32 newly ordained priests called to serve and not to rule.
By Emmanuel Okeke, Commentary Expanded
When Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, Secretary of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization, stood before 32 newly ordained priests in Nigeria, his words reverberated far beyond the walls of Good Shepherd Major Seminary in Kaduna. They carried a timeless weight, a moral charge, and an ecclesial mirror. For the Cameroonian prelates Archbishop Andrew Nkea and Bishop Michael Bibi, the message is not only relevant—it is urgent.
“You are called to serve, not to rule”
At the heart of Archbishop Nwachukwu’s homily was a clear rebuke to the creeping culture of clericalism—where the priesthood is misconstrued as a throne rather than a towel of service. His emphasis on communion with the bishop, humility, and service was a necessary corrective to the increasing personalization of ministry in many parts of Africa, including the dioceses of Bamenda and Buea.
Both Archbishop Nkea and Bishop Bibi have come under scrutiny—internally and externally—for leadership styles perceived as hierarchical, exclusive, and sometimes tribal in tone. From the uncanonical dismissals of clergy and the sidelining of lay voices, to public controversies surrounding pastoral appointments and adoration movements, there is a pattern that mirrors the very “aberrations” Archbishop Nwachukwu warns against.
“No ministry outside the unity of the Church”
This line should serve as a personal audit for Bishop Bibi, whose handling of the St. Martin de Porres situation in Kumba and the marginalization of dissenting priests has drawn sharp criticism from clergy and laity alike. Unity with the Church is not uniformity—but it demands humility, dialogue, and the ability to shepherd with listening hearts, not punitive hands.
Archbishop Nkea, too, must heed this call. As President of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (NECC), his position should not be one of canonical dominance but of fostering collegiality, especially in an era when the credibility of the Church is under strain due to its proximity to political power and its silence on the suffering of the Anglophone people. To rule is not to serve; to align too comfortably with the powers that be is to forget the suffering Christ.
“Be sons of the Church, not sons of the soil”
Perhaps the most cutting line from Archbishop Nwachukwu’s homily was this denunciation of tribalism and ethnocentrism. In Cameroon’s fractured socio-political climate, where identity politics even infiltrate the Church’s pulpit, the temptation to elevate ethnic loyalty over Catholic universality is real.
The Church in Cameroon must reflect the unity it preaches—across tribes, political lines, and social classes. A priest who becomes a “son of the soil” risks losing his prophetic edge. When bishops reward loyalty to kin over competence or punish voices that critique injustice, they betray the universality of their mission. This is not only a spiritual failure—it is a scandal.
A wake-up call wrapped in Roman cassocks
For Archbishop Nkea and Bishop Bibi, their recent pilgrimage to Rome must be more than protocol. It must become a pilgrimage of conscience. The message delivered in Kaduna was not meant only for Nigerian priests; it was a universal message rooted in Vatican wisdom and Gospel truth.
The priesthood is not a political office. It is not an ethnic chair. It is a sacrificial calling modeled after Christ, the High Priest who washed the feet of his disciples.
Let this be a turning point.
May our bishops return from Rome not just with photos, titles, and souvenirs, but with softened hearts, open ears, and shepherds’ hands. May they rediscover the joy of service, the humility of communion, and the boldness of truth.
As Archbishop Nwachukwu invoked: “May Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary, obtain for you the grace to live out your call: Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”
Amen.
Editor’s Note:
This editorial is part of The Independentist’s ongoing reflections on spiritual integrity, governance, and prophetic leadership within the Church and society.
