"Violence Has To Stop For Dialogue To Continue"-APOSTOLIC NUNCIO TO CAMEROON, EQUATORIAL GUINEA.

By Raymond Dingana

The Apostolic Nuncio to Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea has underscored the need for violence to stop so that dialogue can continue for the prevailing socio political crisis in the two English speaking regions of the country to come an end.

H.E Julio Murat was speaking during the solemn induction of Arch Bishop Andrew Fuanya Nkea as the third Chief Shepherd of the Metropolitan See.

During Mass at the St. Joseph's Metropolitan Cathedral, Saturday February 23, 2020, Julio Murat said, violence has to stop for dialogue to continue. "Nothing is lost with peace; all may be lost with war. Everything can be sort through dialogue and for this dialogue to continue, it is necessary that violence stop".

H.E Julio Murat also called on Christians to pray for the country for peace to rein and also pray and ask God for the gift of mutual forgiveness.

On his part, Arch Bishop Andrew Fuanya Nkea invited Christians to pray for the Arch diocese of Bamenda that violence killings, hostilities and hatred to stop so that, the people can know Real, True and Lasting Peace, that Christ may reign supreme over the Ecclesiastical Province of Bamenda, a call that was welcomed with a thunderous AMEN. He furthered that

“I come to you as a shepherd, not as a politician, I come to you as a priest, not as a business man, I come to you as father, not as a police man, I come to you as a messenger of peace, not as a war monger, in come to you as a crusader of justice, not as a supporter of unjust systems. I come to you in spirit and in truth, not in flesh and in lies, I come to you in the name of Jesus Christ, like I said in Mamfe when I was ordained bishop, I now say to you that I have three principal duties in the Arch dioceses Bamenda. My first principal duty is to preach the Gospel, the second is to preach the gospel and the third is to preach the gospel”.

Welcoming Christians and all those who answered present, Bishop George Nkwo of Kumbo said, the church cannot love God without loving the people he created and entrusted in their care. He also said the Catholic Church is a church that will never remain silent when human life is threatened.

“We cannot remain mute when gun violence continues to cast its deadly shadow over our villages and towns. How can the church keep silence in the face of such tragic and deadly massacres like the one of innocent children, pregnant women and armless civilians such as the one at Ngar-Buh in the Diocese of Kumbo? How can we in the face of such compelling testimonies of evidence make us belief that, such senseless killings are a lie? We cannot look the other way when our people are molested, killed, rendered homeless, abducted for ransom saying the church will never forget the victims”. Bishop George Kuo said.

Arch Bishop Emeritus, Cornelius Fontem Esua on his part thanked those he called other leaders of Christian churches and religious communities for the fraternal relationship they have enjoyed through ecumenical dialogue. He furthered that together with them especially in the prevailing socio political crisis, they have been able to bear witness to the fact that, they can be no genuine peace without the fear of God, no genuine peace without the truth, no genuine peace without social justice and genuine dialogue. He also said, the Christians taught him how to be a good Bishop and that now that he is retiring from the office of Residential Bishop, they will continue to teach him how to be a better Christian because they have been the greatest gift to him.

The head of state, President Paul Biya was represented at the event by territorial administration, Atanga Nji Paul who led a delegation of NW administration. Bishops from in and out of Cameroon answered present including religious leaders from different denomination, Muslim leaders, traditional authorities among others. The event also saw the handing over of gifts to the new Bishop by his friends and friends of the church including a brand new Land Cruiser, VXR worth about one million FCFA.