catholics schools never were closed.

Meanwhile that of Bamenda was the peak of the tour as Archbishop Kleda came face to face with reality not only in words but in the field as he convinced himself that not only Catholic schools did not resume but the Government schools as well.

Although nothing was mentioned about the reactions from the Archbishop of Bamenda yet, the main headlines and echoes were those of MGR Patrick Lafon of Nso Origin. He is the former Secretary General of the Bishop’s Conference of Cameroon, Mgr. Patrick Lafon, and present Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Catholic University of Cameroon, CATUC, Bamenda, He vehemently vomited out that the Bishops should be honest and state clearly what they need which is Federation and that asking for Federation was not a Taboo in Cameroon.

Then came the powerful intervention from Hon Jua Paulinus; ” We know the problems but because of greed we don’t want to accept.The Francophones don’t love their children as much as we love ours.If there is no genuine dialogue I can assure u your Grace that you will not have any solution. You are not more Cameroonian than us. If you care you bring all the armies from Yaounde here to Bamenda we will not send our children to school.”

The PTA president of St Paul’s college Nkwen thrilled the crowd as well as an orator, as he hammered on the aspect of fear they experience. He quoted that since he completed primary school in the early 60s up till date, he has never seen a situation where military has to be deplored for people to study. He said this is another reason many children do not want to go to school, as such, all military people should return to the barracks. His speech lasted 2min 25secs but was rich in substance.

It was only at this point that Archbishop and his delegation saw the whole picture painted in their brains. It is reported that “they were shocked that as opposed to what is read over radio and shown on TV, even the government schools in NW and SW  still remain closed.Hammering that lies telling should not be part of the media”

The worries are…Shall the delegation continue to an unannounced trip to Kumbo? Have they had enough information that going to Kumbo might be of less importance? Did someone advise them not to come to Kumbo? What did they say about the Kumbo people? The mystery behind this “forgotten” diocese in the Bishop’s tour shall soon be unveiled.

It is hoped that the facts gathered by the NECC President shall open was to fresh dialogue and that the Regime shall know the truth and accept the situation while seeking a lasting solution.

Shey Tatah Sevidzem

 

Reactions to Bishops letter (Very Mixed feelings from West Cameroonians)

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The Bishops letter dated 29th April on the current Anglophone crisis has sparked mixed feelings as many believe they still do not understand the problem but playing the moral part on the crisis without understanding the situation. The Bishops are bent on promoting Decentralization and social Dialogue yet ignoring the release of those arrested and demilitarization of the regions yet calling for schools to resume. Many have read this letter and have the following to say:

The Bishops of Cameroon have spoken well, like the respected men of God that they are. They have provided a succinct diagnosis of the problem and rightly noted that it has evolved from a trade union issue to a political, administrative to constitutional issue. We all know that this escalation of the problem is due to the bad faith, excessive violence, murder, mayhem, and disdain of the government. The bishops offer a way out of the crisis that I think is reasonable: a dialogue that concerns the institutional form of the state, and reinforces the separation of powers between the executive, the judiciary, and the legislative. Biya needs to get that off the ground, They also want the state to “decide the destiny of the detainees according to appropriate judicial procedure.”

With all due respect to the men of God, I think they fail to understand the nature of the Biya regime. Biya is has only one way of communication and governance–rule by decree. In 35 years in power, he has not demonstrated a culture of dialogue or compromise. He engages only in monologues. The word dialogue does not exist in Biya’s vocabulary. How can the bishops expect Anglophone civilian political detainees who are charged with death penalty offenses to receive justice in a military tribunal? I fear that the bishops of Cameroon did not read the message the Holy Father, Pope Francis gave to President Biya when he visited the vatican last month. The Pope clearly told Biya to “respect human and minority rights” of Cameroonians! That is a clear reference to the atrocities perpetrated in the Northwest and Southwest regions. http://www.news.va/…/pope-francis-receives-president-of… The Bishops want dialogue between the parties. That is a good thing. There is just one small problem. Who is going to dialogue with the government when the Anglophone leaders are in jail? The Bishops need to tell Paul Biya one Latin phrase: habeas corpus! Release all the Anglophone political detainees. They have to remind him what the Pope told him, namely, that he has to respect human and minority rights in Cameroon. Left to itself, the Anglophone problem is slowly spinning out of control before our very eyes. The bishops of Cameroon mean well, but their message may be too little, too late to move Paul Biya. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Lyombe Eko Prof. at Texas Tech University but hails from Buea.

Aboh Anjah Martin questions if the Bishops have the legitimate write to call off the strike;

“Did this bishops organize any strike in Cameroon if no then why is it that they are those trying to call off the strike?”

Mark Bara laments on the letter stating that; “You must have read a certain Communique coming from the Bishops Episcopal conference signed by Bishop Samuel Kleda. They are calling for resumption of schools, end of ghost towns etc. In fact, the wordings of the Bishops sounded exactly like the CPDM government prepared text delivered to them in a holy masked because it failed the test woefully. In fact, we can grade it -5/20…I am by this short notice calling on Southern Cameroonians to reject the Bishops of Cameroon latest communique signed by Bishop Samuel Kleda. That Communique which fails to even call for the release of our people, it does not meet the aspirations of the Southern Cameroons people…The communique from Yaounde signed by Bishop Samuel Kleda is another form of tyranny and slavery. Enough.”

Ndzi Kibuh hammers that “Bishop kheda and his Episcopal council hate the TRUTH, the Bible says know the truth and the truth shall set you free”.

” It is worrisome that Bishops with all respect will involve themselves in such dirty political game masterminded by the Biya regime. God is supreme no matter what.” Marie Sengue

“Bishops who do not realize the arrest of innocent citizens, Bishops who do not demand for fair treatment of all are culprits in disguise…” Lestrong WCam

“This is worth nothing… See who is talking about decentralization here? We don pass that stage…. Finally the francophone bishops are simply doing something else. They need to understand what SC needs” Don Papi

” I expected u start by urging Biya to release those who can dialogue nonsense.if you want to use God’s name be honest and call a spade a spade” Gillian Lemma

“Total nonsense.see Bishops playing politics. at what time are they calling parents to send their children to school.to go study what? At what time?Has the school year not ended or they are talking of next year?they are threatened by the case against them?sorry they are out of topic” Enesto Akanga

” Rubbish!!! The bishop that value country stability and financial motivation as school subsidies need to be recalled by God because he has missed the line of his calling already. No single francophone support the freedom of anglophones even their clergy!!! If you are my church leader, you must act in line with Christian norms or we disown you. That we have already done for any one who still wish to enter into covenant with injustice!!!” Grace Siefrank

“Its a pity for Cameroon. Bishops are too carried away from the path of the people. What humanity do they want to protect with that crap. Shame to those Bishops”  Illoh Ikenge

” Since the crises sparked off 6 months ago, I have been to Church on many occasions and have listen to Mass Intention with captions like:
– For Peace to reign in our beloved country Cameroon
– Asking God to grant peace in Cameroon etc….
Bidding prayers or Prayers of the faithful have also taken same suit and coining. I have NOT heard any Prayer in church supplicating for retributive and equitable Justice. Does this pretext challenges Pope Pius X’s (he himself a Conservative Roman Catholic) assertion that “where there injustice there is no hope of peace because peace is the work of justice”? Cameroon’s painful troubles are embedded in the number of gross unjust and hidden agendas inflicted on Southern Cameroonians for 55 years. Let us do Justice then peace will reign!” Tangka Eric

Mbilam Samson Jumbam thinks that the letter does not reflect that written by the Bishops of Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province reiterating that; “The current Letter proves nothing but complacency of Francophone Bishops. How long have they taken to react to the Anglophone crises? The message is teleguided. After all, petrol bonds will flow”

Shey Tatah Sevidzem

Shall the Catholic University Institute of Buea (CUIB) betray or Unite?

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Shall the Catholic University Institute of Buea (CUIB) led by its president Fr Nkeze George Jingwa be the Lone Private University at the University games in Bamenda? Rumor has it that they arrived yesterday already with a 90 man delegation.

Photo credit CUIB

The message that has been circulating online with a negative connotation given to its president Rev, Father Nkeze George Jingwa shall be analysed below based on the trend of events.

“The Private University of Rev Fr George Nkeze, which in the public eye passes for an institution of the Diocese of Buea is already in Bamenda with a delegation of about 90 students to take part in the Universe Games. They arrived Bamenda a today, a day earlier than the official time of arrival for the delegations of participants.”

photo credit CES Buea

Yes, the university games are scheduled from the 22nd to the 29th of April. Arriving on the 19th of April, 3-4 days before the event entails a whole lot of things, extra cost in both accommodation and feeding, extra cost in security measures but also give them room to rehearse on the ground ahead of the games. The church teaches more on assisting the needy, of what use shall an institution spend huge amounts to provide for 90 students and maybe their guardians for 4 days when this shall weigh later on the parents and students be it on the high paid fees or lack of school facilities to make education affordable for all? Could this be some kind of misdirected charity or a ploy to extort more money from the Government and the organizers? Whoever is paying for this should think of the doctors working in deplorable conditions, poorly equipped hospitals, lack of good roads etc.

“This arrival was planned early enough by Fr Nkeze to be sure that nothing disturbs his arrival, not even the trial of the Bishops of Bamenda and Kumbo. It looks like this is the only Private University in the Southern Cameroons that is going to participate in the games.”

CUIB for credit

Yes, there is no doubt that this year’s games shall be marked by the absence of private higher institutions in the NW and SW regions due to the strike that has been going on for 6 months. Even the Equinox TV reporting yesterday confirmed to have been on the field and confirmed that schools have not been going on in these regions, as such they can not participate in the games since they are closed. For CUIB to be reported as already landed in Bamenda, can be interpreted by many as not only the lone private school but as the school that has betrayed the Anglophone cause. This is not the first time Fr Nkeze is being linked to as betraying the Anglophone struggle. In the mid January 2017, the interim consortium attacked Fr Nkeze on this same issue which led to the Executive Assistant of the Institution Lynn Nanyongo Masua sending out a disclaimer that Fr Nkeze was in the USA and had not done anything as such.

CUIB

“Fr Nkeze does this with impunity always. He does not even bother that his Bishop has been booked by government. What does Fr George Nkeze want to teach the Diocese of Buea and the Universal Catholic Church? What is he up to?”

Why should Fr Nkeze bother when he is allegedly receiving assistance and support of the Regime? It is even said that the regime assisted in the transportation and security of students when upon return decided to continue to keep the school running. Fr Nkeze in February based on the Open letter to the Interim Consortium leaders that circulated challenged them and according to the message on his Facebook page by Walters kimah and i quote.

“Canon Law regulates the powers of a Diocesan Bishop. Can. 391 (1), “It is for the diocesan bishop to govern the particular church entrusted to him with legislative, executive and judicial power according to the norm of law.”

Can. 394(1) “A bishop is to foster various forms of the apostolate in the diocese and is to take care that in the entire diocese, or in its particular districts, all the works of the apostolate are coordinated under his direction…”

The Bishop is the proprietor of schools, colleges and universities within his jurisdiction, and everything is coordinated “under his direction.” The Bishops of the Ecclesiastical province just issued a letter telling the government they did not close any schools.”

If the Bishop is what he claims to defend, then why should Fr Nkeze choose to go to Bamenda to fulfill a government call to an event and ignore that of his boss which is mobilizing stuidents to appear before the Buea High court on the 24th of April. Does it mean that he prefers to run the school with the Government and not with the Bishop and the church?

The contradiction of Fr Nkeze’s actions again come in when he in the same letter states:

“The Anglophone struggle is against the government and elites who have and enjoy political power. It is against the forces of law and order and the police who militarize and brutalize our citizens. It is for a two-state Federation. It is for the release of all Anglophones locked up in jails with no due process. It is against CRTV that propagates lies, and it is for the restoration of the internet in our zone. The reason why I supported Dr. Agbor Nkongho was because he articulated these issues in the most succinct, clear and non-violent manner. He did not attack people even when they disagreed with him. He always repeated that he did not have the monopoly of knowledge and solicited advice to strengthen the struggle. He knew all anglophones did not support the struggle, but was ready to persist in his belief. That is why I joined this struggle. I contributed as an intellectual with my vast knowledge in political science and Law. I articulated the problems and solutions, but never advocating for Biya or the Betis who do not support us to be killed or harassed. This is the struggle I know and subscribed to. ”

Are his actions based on the fact that he should not be attacked because he disagreed with the idea of no schools to address the anglophone problem or that is his own way of standing with the struggle to get those released by working with the regime that has put all on captives?

Fr Nkeze therefore needs to be watched closely if one needs to look at the Fr Nkeze of 2015 22nd June when Median post Newspaper reported that he made a comment to the Cameroonian Youth on how to be Self reliant and Job creative and the Fr Nkeze of today.

“youths need to realise that the developmental goals are a vision, and that they must be at the centre because it concerns them. He urged government not to stop seeing the youths as a thread to their position or people always ready to go on strike but as people whose needs and views need to be taken into consideration since their future depends on how the government invest on them.  Discussions at this Youth Symposium were under the theme, “Emergence before 2035, myth or reality”; wherein, participants presented pictures of a Cameroon they want and are working for. The views ranging from a self-sustainable Cameroon, a Cameroon free from the pangs of bribery and corruption, a society of peace with accountable and reliable leaders, and a host of others.”

When Bishop Bushu of Buea wrote that the Priests of that Diocese have never accepted and received him, was Fr Nkeze amongst? Or is he amongst those spearheading this rejection and thus reasons for his actions?  What really is Fr Nkeze up? People do really change.

Shey Tatah Sevidzem