Bishop Samuel Kleda calls for special prayers for Cameroon

Taken aback by growing insecurity in the North, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Douala has called his staff present in all the parishes of the economic metropolis, to prepare for special prayers for peace and security in Cameroon.

Barely half a decade that Boko Haram was initiated, it has quickly become a threat that shook majority of countries in the West and Central Africa including Catholic Christians.

With regard to these and ongoing threats to the Cameroonian borders, the bishops have decided to raise their voices to the skies calling on God’s intervention.

Bishop Samuel Kleda, Metropolitan Archbishop of Douala and the priests of various parishes of the Roman Catholic Church said planned activities were scheduled Saturday July 19, 2014.

The activities will be characterised by a march through the city of Douala, prayers and masses. "We want to entrust Cameroon as well as all other countries at war to hands of God. The insecurity currently prevailing at the borders of Cameroon and particularly in Nigeria puts fear within the populations.

In such situations, it is better relying on the hands of the Almighty", says the Catholic clergy.

Boko Haram is active in the northeast of Nigeria, particularly in the States of Borno, Yobe and Bauchi. The group, actively fought by armed forces in Nigerian and Cameroon, is illustrated by series of violence against the government, Christian and the Muslim population of the regions where it operates.

Advocating a radical and legalistic Islam, the ideology of the movement was inspired by the Afghanistan Taliban, rejecting modernity and introducing Sharia law in the provinces of the North of the country.

The Roman Catholic faith strongly believe that prayers are a better and more efficient way to deal with the evil actions.

Cameroon is certainly a nation of peace, however, that peace must be maintained, consolidated and preserved both internally and externally. It should be noted that the Saturday dedicated to peace has nothing to do with resolution No. 55/282 declaring September 21 of each year as an international day of peace.

The latter made Cameroon a country which, with the support of the United nations seeks and calls for peace as a method for the resolution of national and international conflicts.

An example is the peaceful resolution of conflict in the Island of Bakassi; Cameroon also does not engage in the repatriation of expatriates, although Cameroonian citizens, in different areas are regularly subjected to abusive remittances.

However, internally, the country still has plenty of efforts to establish a real peace between its various communities.