On behalf of the Head of State, PM Dion Ngute posthumously decorated Cardinal Christian Tumi as Commander of the National Order of Valour. Moments before the requiem mass.
The representative of President Paul Biya laid the medal on the coffin of the prelate who died on April 3, 2021 in Douala. Before decoration, condolence messages from the Head of State as well as from Pope Francis were read out.
Then a requiem and final mass followed. Led by the Ecclesiastical Province of Douala with the Apostolic Nuncio to Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea Mgr Julio Murat as the celebrant. Thousands of Catholic Christians, people from other faiths and dignitaries from across the globe prayed for the repose of the soul of the fearless Man of God, among them the Secretary General of the Central Committee of the CPDM Jean Nkuété.
In his homily the Nuncio said: “As Christians, we should prepare for death as Cardinal Tumi who kept faith through prayers and the life he lived.”
Testimonies
The Archbishop of Garoua Mgr Faustin Ambassa praised Tumi for the work he did to build the church in the North region. He expressed gratitude for all Tumi did for the growth of the church in that part of the country. Remembered the welcome he gave pope John Paul II in Garoua.
On his part, Cardinal Fridolin, Archbishop of Kinshasa said the death of Cardinal Tumi “concerns all of us because of his great love to humanity”. That is why in the name of the Archdiocese of Kinshasa and the Episcopate of the DR Congo, he decided to come and honour the memory of Cardinal Tumi. “Tumi’s death creates a vacuum not only to Cameroon but for Africa”, he said. On his part, the Archbishop of Ouagadougou, Philippe Nakellentuba Ouédrago read a message from the church in Burkina Faso in which they expressed their deep compassion and solidarity with the people of Cameroon for this loss. “Cardinal Tumi was an ardent defender of peace and social justice and he always had that mutual respect. His death is not only a big loss to Cameroon but to the universal church that has lost a good shepherd”, he said.
Mgr Abraham Kome, President of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon and Bishop of Bafang said the pains Christians are feeling should transcend into hope. He said Tumi worked hard to see Cameroonians live together and they should take up this challenge for the fallen prelate.
Mgr Samuel Kleda said he had a personal relationship with Cardinal Tumi whom he described as a man who had a strong attachment to God and was in constant communication with the Lord. His life was centered on prayers, Kleda said. “Cardinal Tumi put all his strength in his preaching and always made time every Sunday to visit a parish so as to be close to the Christians”. “He made himself available to all who wanted to meet him. His doors were always open. People always consulted him. He was a man of faith and lived as a pastor detached from material wealth. He never had an account. He was very rigorous on the property of the church,” the Bishop of Douala added. He also thanked the Head of State for sending a representative.
Jude VIBAN
