REMEMBERING CARDINAL TUMI: FIVE YEARS ON, A VOICE THAT STILL ECHOES
By James Agbor | BaretaNews Style Analysis
“In Anglophone Cameroon, the policeman was a friend, all he had was a baton. We never saw the army. The army was in the barracks, because they were not there to attack the population. I saw an armed policeman for the first time during the reunification.”
Those were the reflective words of Christian Cardinal Tumi in one of his final press interviews with Crux in 2020—a statement that today carries even deeper meaning as Cameroonians mark five years since his passing.
April 3, 2021, did not only mark the death of a religious leader; it marked the departure of one of the most courageous moral voices Cameroon has ever known. As the country’s first and only Cardinal, and former Archbishop of Douala, Cardinal Tumi stood as a symbol of truth, conscience, and resistance in the face of state pressure.
At a time when fear and repression dominated public discourse, Cardinal Tumi spoke with rare boldness against the policies and practices of the Biya regime. He consistently denounced what he described as the systemic marginalisation of Anglophones, warning that the dismantling of the 1961 Federal structure in 1972 was not merely administrative, but ideological—aimed at “assimilating the Anglophones” and “abolishing all that was Anglo-Saxon.”
His concerns were not abstract. They were rooted in lived realities—shrinking civic space, growing militarisation, and the erosion of trust between the state and its citizens. His nostalgic recollection of a time when the police were seen as protectors rather than enforcers underscores a deeper critique of the transformation of governance in Cameroon.
Perhaps one of his most defining moments in recent history was his attempt to convene an All Anglophone Conference—an initiative aimed at diagnosing and addressing the roots of the Anglophone Crisis through dialogue. The response from the authorities was swift and uncompromising: the conference was shut down before it could even begin. Yet, even in the face of such resistance, Cardinal Tumi did not retreat.
Until his final days, he remained unwavering—calling out bad governance, condemning authoritarian tendencies, and advocating for a peaceful resolution to the crisis. His voice became a moral compass not just for Anglophones, but for all Cameroonians seeking justice and accountability.
Five years on, the questions he raised remain unanswered, and the issues he highlighted persist—perhaps even more intensely. As debates continue around constitutional reforms and proposals such as the introduction of an appointed Vice President, many are left wondering: what would Cardinal Tumi say today?
Given his consistent advocacy for democratic principles, inclusivity, and structural fairness, it is difficult to imagine that he would support any reform perceived as cosmetic or exclusionary. Cardinal Tumi believed in meaningful dialogue, genuine representation, and systems that empower rather than silence.
His legacy challenges both leaders and citizens alike—to speak truth, to resist injustice, and to pursue solutions rooted in equity and dignity.
As Cameroon reflects on his life and legacy, one thing is clear: Cardinal Tumi may be gone, but his voice still echoes—calling a nation to conscience.
The debate continues. What do you think would have been Cardinal Tumi’s position today?
