Personality of The Week: His Grace Samuel Kleda; Archbishop of Douala.

His Grace Samuel Kleda

The authority and relevance of the Church in every society goes beyond evangelisation. It also capsules giving direction and sounding alarm when the things are going out of course. 

Many have failed to understand that the Church is a unique entity with a calling above every other office to make things right, even when foundations appear shaky.



In this light, persons who have tasted the glory of God and have encountered Him are expected to shine the light and uphold truth in building society, irrespective of whose ox is gored. Albeit this exclusive mandate, many often lack the gumption to tell especially people in power the truth.

The result is that society is becoming more confused while governments are missing out on service to the people. Yet, some Men of God have stood the test of time, always seeking and speaking out the mind of God at every given time on burning issues.

In Cameroon, most of what is getting the attention of many in recent times borders on the country’s political future and its ramifications on the cost of living, unemployment and other societal concerns.

Evidently, last week, our readers, in their vast majority, reasoned along that line in their choice of Personality of The Week.

This season again, the reading from across the world from millions of those who read The Guardian Post, the nation’s most regularly published newspaper, have identified the outing of the Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Douala, His Grace Samuel Kleda, relating to the upcoming presidential poll, rising corruption, indecency among other vices as being most impactful.

They say, they are particularly charmed and happy with his call for urgent electoral reforms, especially with the Electoral Code, to avoid tensions within the polity as citizens prepare to vote a new president next year. 

His daring call for unproductive persons in leadership to quit, others queuing along the same line are saying, make His Grace Samuel Kleda the most outstanding character of this week. On this score, he has been overwhelmingly granted the honour of Cameroon’s personality of this week. 

Admirers say he has separated himself from the silent majority in positions of influence, who have become a disservice to society. They said and rightly so, that he is a Servant of God who has overcome the fear of being tagged partisan, discovering his prophetic edge in the process. He is a man labouring in spirit and in truth to adjust society to the dictates of God, for common good to prevail.

His Grace Kleda is also being saluted for distancing himself from the fraternity of greedy and unresponsive individuals in the corridors of power, to uphold truth.

Our readers say he has denied himself the gains that would have come with being popular with those in power, to play his role as a voice of reason to the nation.

He is a man filled with God’s authority, reasoned persuasion and pure love, pushing to see things work well in the nation’s governance architecture. 

Kleda, others say, has demonstrated that he carries celestial energy, power and strength, to stand in the gap for millions of others who feel there is need for adjustments of several things within the nation but can’t speak. Others say and expressly so, that he is a Church leader ablaze for God and humanity.

Your Personality of The Week is pictured by many as having an open heart to respect and appreciate the benefits of democracy without aligning with any particular party. 

Today, he has been projected for honour as one of the leading sane voices with a genuine heart, seeking for a new Cameroon, where everyone would feel involved in the running of affairs.

Criticism of some national issues from people such as His Grace Kleda, analysts say, must not be viewed as opposition but a new path to national transformation. 

Your Personality of The Week is a man with grace-filled possibilities seeking a democracy that will birth leaders in every public office that can earn the right to make changes.

The distinguished Man of God, for others, is a rare community steward, seeking for general progress to reduce human suffering and improve the lot of millions of citizens. 

Others are hailing him as the man conveying a reality check message to government on where the country’s democracy is and where it ought to be. Many have labelled him the interpreter of the dreams of Cameroonians of this generation, addressing issues without sugarcoating them.

Kleda’s outing this season has catapulted him to the firmament of honour, for being God’s man seeking newness and a breathe of humanity in Cameroon’s democracy. He has been rated the man providing the best guidance to those in authority, given his unwavering attachment to truth.

He is a man pushing forward to a higher ground with the backing of God to help build a harmonious society. Archbishop Samuel Kleda, for others, is a distinct priest so concerned about equality, justice and freedom for all, which can’t thrive in the absence of democracy.

Your Personality of The Week is also being rated this season by admirers as the man challenging what is challenging the rights of Cameroonians to democracy and their humanity. His Grace Kleda is an ambassador of conscience with a deep prophetic eye that sees beyond the normal optic of things.

He comes to the podium of honour this season with the personification of truth and justice, given his selfless approach to heated national issues.  Kleda, they add, is a man in whose time and presence, they strong cannot exploit the weak and the majority can’t marginalise the minority.

As a celebrated Man of God, he earns the fame of the most impactful character this season, for not just defining the Cameroonian reality in all aspects, inspiring hope and giving himself to service but for all calling everyone to adjust. 

For millions of our readers, His Grace Samuel Kleda meets the benchmark of a good Archbishop, because he loves his tasks than his title.

As he zests in the atmosphere of integrity surrounding him this season, others are additionally qualifying him as not just a wise priest but a courageous and confident defender of the masses. 

He is also being praised as a Servant of God who is bent on seeing the byproducts of democracy produce a society where every Cameroonian is treated equally.

His Grace Kleda is a paragon who has refused to accept Cameroon as it is. He is an unapologetic lover of God whose attention remains attached to the Cameroon that should be. Your Personality of The Week is a unique character who believes every good intention must be translated into great works.

For others, His Grace Samuel Kleda has shown incomparable superior performance in service to God and humanity. His constant outcry for the good of the population, it is being said, shows he is an extraordinary priest always up to date with what God is saying. 

He makes the zone of stars this week as a unique personality over and friend of every Cameroonian on the strength of his love for humanity.

His outing touching on every aspect of national life and further urging for a general change of mindset to end several social vices, others are saying, makes Kleda a formidable pillar in nation building.

The revered priest, a native of Golompwi, Mayo Danay Division of the Far North Region, was born in 1959. He acquired basic education in his native land before moving to Mazenod College in Ngaoundere. 

From there, the young Kleda embarked on his journey into priesthood at the Nkolbisson Major Seminary in Yaounde. He later studied theology at the Collegio Urbano in Rome. He returned to Cameroon and was ordained priest in Golompwi, under the Diocese of Yagoua, on March 6. 1986.

He served as Chaplain at a school in Kaélé, Mayo Kani Division of the Far North Region. The then Rev Fr Kleda was later named Parish Vicar. From 1988 to 1994, he worked as Rector of the Saint Paul Minor Seminary in Guider, Mayo Louti Division of the Far North Region.

Between October 1994 and July 1998, he returned to Rome and studied at the Pontifical Biblical Institute. He returned home again and was posted to Saint Augustin Provincial Major Seminary in Maroua. 

Then came December 7, 2000, Pope John Paul II appointed him Bishop of Batouri Diocese in the East Region. He took canonical possession of the Diocese on February 18, 2001. 

His Grace Kleda was again on November 7, 2007 made Coadjutor Archbishop of Douala. He then succeeded the late Cardinal Tumi, as Archbishop of Douala, in 2009, following a decision of Pope Benedict XVI. He has also served as President of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon, NECC, from 2013 to 2009.

Your Personality of The Week has across the decades of his ministry, remained unbending and committed to service to humanity. His unique commitment to pushing society and government in particular, to do the right thing, many say, is what has kept him in the cloud of relevance consistently. On this note, he glides to the undisputed position of a rare patriot, national treasure, sharp moral compass and dispenser of hope.

 

 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3312 of Friday December 06, 2024

 

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