BY TALLA AGHAA CHRISTOPHER
Catholic Christians in the Kumba diocese have been called upon to pray and fast for their bishops who are standing trial after being dragged to court by the ‘Consortium of Parents’. They were equally called upon to throng the courts in a show of solidarity for their leaders.
The Bishop of Kumba Diocese His Lordship Agapitus Nfon Ignatius told christians that only prayers and not war will solve the current crisis currently rocking the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon.
The man of God made the statement as chief celebrant during the celebration of the Feast Day of the Kumba Diocese cum the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on Friday 23rd June 2017 at the Secret Heart Cathedral.
His Lordship Agapitus Nfon was reacting to an announcement made by the Chairman of the Parish Pa Mesue that the Bishop has equally been dragged to the Kumba Court of First Instance via a direct summon on a seven count charge by the Consortium of Parents whose hearing is expected to take place on 25th July 2017.
Pa Mesue made it clear that the case has been filed by Barrister Achu Julius, lead counsel for the ‘Consortium of Parents’. The parish chairman while urging the Christians to intensify prayers for their Bishop, called on the Christians to storm the court on that day in their numbers to be living witness of the trial to be presided over by Justice Hannah Itoe epouse Egbe, President of the Kumba Court of First Instance. With this pronouncement made by the Parish Chairman, the Church burst into commotion.
Enter the Bishop
It was at this juncture that Bishop Agapitus disclosed that, “I didn’t want to make a statement on this issue but am forced to open up now”. The Bishop opined that only prayers, not war will help handle the crisis rocking the Anglophone Regions. The Bishop disclosed that with the prayers and fasting engaged by Christians of the Bamenda, Buea, Kumbo, Mamfe and Kumba Dioceses since Catholic leaders were dragged to court by the consortium of Parents, the case has witnessed various twists.
It should be recalled that the case had suffered several adjournments either in Bamenda or Buea. Today due to the prayers, the Bishop hinted, the complainants and their counsel are confused reason why while the Bishops of Buea, Mamfe and Kumba are expected to be in court on July 26, 2017, in Buea, the Consortium of Parents and their Counsel have decided to file a direct summons against him in the Kumba Court of First Instance. The Bishop faced with this recent development, called on the Christians to intensify their prayers and fasting.
Talking to THE SUN, the Chair Person of the Parish Pastoral Team and Chair person of the Justice and Peace Commission for the Kumba Cathedral Parish, Barrister Beze Beje disclosed that it is rather unfortunate that the Bishop will stand trial in Kumba. He however maintained that the Christians will storm the court on that day as a show of solidarity to their Shepherd
Bishop on contact tour
Meanwhile, the Bishop of the Kumba Diocese is currently on a pastoral tour of the Diocese. The first lap rounded up on Saturday 16, June 2017 with a holy mass at St John Parish Kumba Town. At every stop the Bishop appreciated the people’s local beliefs, cultures and traditions but used them as possible ingredients to serve God. It should be recalled that Bishop Agapitus just clocked one year in office as the Pioneer Bishop of the newly created Kumba Diocese with a jurisdiction spreading across the Divisions of Meme, Kupe-Muanenguba, and Ndian.