Cameroon Echoes {Echos Camerounais}

The Pope, The Party And The Pigmies

 Henry Ngalle Monono (Back article written on Pope's visit to Cameroon Last year)

 

Lo and behold the Pigmies gave the Pope the gift of a turtle. I have been thinking about the significance of this gift. I believe in signs and wonders. When the Pope landed at the Nsimalen airport on that faithful day, it took thirteen good minutes to pry the door of the airplane open; my spirit was filled with foreboding. Not just because 13 is an unlucky number but also because the door refusing to open for a guest is a bad sign. Things, however, seem to have gone swimmingly well until the Pigmies foisted a turtle upon the Holy man. A group of 15 Pigmies from the Baka ethnic group descended at the Pope's residence at the Apostolic Nunciature, they built a ceremonial hut out of leaves in the garden of the residence and the Pope came out to greet them.

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb frees Italians in Mali

In December, AQIM published a picture purportedly of Mr Cicala and his wife An Italian couple who were being held hostage in the west African country of Mali by al-Qaeda militants have been released. Sergio Cicala and his wife, Philomene Kaboure, were picked up by an army patrol, local officials said. Italy's foreign minister said they were "in the hands of Malian authorities" and were being taken to a "safe place". Mr Cicala and Mrs Kaboure - who is also a citizen of Burkina Faso - were seized in December in neighbouring Mauritania. They had been driving past the eastern town of Kobenni on 18 December - en route to Burkina Faso to see Mrs Kaboure's 12-year-old son - when they were abducted by gunmen from their four-wheel-drive vehicle.

Christians Told to Lead New Lives

 Rev. Henry Fomouso called on Christians to spread the news about the resurrection of Christ to the world. 

Christians in Cameroon joined the world to celebrate Easter Sunday yesterday. The day they believed Jesus Christ rose from the dead. The day was marked by prayers and church services in nearly all the Christian churches. At the PCC Bastos church in the Nkoleton neighbourhood, Christians thronged the church building and its premises to celebrate the resurrection of Christ in a solemn church service. In his sermon, the parish pastor of the PCC Bastos congregation, Rev. Henry Fomouso called on Christians to spread the news about the resurrection of Christ just as the disciples of Jesus Christ did when Jesus resurrected from the dead. “Christ is risen. He is risen indeed is the best news ever,” he said. 

Un samedi saint chanté

La troisième édition de « Pâque en chansons », initiative d’Odile Ngaska, a été organisée samedi à Yaoundé. 

La manifestation en était rendue à sa troisième édition. « Pâque en chansons » épisode III s’est donc déroulée samedi dernier à Yaoundé. Plus précisément au Centre culturel français François Villon, où a eu lieu un concert de musique religieuse samedi dernier. En bonne place de la manifestation, la chanteuse Odile Ngaska, initiatrice de l’événement et promotrice du centre de formation Alamba, dont des produits sont aussi montés sur la scène du Ccf. Comme les habitués de l’artiste pouvaient s’y attendre, les voix des différents chanteurs et autres choristes se sont élevées pour la louange au Très-Haut. Rien d’étonnant à la veille d’un dimanche pascal. 

Examine the motives of pastors

 Christians can hold a moral high ground against social ills without being unconditionally in bed with the secular powers that be, writes Robert Gira.

In His sermon on the mount in Mathew:5, which was a manifesto of sorts, Jesus set a high standard which Christians should always refer to. It was not a blueprint for Christians to abdicate their civic obligations. However, the Church in Uganda risks having her image tainted by deeds of the selfish leaders she actively perpetuates in power.

The hijab is for protecting women

 

The attempt to regulate the wearing of the hijab in France is disturbing. Wearing a hijab is part of worship in the Islamic faith, writes Ahmed Wetaka

Tempers are flaring around the Muslim world over the proposal to ban Muslim women from wearing hijab in France. The proposal stems from a report prepared by the committee of the national parliament. 
32 deputies of the committee allegedly studied the issue of wearing traditional Muslim clothing in public places due to numerous complaints received from native citizens of France.

Religious tension flares in Guinea as Muslims and Christians fight

Clashes between Christians and Muslims in eastern Guinea have left one person dead and two missing, police have said. Another 29 people were injured in the city of Nzerekore on Friday and Saturday, they said. Calm had been restored by Saturday evening, although sporadic gunfire was still heard in the city. Police ordered a curfew from 7:30pm to 5am after groups of Christians and Muslims had been attacking each other with stones and clubs. The fighting apparently started after a group of Muslims gathered to open up a mosque which was closed down by authorities late last month because of tensions between the religious communities.

Archbishop Emeritus Paul Verdzekov Is No More

Remains are at the mortuary of St. Elizabeth hospital Shisong as condolence book opens. 

Catholic Christians and the North West one bereaved with the sudden death of 79-year-old Archbishop Emeritus, Paul Verdzekov in the afternoon of Tuesday, January 26, 2010 in his retirement home in the neighbourhood of Ntasin, Bamenda. Mourners are filing out at the Archbishop’s house in Bamenda where a condolence book is available for tributes to the late Minister of the Church who served with humility and dedication.

Joseph Mouyoumé : Le salaire du catéchiste

Les événements de jeudi dernier sont survenus après "l'agression" de cet homme de Dieu très écouté.

Jusqu'à 21h30, lundi dernier, la famille de Joseph Mouyoumé, catéchiste et notable du village Yangben, gardait encore les yeux ouverts. Comme dans une veillée sans corps, les uns et les autres devisaient en ingurgitant du vin de palme. Mais il ne fallait surtout pas se fier à cette écume de sérénité. La colère sourde dans la famille du catéchiste et à la paroisse saint André de Yangben, depuis l'arrestation, le 15 janvier 2010, de Joseph Mouyoumé, et sa garde à vue à la brigade de gendarmerie de Bafia.