Prophets and Courtiers: The Church, the Regime, and the People’s Verdict on Ambazonia

The prophets — Tumi, Verdzekov, Fonlon, Wirba, Yaouda, Kleda — who stood for dignity and justice.

By The Independentist editorial desk

PART I — THE PROPHETS: Tumi, Verdzekov, and the Voices of Conscience

In the long night of dictatorship in Cameroon, two Anglophone prelates stood as beacons: Cardinal Christian Tumi and Archbishop Paul Verdzekov.

Both were sons of Nso, in Bui Division — a community that, during the independence years, often leaned toward Dr. E.M.L. Endeley’s position rather than John Ngu Foncha’s. Yet, from this soil came some of the strongest voices of conscience.

Long before Tumi and Verdzekov, Professor Bernard Fonlon had already foreseen the danger. A Catholic lay priest in training who later became a cabinet minister and renowned academic, Fonlon warned that the federal experiment of 1961 was fragile. Without mutual respect, he argued, it would collapse into domination. His writings, such as The Task of Today, remain a testimony of foresight — a voice that bridged faith, politics, and scholarship.

Decades later, Joseph Wirba, Member of Parliament and also a son of Nso, followed in this prophetic line. In December 2016, he shook the National Assembly of Cameroon when he denounced Anglophone marginalization to the face of the regime. His defiant words — “When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes a duty” — echoed the moral courage of Fonlon, the spiritual prophecy of Tumi, and the moral witness of Verdzekov.

Cardinal Tumi (1930–2021) began his priestly ministry in Yagoua, later served in Garoua, and became Archbishop of Douala. His defining moment came at the Grand National Dialogue of 2019. While the regime tried to suppress any mention of independence, Tumi allowed it onto the ballot. When the votes were counted, 69% demanded full independence. That revelation shook Yaoundé. Presenting the result before Ngoh Ngoh Ferdinand and regime officials, Tumi angered the state but won the trust of the people.

Archbishop Paul Verdzekov (1931–2010), the first Archbishop of Bamenda, built institutions, promoted justice, and embodied a quiet but firm moral witness. Sadly, his prophetic spirit was not inherited by his successor, Archbishop Andrew Nkea.

Their legacy lives on in Francophone clergy who now occupy their former dioceses: Bishop Barthélemy Yaouda Hourgo of Yagoua and Archbishop Samuel Kleda of Douala. Both have spoken courageously — Yaouda against corruption and violence in the Far North, Kleda against Biya’s manipulations and government silence during the COVID-19 crisis.

PART II — THE COURTIERS: Between Compromise and Collaboration

Not all clergy chose prophecy. Some became courtiers of the regime.

Archbishop Andrew Nkea of Libielem, now Archbishop of Bamenda, undertook a secret mission to persuade his former classmate, Dr. Samuel Ikome Sako, to abandon the independence cause. The mission failed, exposing the limits of clerical diplomacy. Critics saw this as part of a broader strategy to preserve the Biya system of absolute power for the Bulu-Beti inner circle, while offering token representation to others. Later, Nkea was rewarded with a free ride to the so-called Canada “Monologue.”

Bishop Michael Bibi of Bamessing-Ndop, now in Buea, has earned a reputation for echoing the regime’s talking points. He criticized Ambazonians for resisting, while often overlooking state atrocities.

Rev. Samuel Fonki Samuel Forba, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church, shocked his flock in Bali when, after LRC soldiers massacred civilians, he blamed locals and restoration forces instead of the perpetrators. Later, his office displayed a portrait of Paul Biya, a symbol of his alignment with the state. He too enjoyed a free ride to the Canada “Monologue.”

Fonki once bragged that he would destroy his adversaries with his pen. But for some time now, he has written nothing. Perhaps he no longer dares, or perhaps he has realized there are stronger writers than he imagined. Either way, Ambazonia today has a voice — not from a corrupt pulpit, but from the people themselves.

It must be acknowledged that clergy operate under pressure — threats, surveillance, and the risk of removal. Some may genuinely believe compromise protects their institutions. Yet, whether by choice or by coercion, their actions reinforce the status quo and — willingly or not — help maintain French hegemony in Ambazonia.

PART III — THE PEOPLE’S VERDICT: Independence at the Grand National Dialogue

Amidst these contrasting roles, the decisive voice belongs to the people.

When Dr. Samuel Ikome Sako, President of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia (in exile), called for genuine international mediation, Yaoundé staged the Grand National Dialogue as a façade. Its goal was to shut down the independence debate. But inside the hall, the unexpected happened.

Cardinal Tumi’s poll revealed the truth: Ambazonians overwhelmingly wanted independence. Not federalism, not decentralization, but sovereignty. For the regime, it was a disaster. For the people, it was vindication.

CONCLUSION — PROPHECY, COURTIERS, AND DESTINY

Today, Cameroon’s Church stands divided:

The prophets — Tumi, Verdzekov, Fonlon, Wirba, Yaouda, Kleda — who stood for dignity and justice.

The courtiers — Nkea, Bibi, Fonki — who chose compromise or survival over prophecy.

And the people, whose verdict at the GND was unmistakable: 69% for independence.

History will judge. Prophets for their courage, courtiers for their compromises, and the people for their unwavering demand for freedom.

From the hills of Nso to Douala, from Donga-Mantung to Yagoua, the prophetic flame is alive. And whatever the Church’s divisions, one truth is clear: Ambazonia’s destiny is independence.

The Independentist editorial desk