The Catholic faithful of the Diocese of Kumbo will on Tuesday, September 8, join their Bishop, His Lordship George Nkuo, in marking the 20th anniversary of his episcopal ordination, as the Church celebrates the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
A Holy Mass to mark the occasion is scheduled at St Augustine College, Nso, and will be animated by students of the institution.
The anniversary comes at a particularly difficult moment in the history of the Diocese of Kumbo, which has remained one of the major theatres of the armed conflict in North West and South West Regions of Cameroon since the crisis escalated in 2016.
For Bishop Nkuo, the 20 years have therefore represented not just ecclesiastical administration but an episcopacy unfoldeding against a backdrop of insecurity, displacement, attacks on communities and repeated disruptions to religious life.
Kumbo has experienced some of the most severe consequences of the conflict, with Catholic priests, religious workers and lay faithful operating in an environment where movement and public gatherings can carry security risks.
Reports from the Diocese over the years have documented incidents in which armed men have interrupted church activities. In some instances, gunfire from a distance has disrupted Holy Mass, while the presence or intrusion of armed individuals has created fear among worshippers gathered for prayer.
The insecurity has also directly affected the clergy. Priests serving in the Diocese have been abducted, while Bishop Nkuo himself was abducted during the conflict, highlighting the risks faced by church leaders seeking to remain with their communities.
Yet the response of the Bishop has largely been defined by continued pastoral presence rather than withdrawal.
From the beginning of his episcopacy, Bishop George Nkuo placed emphasis on being available to priests, religious men and women, seminarians and lay faithful. He identified priests as his principal collaborators and promoted teamwork and collaborative ministry as essential to the evangelisation of the Diocese.
That approach has been particularly significant during the conflict, as the Church has sought to maintain its presence among communities affected by violence, including those in remote areas.
Pastoral visits have remained an important part of his ministry. Through these visits, Bishop George Nkuo has sought not only to preach the Gospel but also to listen to communities and respond to practical needs in education, health and social development.
His episcopacy has also placed considerable emphasis on Catholic education. He introduced Catholic Education Week and the Bishop's Education Fund as part of efforts to strengthen the formation of young people and promote what the Diocese describes as integral and holistic education.
His background in education has been central to that work.
Born in Njinikom in the present Boyo Division of the North West Region, George Nkuo began his secondary education at Bishop Rogan Minor Seminary, Small Soppo, Buea, where he studied from 1967 to 1974.
He subsequently entered the Regional Major Seminary, Bambui, in 1974 and completed philosophical and theological formation, obtaining a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy in 1977 and a Bachelor’s Degree in Divinity in 1981.
He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Buea on April 26, 1981, by Bishop Pius Suh Awa (late) at Small Soppo, Buea.
Bishop George Nkuo and Cameroon Prime Minister, Yang Philemon (R) and Fai Yengo Francis former NW Governor in Kumbo during his Episcopal ordination
He later pursued postgraduate studies in Education at St Patrick’s College, Maynooth, National University of Ireland, from 1989 to 1991, obtaining a Master’s Degree in the Science of Education.
Before becoming Bishop of Kumbo, Nkuo served in several pastoral and educational positions within the Diocese of Buea. These included Curate and Manager of Catholic Schools in St Joseph’s Parish, Mamfe and Kumba Town, Chancellor of the Diocese of Buea, Principal of St Francis’ College, Fiango, Kumba, and Catholic Education Secretary of the Diocese of Buea from 1994 to 2006.
His wider responsibilities included serving as Provincial Chairman of the Association of Diocesan Priests in the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province and National and Diocesan Chaplain of the Catholic Women’s Association.
In 2006, he was appointed Bishop of Kumbo and was ordained and installed as the Diocese’s second Bishop on September 8 of that year by Christian Wiyghan Tumi (late)
His episcopal ministry has since extended beyond the Diocese. He became Chairman of the Episcopal Commission for Education of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon and later served on various national and international Church bodies, including the Permanent Committee of the Cameroon Episcopal Conference and the Study Week of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences in Rome.
Among the notable achievements during his episcopacy was the 2012 centenary celebration of the Catholic faith in Kumbo, marking 100 years since the arrival of the German Sacred Heart Fathers of St Quentin. The centenary was celebrated under the theme, “We no longer believe because of what you told us,” drawn from John 4:42.
But the defining challenge of Bishop Nkuo’s 20 years in Kumbo has been the need to keep the Church functioning in an environment where ordinary pastoral activities have repeatedly been exposed to extraordinary risks.
His episcopacy has also been marked by a cordial and respectful relationship with traditional rulers across the Diocese, spanning the administrative divisions of Bui and Donga Mantung. In a highly traditional and culturally rooted society where the authority of the Fon and other traditional leaders remains central to community life, Bishop George Nkuo has maintained regular engagement with the custodians of tradition, recognising their role in promoting peace, community cohesion and the wellbeing of their people.
His relationships with traditional rulers have strengthened the Church’s links with local communities and provided an important platform for dialogue and collaboration, particularly during periods of conflict when traditional authorities and the Church have both faced the challenge of keeping communities together.
The conflict has tested the ability of the Church to maintain schools, health initiatives, parish activities and worship, while also confronting the human consequences of violence.
For many Catholic faithful, therefore, the anniversary is not simply a celebration of episcopal longevity. It is also an occasion to reflect on two decades of pastoral leadership during one of the most turbulent periods in the history of the Diocese.
The September 8 Mass at SAC Nso will consequently bring together the spiritual significance of the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the personal achievemets of a Bishop who has spent two decades leading a Diocese through profound uncertainty.
As Bishop Nkuo marks 20 years as Bishop of Kumbo, his episcopacy remains closely associated with a commitment to pastoral presence, education, collaboration and the determination to keep the Church alongside communities facing the consequences of conflict.
By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoices Web
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