The organization of a sports tournament on 5 March at the Catholic University of Cameroon (CATUC) Bamenda bringing together Catholic secondary schools in Bamenda has raised questions about the political will of the authorities to maintain standards.
Nchumbonga George Lekelefac, who has stood out as a strong critic of the Catholic Church in Cameroon thinks that by that single act, CATUC has been reduced to the status of secondary school. He holds Archbishop Andrew Nkea accountable for this state of affairs, regretting that he had spurned advice from the late Prof. Bernard Fonlon to the Bishops of Bamenda and Buea “against initiating a venture that could devolve into a mere secondary school”. This was when the erudite scholar learnt of their plans to inaugurate a new Major Seminary for West Cameroon. Following is Nchumbonga’s write-up on the subject:
Controversy surrounds the Catholic University of Cameroon (CATUC), which is located in the Archdiocese of Bamenda. This situation has garnered attention as of Wednesday, March 5, 2025.
By Nchumbonga George Lekelefac, International Advocate for the Oppressed; Voice of the Voiceless; Defender of the Defenseless and of Fundamental Human Rights; the Rivivalist, Elucidator and Revolutionist Canon Lawyer/Jurist; Friend to the Vulnerable and a lover of no Oppressor/Tyrant. Wednesday, March 5, 2025.
Introduction
The recent developments under Archbishop Andrew Nkea have led to a concerning transformation of the Catholic University of Cameroon (CATUC), which has now been relegated to the status of a secondary school. The institution’s sports events are no longer held in competition with other universities, but rather with local secondary schools. This has raised significant questions regarding the future of the Bamenda Archdiocese. Archbishop Andrew Nkea has, with great concern, diminished the Catholic University of Cameroon (CATUC) to the status of a mere secondary school, echoing the prophetic insights of Professor Doctor Bernard Fonlon from 1973.
How?
1. In his significant correspondence to Bishop Paul Verdzekov (STL, Ph.D., D.D.), Bishop of Bamenda, and Bishop Pius Awa (STL, D.D.), Bishop of Buea, upon learning of their plans to inaugurate a new Major Seminary for West Cameroon, Professor Doctor Bernard Fonlon cautioned them, drawing from his profound understanding of the essence and significance of such a Catholic institution. He advised against initiating a venture that could devolve into a mere secondary school, reminiscent of his experiences in Yaoundé during that period.
2. Professor Doctor Bernard Nsokika Fonlon emphasized that St. Thomas Aquinas Bambui Major Seminary ought to cultivate priests who embody the dedication of religious figures such as Mahatma Gandhi of India, alongside saints and scholars well-versed in Sacred Scriptures and various ecclesiastical disciplines. He advocated for a rigorous approach to methodology and research, ensuring that the Major Seminary would uphold the esteemed identity of the Catholic Church as he once recognized it.
3. In order for the Clergy of Bambui to effectively exercise this authority, it is essential that they embody qualities of sanctity, knowledge, bravery, and discipline as church leaders. To achieve this, the seminary must function as an exemplary institution, striving for the highest standards in its objectives.
4. Professor Doctor Bernard Nsokika Fonlon cautioned Bishop Paul Verdzekov and Bishop Pius Suh Awa that if they were to diminish the standards of the St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary, Bambui to align with those of secular African institutions, particularly through a lax approach to discipline and encouragement of extravagant lifestyles, they would inadvertently contribute to the imperialist agenda aimed at perpetuating the academic subjugation of the African Church.
5. Since 1973, Cardinal Tumi has been resolute in preventing the Bambui Major Seminary from engaging in sporting events or competitions with nearby secondary schools, in order to uphold its esteemed dignity. The Major Seminary was permitted to compete only with students from the University of Yaoundé in Bambili for the Bilingual series on stage.
6. However, the current state of CATUC has diminished it to a basic secondary school, now hosting sports events with other smaller secondary institutions in the vicinity, all under the oversight of Archbishop Andrew Nkea.
7. The majority of scholars within the Ecclesiastical Province of Bamenda are alumni of the Bambui Major Seminary, and they should be well-acquainted with the prophetic vision and concept of a Catholic University articulated by our esteemed Professor Doctor Bernard Fonlon in his open letter to the bishops in 1973.
8. Is it not the case that Professor Doctor Bernard Fonlon’s vision haunts and indicts Archbishop Andrew Nkea for compromising academic standards within the Bamenda Church by prioritizing material success and superficial popularity over genuine Catholic intellectual endeavors, as envisioned by Professor Doctor Bernard Fonlon?
9. Considering the gradual decline in standards at CATUC from the perspective of the founding Deputy Vice Chancellor, might Archbishop Andrew Nkea not heed Professor Doctor Bernard Fonlon’s message, which clearly states, “Your Grace, the time has come for you to give birth, to plant and to build, to heal and to seek, to gather and to sow. Your time has come to advocate for a renewed Catholic Church and to contribute to the establishment of a peaceful nation in this troubled Cameroon, rather than succumbing to the fleeting allure of a failing genocidal regime in Yaoundé at the expense of your neglected flock”?
10. It is imperative to uphold the dignity of our Catholic Institutions for the benefit of future generations.
And believe me to be, most unpretentiously, most reverentially, most prayerfully and most dutifully yours in Christ.
