Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Daniel D
Published on 2024-03-16 19:26:39
In addition to his influence over political parties in the country, Paul Atanga Nji, Minister of Territorial Administration, has once again caused a stir for his involvement in determining the leadership of the True Church of God in Cameroon.
On Saturday, March 16, an incident occurred in which Christians were subjected to severe beatings and detentions due to Atanga Nji’s interference in the church’s leadership. They had attended a church service where Atanga Nji’s pastor was preparing to establish his leadership team. Reports indicated that a group of individuals gathered at Ngousso to express their grievances.
Images shared with MMI showed Christians with visible facial injuries, allegedly inflicted by law enforcement and German authorities present in the church. Individuals trying to document the events were subjected to brutal physical assault, resulting in the destruction of their mobile devices.
A church member speaking to MMI mentioned, “As I am talking to you, the army is beating Christians, and if they see me writing to you, I don’t know what they will do to me.” The member raised concerns about Atanga Nji’s involvement in a decision that was not within his purview, questioning why the Minister of Territorial Administration was determining the leadership of a church.
The crisis in the True Church of God of Cameroon stemmed from the passing of Rev. Apostle Toukea Nestor in 2020, the church’s visionary founder. Before his death, Nestor had outlined a process for choosing the church’s future leader. In February 2021, an extraordinary general assembly saw Pastor Landry Tchana Tchamy emerge as the sole candidate meeting the required criteria to lead the church.
However, Pastor Abate Francois, who did not meet any criteria, attempted to assert his position as the church’s leader, causing a division within the VEDC. Pastor Francois faced opposition from members of the Christian community who accused him of unlawful actions disrupting the church.
The situation escalated when the Divisional Officer of Ayos banned a planned general assembly by Abate Francios in June 2023 due to tensions and confusion within the church. Nonetheless, Minister Paul Atanga Nji later issued a communique recognizing Abate’s actions, leading to further tensions within the church and legal proceedings against Pastor Landry Tchana.
The division within the church intensified, with Pastor Abate relocating to Ngousso and threatening Pastor Landry Tchana. On March 16, authorities associated with Abate arrived at the church, mistreating Christians, resulting in several injuries and the detention of 30 individuals. Videos analyzed by MMI showed distress among the Christians who were subjected to physical abuse.
Pastor Abate expressed his commitment to supporting the current church leader, who hails from the Bamileke community. He mentioned leveraging his connections and influence, emphasizing the support he receives from a minister in his village, leading to further tensions and power struggles within the True Church of God in Cameroon.
Read the original article(French) on Mimi Mefo Info
