– ๐ผ ๐ก๐๐จ๐ฉ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐ฉ๐๐จ ๐ฅ๐ช๐ง๐ฅ๐ค๐ง๐ฉ๐๐๐ก๐ฎ ๐ฅ๐ช๐๐ก๐๐จ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฎ ๐ค๐ช๐ฉ๐๐ค๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ค๐๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐ค๐ง, ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ช๐๐ก ๐๐ค๐๐จ ๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ก ๐ค๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ฃ๐๐ฉ ๐ฌ๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฉ๐ค๐ง๐๐ก ๐ก๐๐ฌ๐จ
– ๐๐ง๐จ๐ฉ๐ฌ๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ค๐๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐ค๐ง, ๐๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ช๐จ ๐ผ๐จ๐๐ฃ๐, ๐ฟ๐๐จ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ง๐ค๐ซ๐๐จ
– ๐ ๐ค๐ช๐ง๐ฃ๐๐ก๐๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐๐๐ฉ๐ค๐ง ๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐ค๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐จ ๐๐ฃ๐ค๐ง๐ฉ๐๐ค๐๐ค๐ญ ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ข๐๐ง๐จ
A list of candidates for the post of moderator and synod clerk of the PCC purportedly published by the outgoing Moderator of the PCC, Rt Rev. Fonki Samuel, is contained on the following publication: “Dear Reverends Pastors, during your ordination you took vows of serving and leading God’s church and people the right way. Then what example are you people preaching and showing the Christians and the world, that there’s no God and no difference between the house of God ( the church) and the state.
The Moderator of the PCC has already brought out a list of his to be Moderator and Synod Clerk of the PCC:
MODERATOR
- Rev Miki Hans Abia
- Rev Njongai Polycarp
- Rev Numfor Goodwill SYNOD CLERK
- Rev Ayuk Solomon Eta
- Rev Mokoko Simon Elive
- Rev Ngolle David
And secret meetings have been held to talk about it by some Presbyterial Secretaries, Treasurer and some selected pastors to campaign and intimidate pastors in the field to maintain their position and to gain appointment. Anyone who talks to you about the above-mentioned person, ask him or her what she or him stands to gain by asking you to sell your ordination vow you made to God and your conscience of doing the right thing as in the Bible and the 2024 election manual.”
In the face of this, the erstwhile moderator if the PCC, Rev. Dr Festus Asana, has issued a stern caution for the outgoing moderator to guard against threats and influence Peddling. Asana writes:
“
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Samuel Fonki,
Moderator, Presbyterian Church in Cameroon,
P.O.Box 19, BUEA,
S.W. Region.
Dear Moderator,
C A U T I O N.
“Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.” ( Proverbs 10:17 ESV).
This message is not for social media. It is first for you as Moderator, then for all church officers copied, and finally for all members of the Synod of elections. I write as Moderator Emeritus who has the PCC at heart, after receiving echoes from the grassroots of the church.
At the beginning of your pastoral ministry and in the early part of your service as Moderator, you received very positive commendations but with time things changed.
When you took office as Moderator, I addressed a personal letter to you outlining twelve points which could contribute in the success of your administration. You despised the advice. After you tried to dismantle some of the things your predecessors had built, you afterwards confessed to me after running into difficulties that what an old man sees sitting down, a young man cannot see from the top of a tree. From time to time I tried to advise you on a number of issues but you have always been defensive. Sometimes you made semblance of listening but never acted because you felt that only your view was right.
Over the years I have watched the PCC stray from her Constitution and polity. People have approached me to ask if there is nothing I can do as former Moderator to reverse this trend. All along I have remained silent but the current events have reached alarming proportions and taking the church to a dangerous precipice.
For the up coming elections for the next Moderator and Synod Clerk, I have seen proposed lists circulating when the nomination process has not taken place. I have read threats from some Presbyterial Secretaries who quote you as source of information. Where is the Constitution that pastors should act in fear of you instead of respect for the church’s Constitution and the procedure for elections? It has come to my notice that some tribal meetings are being organized to endorse the unconstitutional lists.
I believe that the Spirit of God is speaking through me to caution you with no malice. In my first letter listing the twelve points, I mentioned that what is important about the office is not the pomp of induction but the manner in which you finally exit. You are about to exit. What legacy will you leave behind you? Don’t mind the clapping when you make long speeches or impose your will during meetings. PCC Christians are grumbling and the church workers are groaning but cannot talk out because of your threats.
If nobody has told you to your face, be informed that many do not respect you. They fear you. People respect the pectoral cross that was handed to you at the induction and you will soon hand it over to the next Moderator. The office of the Moderator is that of the pastor of pastors for the smooth running of the church. The so-called “winning team” is hailing you to self destruction.
It seems you have not realized that you have caused a lot of pain to the body of Christ. The way you remove people from office and appoint others single handedly leaves many answers blowing in the wind. How can the Moderator make several trips to the USA in one year, sometimes to organize elections in local congregations? I should add here that your intrusion has helped to destroy the PCC in the USA.
The church cannot be run like a family business. This spirit of hunger for money has infected many of our young pastors who have been derailed from their spiritual roles as good shepherds. All these other points are not unconnected to the current situation of unconstitutionally imposing candidates for elections into the highest offices of the church. It has been a build up of vanity and fear.
It is not too late to put back the train on its track and avert the danger that looms in the air. You alone has the will to do that by the help of God before you leave office. I am just a voice crying in the wilderness. If you have the ear to hear, stop this this disaster and respect the Constitution ouf the PCC. I have played my part by sharing this caution. I remind all voters in the upcoming elections who are planning to vote against their consciences that God’s finger is warning.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
The Very Rev. Dr. Festus A. Asana
Moderator Emeritus PCC.
18th September, 2024.
cc:
Synod Clerk
Financial Secretary
Secretary Committee of the Ministry
Secretary Constitution Committee
Moderator Representative NWR.
Presbyterial Secretaries
Presbytery Chairpersons”
In turn, veteran journalist Victor Epie Ngome has put the PCC congregation on high alert against all corrupt practices within the electoral period in the following writeup:
“
Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, wake up!
Whatever evil spell has been cast over you, now is the time to break it, if you are a Church and not a cult.
For over half a century you had been the biggest, most vibrant, best organised and proudly self-reliant indigenous Church in this country.
In the last decade, however, you have become a spineless, purposeless and unprincipled crowd, gathering, singing, clapping and dancing every Sunday and building bigger Churches in which the spirit of God manifests less and less, while mammon claims more and more allegiance.
It began the day you allowed a leader whom you elected in total transparency to turn around and destroy electoral transparency in the Church. Your Synod allowed a meek-looking outgoing leader to hand-pick his successor and impose him on you through bribery and corruption. You allowed the sacrosanct electoral tradtion you inherited from the Basel mission to be flushed down the toilet, by letting an individual use the election to settle his personal scores.
And in the last ten years,
you have seen the result of that corrupt practice manifest in the most unheard-of deeds in the history of your Church – or indeed that of anything that goes under the name of a Christian Church.
You have seen that same settlement of personal scores become the modus operandi of your Church. You have seen corruption, division, hate, factionalism and crass materialism become the hallmark of your Church.
AND NOW!!! And now, as if ten years of damage were not enough, they are at it again.
I won’t go into the sordid details of the manipulation. Just be reminded, PCC, that CPDM-style lists have NEVER been part of our electoral system and MUST NOT be tolerated. A leader who has already sent himself off with lavish hauls of cash, must not be allowed to manipulate the coming election. IGNORE THE list being circulated. Vote out anybody who is identified with the manipulation attempt. Tell off any Presbyterial Secretary who tries to push that nonsense during coming Presbytery meetings. Elect new Presbytery officials who still have the fear of God, and who cannot be bought or bullied. You need a new Synod made up men and women of integrity, people who have the guts to stand up for the right.
Pastors, this is your chance to correct your misstep and be forgiven for letting a lie compromise your ministry, or for submitting to a boss who clearly does not submit to the Spirit of God.
If you are irked by the things I say, you are free to call me names, as usual. I am immune to it. My strength is that I know, and many honest and well- meaning Presbyterians know – and even you in your heart of hearts, if you still have a conscience – know that I am not saying anything false, or out of malice towards anybody.
You must also know that I have nothing to gain or lose from the things I am writing about. I just refuse to fold my arms when I see the Church to which I belong being kicked about like children kicking a small tin can down the street. What kind of Christian are you if you see the things I see, and do nothing about it? So you expect this mess to fix itself?
I want this write-up circulated in Presbyterian forums, because when I have written to the authorities and institutions empowered to correct these abuses, they have been silent – either too compromised or scared to take their responsibilities and call wrongdoers to order.
This time, when we have an election through which we can redeem the image of our Church, it will be shameful for you to continue sitting in the fence.
My friend, shake your Christian conscience out of of slumber before we lose our Church – if we still have one.
OR ELSE, I CHALLENGE YOU TO PROVE ME WRONG.
Victor EPIE’NGOME”
