The spiritual capital of Ground Zero, Bamenda, stood still as the voice of the people finally echoed before the highest seat of the Catholic Church. His Grace Archbishop Andrew Nkea did not mince words. He laid bare the harsh reality of the war in Ambazonia before Pope Leo, in what many now describe as one of the most honest accounts ever delivered on that sacred altar.
Speaking at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Bamenda, the chief shepherd of the Archdiocese painted a grim picture of a people abandoned to years of bloodshed. He spoke of killings, kidnappings, forced school shutdowns, and a complete collapse of economic life across the North West and South West, known to Ambazonians as Ground Zero.
The Archbishop made it clear that the suffering has not been by choice.
He told the Pope that thousands have been forced out of their homes. Many now live as internally displaced persons or have crossed borders as refugees. Businesses have been shut down. For years, children were denied education and turned into tools in a conflict they never created.
The message struck deep.
The congregation, visibly emotional, responded with applause when Archbishop Nkea reminded the Pope that even his presence alone was a source of comfort to a wounded people.
The Pope listened. Quiet. Attentive.
For many on Ground Zero, that moment mattered.
In a powerful call that cut across religious lines, Archbishop Nkea insisted that peace must not be divided.
He made it plain.
There is no Catholic peace.
There is no Protestant peace.
There is no Muslim peace.
Peace is peace.
That message resonated beyond the walls of the Cathedral. It was a direct call to unity in a land fractured by war and mistrust.
The Archbishop did not spare the truth about the Church either. He revealed that priests, bishops, and religious leaders have not been spared. Many have been harassed, beaten, kidnapped, and even killed. Yet, despite the pressure, the Church continues to stand as one of the last pillars of hope among the people.
For eight years, Bamenda and the rest of Ambazonia have remained a hotspot of resistance and suffering. Since 2016, the region has seen a steady descent into violence, with civilians bearing the brunt.
Pope Leo’s visit, however, has stirred cautious hope.
Speaking earlier from Yaoundé, the Pope declared himself a servant of peace. But it was in Bamenda, in the heart of Ground Zero, that the real story was told.
For many Ambazonians, this was not just a visit.
It was a moment of truth.
And perhaps, the beginning of the world finally listening.
