Sunday October 7, 2018, in Ambazonia: Religious Leaders Taking Security Measures

As October 7, 2018 approaches, religious leaders across Southern Cameroons have started taking security measures to guarantee the safety of their followers. That day happens to be a Sunday when Christians normally hold their worship services. But the present atmosphere of political uncertainty across the land as the D-day for the colonial presidential election approaches has necessitated these measures.

In a release on September 27, 2018, the Bishop of Kumbo in Bui County of Ambazonia, His Lordship George Nkuo, called on the Roman Catholic clergy under his jurisdiction to consider conducting their Sunday Masses on Saturday, October 6^th as from 3:30 pm or conduct them on October 7^th within the limits of the safety of the Christians.

The Bishop also use the opportunity to remind his faithful of his spiritual support in these perilous times, while also urging them to use the period to pray victory especially as the period falls on the feast of Our Lady of Victory for our Lady of the Holy Rosary.

In a related development, the management of the Presbyterian Church in a release by its webmaster Rev. Numfor Godwin, on behalf of the Communication Secretary, has called on pastors of various parishes in the land to weigh the security situation in their various parishes before deciding to conduct services on Sunday, October 7^th. If not, they should avoid risking the lives of their Christians.

“Pastors should individually weigh the security situation around their parishes to see if it will be risky to hold services on Sunday, 07th of October 2018, else they can move services to Saturday, 06th of October 2018. Pastors should avoid risking the lives of the Christians on the said date if it can be avoided.” The release read in part.

It is expected that leaders of other denominations shall in the days ahead also take similar measures for the safety of their followers.

It is the express position of BaretaNews that all religious activities in Ambazonia scheduled for Sunday, October 7^th should all be carried out on Saturday, October 6^th. The people MUST avoid going out of their houses on October 7^th for whatever reason. This is for their own security.

Ambazonia is a war zone and the promise of no electioneering exercise in the land must be enforced. Since the colonial regime and its bloody agents also appear ready to force it down the throats of the people, that Sunday, therefore, promises to be a black Sunday that no Ambazonian should risk his or her life going out either for church service, to vote or any other activity. It is better to die fighting the enemy than to die as a collateral damage.

Agbor James

Political Analysts