Uneasy calm reigns in PCC Fako South after tense elections

An extra-ordinary assembly of the Fako South Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, PCC, has been held to reconcile warring factions within the church at a time parish pastors and congregational chairpersons seem to be at daggers drawn.

Meeting at Presbyterian Church Beach in Limbe on October 11, 2014, the Presbytery chairperson for Fako South, Elder Lilian Quan enjoined the pastors to put an end to a cold war that has been going on between the clergy and the laity.

On August 19, 2014, the Moderator sparked conflict in the Fako South Presbytery when he annulled the election of elders in P.C Tiko Town and the review of the circumstances under which two additional elders for P.C Bota Middle Farms were elected.

The Moderator created a four-man committee to ensure that his recommendations are implemented. The committee is headed by Rev. Jum Ignatius, Moderator’s Representative for the North West with Comfort Mukong, Rev. Dr. Samuel Ntoko and Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Anyambod as members.

In PC Tiko Town, only two of the elders were dropped – Calvin Nyam and Walter Faison. The re-nominations done of August 31 and the re-elections of September 7 were conducted without inputs from the Parish Pastor, Rev. Kulu Daniel.

Addressing delegates at the extra-ordinary Presbytery meeting for Fako South, the Presbyterial Secretary, Rev. Mary Ekinde Salle expressed frustrations over the problems that might have been created in an attempt to find solutions to other problems.

Her words: “…I believe the fire that was burning has been quenched but I have a worry. After the elections in PC Tiko Town that saw two dedicated elders stripped off their robes, how do we feel? What crime did these two persons commit to be given this kind of humiliation? After this, what next? The church has a constitution and a hierarchy. How did petitions reach the Synod Executive Committee without my knowledge?”

Rev. Ekinde Salle went on to decry tribalism that has taken the church hostage. She enjoined the delegates at the meeting to seek the face of God in all they do, using God’s word as their guide.

Rev. Jum Ignatius pleaded with the delegates to elect two delegates into the Presbytery Committee and also one other delegate to accompany the Presbytery Chairperson to the PCC Synod Committee.

Elder Fritz Ngomba and Sally Lyonga were voted into the Presbytery Committee, while Mbonde Martin lost his bid to proceed to the Synod Committee to Fritz Ngomba by a large margin.

Martin Mbonde, Congregational Chairman of PC Tiko Town and Vice Presbytery Chairman for Fako South is believed to have been at the genesis of the crisis that saw the ousting of fellow elders, Calvin Nyam and Walter Faison.

Nyam, according to PCC sources, would have compromised Mbonde’s bid to proceed to the Synod Committee. Interestingly, Mbonde missed the opportunity when he least expected. In fact, prior to the elections, over eight petitions had been lodged against him by aggrieved members of his congregation.

Elder Lillian Quan, Presbytery Chairperson for Fako South after the elections begged the pastors of the presbytery to forgive some overzealous congregational chairpersons.

“If my vice and I have wronged you in anyway, we apologise,” she said to the pastors, almost on bended knees.

Though Rev. Kulu Daniel of PC Tiko Town claimed that all is well, it was however evident from his comportment that the troubles are far from over.

As many more pastors and congregational chairpersons took the floor to say all was not well, Rev. Ekinde Salle said it was not time to open a case file, but rather it was time for peace to reign.