Pope's visits Cameroon again. What is the Vatican really thinking?
12:04 Sunday, 15. March 2009 by Divine F. Ndobe
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- Pope Benedict XVI waves to faithful from Cameroon
Some weeks ago, I read a story about Pope Benedict XVI's planned visit to Cameroon. The first question that went through my mind was Why Cameroon? Why Cameroon? Why Cameroon? His predecessor, Pope John Paul II, visited Cameroon twice, in 1985 and 1995. And now the new pope, Benedict XVI has chosen Cameroon as the destination for his very first pastoral visit to Africa since assuming the papacy in April 2005.
Is it a tradition that every pope gets to visit Cameroon, or does Cameroon have a strategic or geopolitical role to play for the Catholic church in Africa. The president of Cameroon has been in power since November 1982 (for almost 27 years) and country has been plaque by embezzlement, poverty and corruption under his watch and just of recent the regime have change the constitution to eliminate presidential term limit paving the way for the president to run for life.
What is the Vatican really thinking? Why are they turning a blind eye to all the socio-political and economic mess in Cameroon and instead decided to encourage and reward such a regime with such a holy visit.
Some African countries, which were apparently hoping to host the incumbent Head of State of Vatican City, such as Nigeria, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to media reports, think Cameroon should not have been chosen as the first African host of this Vicar of Christ on earth.
I was really enthusiastic to know why Cameroon has been privilege to host such holy visits. So decided to dig into the pope's agenda and schedule.
The pope's visit is expected to boost Catholicism in Africa. While Catholic numbers and influence are dwindling in Europe and the Americas, they are holding their own in Africa.
The pope will give Africa's bishops a preview of the topics for the Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops at the Vatican in Oct 2009.
He is expected to visit President Paul Biya to press for an end to government corruption. Beside several priests and religious leaders have been murdered in Cameroon in the last two decades. Benedict can be expected to press Biya to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.
After his visit to Cameroon, his holiness will fly to Angola (20-23 March) to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the evangelization of that country.
Let me conclude by saying the charismatic Pope John Paul II visited Cameroon twice and never really succeeded to put the regime under pressure to change its ways, so I don't expect the 81-year-old German-born pontiff to reap any dramatic socio-political victory from this trip.
An in the end, the only Victor will be President Biya and his regime. They will once again get a blessing from Rome (the Headquarter of Morals and Goodness) for a job well done for the past 27 years.
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Johnny [Munich (Germany)]
Maybe the Vatican cares, but I don't thing the have enough power to change anything.
Johnny [Munich - Germany]
Maybe the Vatican cares, but I don't think they have enough power to change anything.
Carine [Cameroon]
HIS HOLINESS JOHN PAUL II VISITED CAMEROON TWICE, NOW HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI IS VISITING THE SAME COUNTRY. THEY IS NOTHING THAT HAPPENS IN LIFE BECAUSE OF MERE COINCIDENCE.GOD HAS A PLAN FOR CAMEROON AND DESPITE ALL THAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING NOW GOD'S TIMING IS NEVER MANS. SO THE WORLD CAN TALK, ARGUE ABOUT THIS VISIT BUT WHAT IS FACTUAL IS THAT GOD'S WAYS ARE NEVER THE WAYS OF MAN. A MAN WHO IS WELL NEVER GOES TO A DOCTOR ONLY THOSE WHO ARE SICK GOES THERE. GOD IS ABOUT DOING SOMETHING, SO DON'T KILL YOURSELVES ABOUT THE POPE'S VISIT TO CAMEROON BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE ANY POWER TO DO OTHERWISE.
Akah Thomas [United Arab Emirates]
I see nothing bad in the Pope's visit to Cameroon. I feel it's high time.Cameroonians should go for divine intervention to change the situation of their country as the other "methods of change" attempted have failed. I also see Cameroon as a blessed nation for it is the third time the Pope is visiting Cameroon in two decades.
man man [lagos]
you don't write like a phd holder so there was actually no need to showcase your boigraphy on the net.
Babila [Canada]
To me this article seems to be a well thought and written opinion by the author. Hence I find it Silly that Mr. Man Man ( from Lagos ) says the author does not sound like a PhD holder. Dr. Ndobe, please keep it coming, its a nice piece, I like it even though I don't agree with you 100%.