Letter to the Editor
Subject: The Church, Complicity, and the Crisis in Southern Cameroons
Dear Editor,
The Catholic Church in Cameroon has long played a pivotal role in defending the oppressed. Bishop Albert Ndongmo paid with exile for speaking out against the brutalities of Ahmadou Ahidjo during the independence era, and more recently, Cardinal Christian Tumi stood as a rare voice of moral conscience, advocating dialogue and justice for the people of the Southern Cameroons.
It is against this historical backdrop that the actions of Archbishop Andrew Nkea must be judged. His alignment with the Biya regime, silence in the face of state-perpetrated atrocities, and misleading advocacy for “Special Status” betray not only the cause of justice, but also the ecclesiastical legacy he represents.
As head of the Episcopal Conference, Archbishop Nkea should be a shepherd to the oppressed, not a mouthpiece for a regime accused of genocide. Instead, his silence on the killings, displacement, and systemic persecution of Ambazonians speaks volumes. His re-election and media pronouncements, rather than inspiring trust, have only deepened public scepticism. For many, his posturing as a man of God now appears as little more than a veil for political ambition and material gain.
Let it be made clear: this is not an indictment of the Catholic Church in Cameroon, whose many leaders and faithful have stood courageously for truth and justice. Rather, it is a principled objection to the personal ambitions and political complicity of a single prelate whose actions, in our view, undermine the very values the Church is called to uphold.
George Orwell once wrote that when Church and State become indistinguishable, oppression is masked in righteousness. In today’s Cameroon, Orwell’s warning has become reality. Religious complicity has enabled repression, and the silence of leaders like Archbishop Nkea has become a tool of continued subjugation.
The people of Ambazonia deserve moral clarity and international solidarity—not betrayal from those called to serve the truth. Silence in the face of injustice is complicity.
We thank The Independentist for publishing such an informative and timely article that brings clarity to the current issues affecting our quest for sovereignty and justice.
Sincerely,
Dr Martin Mungwa, F. ASCE
Secretary of State for Communication
Government of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia (in exile)
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