By Sandrine Moma, Cohort 7 #AFFCameroon fellow
Introduction
Presbyterian Church Kumba Town is situated in Kumba, South West Region of Cameroon. Squabbles began in Presbyterian Church (PC) Kumba town on June 26, 2022. According to a report by Express FM Radio 91.5 on Facebook on June 27, 2022, Christians of the Presbyterian Church Kumba Town went violent in church resisting the replacement of their chairperson, Mrs Comfort Nkelle. According to this report and that posted on other social media platforms like WhatsApp, Tiktok, twitter, the christians revolted after the pastor of the congregation and her associate, Rev Mary Ndumba Wose and Rev Vetin Tambi respectively, requested that an election be done to replace the chairperson.
Body
This misunderstanding caused serious tension that disrupted the church service that Sunday. Some Christians carried placards bearing messages such as “we don’t want thrives, cheats and embezzlers in PC Kumba Town”, “we are tired of Rev Mary Wose and Rev Velindre Tambi and their corrupt pastoral work in PC Kumba Town”. Here is the link by Express FM Radio 91.5 reporting on the incident on Facebook. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02iys7pZJvx22YqZyAGpbBgxVYZYkz8n8f2HN5iQv3BkLpohnvVPJpVbxkxBnmtY5vl&id=1095110120685530
Here is another Facebook post by Prince Wright Ndong on the PC Kumba squabble. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0G2Jf7RJrkiKHaVfipMa8JLbuqSyeYfyhDTyn2Q1eGaxYne2ssQ3fmianRU3zVsfGl&id=100082142780442
As from July 10, different social media platforms also carried news of how some diabolic objects have been found in the premises of PC Kumba Town. Most of these posts were done to condemn the act and call for the authorities of the Church to see into this issue. Below is a YouTube link of Melo Gist TV on the issue. https://youtu.be/BqFvHpNk8FA
Also, Sarah Absng-Mugwa on his Facebook page reported the incident. Here is the link to his post https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid04WvFK31JmiC61w8wLmJXdj5Lk211MqJA7TXwF8mMDbss7V5rWWo5zQYP5TMUVx6Kl&id=100021629452171
A similar report was done by Govannie’s blog on Facebook saying that Christians of PC Kumba Town have decided to apply the African methods in other to get things fixed in the house of God. Below is the link and some comments under the post. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0SHVkUqrfpBvCkLMpjdew1DMEQzmoxv6uqyED38MvuTamGzyXLfmBi18neMocfYgjl&id=100063724749115q
Fiake Joshua is another Facebook user who carried the story of diabolic objects found in the premises of PC Kumba Town. You can access his post from the following link. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid031hKiQsjPvjYCh7MhqHAQAGHXomxAf17tjRf34A2hRrjQujj4nB54gTiL9SmZd78Dl&id=100010307322693
The need for a lasting solution to be brought to the crisis in PC Kumba Town even became more evident when different social media platforms posted on the arrests of some Christians of the congregation. Beta Tinz tweeted on August 30th, talking about Christians who had been arrested for attempting to disrupt church service. Here is the link to her tweet. https://twitter.com/beta_tinz/status/1564540317864427525?t=VD9U-66OBHfSgSle1Dn-lA&s=19
On August 29th, 2022, Express FM Radio 91.5 on Facebook reported that Bafaw women stormed the Palace of the paramount ruler begging for the Christians who had been arrested in PC Kumba Town to be released. Here’s the link to the write up. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02QFDmS8aaxWUupfWys2xamhitAxyPgs3k46wHL38s3Mv6kEandmY22VP5WrNGvzbnl&id=100063657366837
SNG Info on Facebook also reported on the afore mentioned subject as you can read through the following link. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02fMGjHi73W5r65m2vVxwJbjz5YVvKHMKYGukFatD86N6hm99wKdhaMAYKKnwAawgl&id=102157952194266
Through the different social media posts on the arrest and the plea for the release of some Christians of PC Kumba Town, these Christians were however released though it did not put an end to the conflict in the church. The following day, August 30th, 2022, different social media platforms carried a communique signed by the SDO of Meme, sealing the doors of PC Kumba Town till the conflict is resolved. Mimi Mefo Info on August 31 through a tweet talked about the sealing of the church by the SDO. Below is the link to the tweet. https://twitter.com/MimiMefoInfo/status/1564858682311155712?t=kejtKESTxEg6B7Hagbzoyg&s=19
Following the sealing of the church plus the different social media platforms carrying the story on the conflict in the church, the need for an end to be brought to this tussle kept intensifying. Here’s a post by a Facebook user, Ikose Noel Ngoe on September 2nd, 2022, begging the moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon (PCC), to find a lasting solution to the conflict in PC Kumba Town. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02oGkjESMJhmY1zNfFJnxR2Hdvj7TLVKRagmjzkdhgeBZF1zTUSUvhUQmQTjWG7cKWl&id=100010104422985
On the 24th of September 2022, the PCC issued a press release, talking about the resolution of the conflict in PC Kumba Town. According to the release, the Pastor and her associate were not found guilty of the allegation against them and were deployed to another congregation for security reasons. The communique also said that a new pastor had been sent to PC Kumba Town and that there will be another election for a chairperson for the church. Following this press release, the SDO of Meme, Ntou’ou Ndong Chamberlin issued another release lifting the ban on PC Kumba Town. An Instagram account 237celeb and 237famous carried this communique on their account. Here’s the link https://www.instagram.com/p/CjBqJVbNF_M/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Mimi Mefo Info on twitter also carried the story. https://twitter.com/MimiMefoInfo/status/1574847489064292353?t=K9kS4_ykvRnZFKMf3lC1JQ&s=19
Numfor Godwin through his Facebook post also talked about resolutions of the PC Saga which have been made public. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02VbAPKBdnPTJnMhzp29dLoxUGWXXBLG1yDwY9xdXjANXdf263JXSzct7yt5mRvspPl&id=100000223711954
Conclusion
In a nutshell, one can say that it is thanks to the social media that the turmoil in the Presbyterian Church Kumba Town was brought to the lamplight, pulling the attention of the powers that be in the church to look into the situation and bring a solution. The release issued by the PCC on September 24th, 2022, hitting the final hammer on the nail of the conflict pitting Christians and pastors of PC Kumba Town can be said was influenced by the role played by the social media.
