Armed conflict in NW, SW: Vatican official urges Biya to surprise Pope with reconciliation.

Cardinal Turkson made the appeal in Douala, on Saturday, March 14, 2026. He was speaking in the course of a three-in-one event at the Catholic Archdiocese of Doauala. 

The event marked seventy years since the erection of the Archdiocese of Douala, 40 years of priesthood of His Grace Samuel Kleda, Archbishop of Douala and his 25^th anniversary as Bishop.

Several members of government attended the mass. Among them were; the Minister of State, Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals, Laurent Esso; the Minister of Labour and Social Security, Gregoire Owona; the Minister Delegate to the Minister of Finance, Yaouba Abdoulaye; the Governor of the Littoral Region, Dieudonne Ivaha Diboua among other officials.

In an intervention at the highly attended mass, Cardinal Peter Turkson revisited the lingering armed conflict in the North West and South West Regions. 

The Vatican official said outside Cameroon, everyone talking about the country only revisits the deadly conflict that has dragged on for almost ten years.

With the Pope set to visit the country in the course of his apostolic visit to Africa in April, Cardinal Turkson said Cameroonian authorities could surprise His Holiness with a reconciliation programme. This, he stated, could serve as a surprise gift to the Holy Father. 

“…you people have to start thinking of a surprise gift for the Holy Father because everyone outside the country is talking about this conflict,” he said, referring to the chaos that has ruined lives across the former West Cameroon, since the last quarter of 2016.

His Eminence Cardinal Turkson added that: “Let’s give a small gift of a reconciliation progamme prepared by you people to the Holy Father…it will be a great surprise. And for all these, I want to now pray; pray for you and pray with you”.

Context, timing of appeal 

Cardinal Turkson of Ghanaian nationality and an influential member of the Vatican, is also expected to accompany the Pope when he comes visiting next month.

His appeal has triggered new expectations regarding the push to end the crisis in the North West and South West Regions.

With Bamenda being one of the cities the Pope will visit during his three-day stay in Cameroon, analysts are beginning to see and expecting more from Yaounde. 

Bamenda, the North West Regional capital, many have said, was put into the Pope’s programme to use it as a spring board to accentuate the need for peace after years of tension, killings and insecurity.

The Catholic Church like civilians and other stakeholders in the North West and South West Regions, has felt the heat of the crisis. It has lost priests, religious, congregations and other huge investments to the armed conflict.

Bishops have equally written extensively on the crisis, making proposals to government on what could be done to end the bloodbath in the English-speaking Regions. 

Between January 28 and February 3, 2021, Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, was in Cameroon; during which he engaged authorities and visited Bamenda. Then, he too had pushed for authorities to engage dialogue to end the conflict.

Thus, Cardinal Turkson is adding his voice to that of the likes of the late Christian Cardinal Tumi, and other prelates who have consistently been pushing government to address the conflict.

The late Pontiff, Pope Francis, had also spoken severally about the crisis during his pontificate and prayed for peace. 

In October 28, 2020, he prayed that “the tormented Regions of the North West and South West of Cameroon may finally find peace”.

Nuncio commends Kleda

Meanwhile, the Apostolic Nuncio to Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, His Grace Jose Avelino Bettencourt, used last Saturday’s ceremony to salute the trajectory of His Grace Samuel Kleda.

The Nuncio praised the Douala Archbishop as a star who continues to shine in the church and society. He urged Christians to live a life of humility and faith like the prelate.

Reacting to the comments about his pastoral journey, His Grace Kleda expressed gratitude to God and the flock under his control. He also prayed for the Cameroonian youths before asking God to continue to guide him in his pastoral journey.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3733 of Monday March 16, 2026