Cardinal Tumi says 'thank you' to Paul Biya

Members of the Roman Catholic Church authorities, guests, and the population came out to witness the ceremony by Bishop Samuel Kleda, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Douala in order to pay tribute to Cardinal Christian Tumi celebrating 50 years of priesthood in an event punctuated by prayers and testimonials.

“On behalf of President of the Republic and under the powers vested in me, we make you a Commander of the National Order of the value.” This ritual sentence was pronounced by René Emmanuel Sadi, Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization.

After receiving the cord of Commander under the ovation from the audience, Christian Tumi did not fail to thank the Head of State through Rene Sadi. “I thank the Head of State. I also say thank you to everyone who came to pray with me,” he said

Bishop Samuel Kleda, who organised the ceremony, urged Christians to pray for the Almighty to continue to watch over the 84-year-old, first and only Cardinal in Cameroon.

Born on October 15, 1930, at Kikaikelaki- Bui Division of the Northwest Region, Christian Cardinal Tumi was ordained priest on April 17, 1966, in Soppo-Buea in the Southwest region.

“He was a lecturer and founding rector of the Senior Seminary in Bambui from 1973 to 1979. On December 6, 1979, Pope John Paul II named him Bishop of Yagoua. He was ordained Bishop on January 6, 1980, in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome by the pontiff, John Paul II. Christian Cardinal Tumi is one of the wise men of Pope John Paul II.

At Gaspard image in Asia, Africa Balthazar and Melchior in Europe, there were three priests from three continents who were ordained Bishops on the same day by John Paul II. November 19, 1982, Christian Tumi was appointed Archbishop Coadjutor of Garoua, with the right of succession.

Two years later, on March 17, 1984, he became residential Archbishop of Garoua … he was named Cardinal June 28, 1988, and on October 15, 2005, aged 75, he presented to the Holy Father his renunciation of the pastoral government of the Archdiocese of Douala, in accordance with canon 401, paragraph 1 of the code of canon law.

November 17, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Cardinal Christian Tumi from the pastoral governance of the Archdiocese of Douala. He became archbishop emeritus of Douala. On Saturday, January 9, 2010, Cardinal Christian Tumi witnessed the installation of Bishop Samuel Kleda as Metropolitan Archbishop of Douala.