This is not the moment for fancy robes or church politics. This is the moment for truth and compassion. Jesus always stood with: the weak, the broken, the oppressed, the people who had no voice, The Church must do the same today.
By Prof Louis Mbua The Independentist contributor
This message is not an attack. It is a call — a loud call — to the Church in Southern Cameroons. I speak as someone raised in the Christian faith, someone who respects the Church, and someone who cares deeply about its role in our society.
In times of injustice, keeping quiet is not being neutral. It becomes taking sides with the oppressor. When peaceful Southern Cameroonians were met with bullets, when villages were burned, when children and parents suffered, many church leaders remained silent. The Baptist and Presbyterian churches, especially, avoided speaking clearly against what was happening. That silence has been painful to many believers.
We must remember one great voice: the late Cardinal Christian Tumi. He stood up for the truth. He spoke boldly about the suffering of our people. He helped show the world that Southern Cameroonians want the right to choose their future. May God honor his courage.
I also listened to Archbishop Andrew Nkea of Bamenda and read his recent message. He has a strong voice. But some of his words sound more like a reaction to criticism than a message of peace. At this time of fear and pain, the Church must not pour more fuel on the fire. A shepherd’s duty is to bring healing and hope.
This is not the moment for fancy robes or church politics. This is the moment for truth and compassion. Jesus always stood with: the weak, the broken, the oppressed, the people who had no voice, The Church must do the same today.
If the Church refuses to speak up, God will raise other voices — even from unexpected places. But it will be a sad day if pastors watch their people suffer and say nothing. The mission of the Church has always been clear: Stand with the truth. Stand with the people. Stand with justice.
A Call for Peace and Mediation
Our land has suffered too much. Our people deserve to live in safety and dignity. We need a path that brings life, not more death. That path must include: honest dialogue, respect for human rights, internationally supervised mediation. The United Nations, the African Union, and trusted international partners can help guide a peaceful solution — one that honours the will and the lives of the people.
Let the Church become a bridge: a bridge to peace, a bridge to truth, and a bridge to justice. May God give our Church leaders courage. May He heal our land. May peace, rooted in justice, finally take its place in Southern Cameroons.
Prof Louis Mbua
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