The Diocese of Kumbo on Tuesday, September 8, marked the 20th anniversary of the episcopal ordination of its Bishop, George Nkuo, with a thanksgiving Mass at St Augustine’s College, Nso, the same institution where he was ordained Bishop two decades ago.
The celebration coincided with the Catholic Church’s Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, bringing together priests, religious men and women, teachers, students and faithful to honour the Bishop and reflect on his two decades of service to the Diocese.
The Mass animated by students of St Augustine’s College, SAC, carried particular significance for the school community. According to the College Principal, Rev Fr Pontianus Tardzenyuy, SAC was the place from which Bishop George Nkuo set out on his episcopal mission in 2006 and where he had now returned 20 years later to give thanks to God.
“20 years ago, it started here in SAC,” Fr Tardzenyuy told the gathering. “From SAC, my Lord, you took off for a mission in the entire Diocese of Kumbo. Twenty years after, you are back in SAC to say thank you to the Lord.”
The anniversary was celebrated against the backdrop of a turbulent second decade of Bishop George Nkuo’s episcopacy, with the Diocese having spent roughly half of his 20 years under the effects of the armed conflict in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon.
In his homily, Fr Edwin Boye described the period as one of extraordinary suffering for the Bishop and the people he leads. He said many of those on whom communities had depended left during the crisis, while Bishop George Nkuo remained with the Diocese.
“Ten years exactly have been in a tragedy situation,” Fr Boye said, stressing that the Bishop had continued to serve while many people fled the conflict.
The priest urged the faithful to see the anniversary as an occasion to thank God for the perseverance of His Lordship George Nkuo and to pray for him as he continues his ministry.
He also paid tribute to the parents of the Bishop and to Bishop Pius Suh Awa, who ordained Nkuo to the priesthood in 1981 and whom he described as a mentor who helped shape him as a priest and shepherd.
For the SAC community, the decision of the Bishop to remain with his people during the conflict formed a central part of his legacy.
Fr Pontianus Tardzenyuy described the past decade as one of “war, pain, traumatic experiences” and sacrifice, recalling instances in which the Bishop travelled personally to meet people and continued to encourage families to keep their children in school despite insecurity.
He described Bishop Goerge Nkuo as a “bishop of the second chance”, pointing to his willingness to give people opportunities to rebuild relationships and return to the Church.
“Many of our young people have been wounded in the last 10 years,” he said. “Many are sick. They have listened to the voice of strangers, and they have followed anybody.”
He said Bishop Nkuo had worked to bring such young people back towards education, faith and community life.
Catholic education featured prominently throughout the celebration. The Bishop has made education one of the major areas of his episcopal ministry, supporting Catholic schools and religious education while advocating for the continued education of children despite the disruption caused by the conflict.
The students of SAC also used the occasion to express their appreciation for his commitment to Catholic education.
Presenting remarks on behalf of the students, Daniela Vershiyi said the students had gathered to thank the Bishop for what they described as his “endless love and sacrifice”.
The students' message was accompanied by a celebration of Catholic education and the Diocese of Kumbo, with the students declaring their support for the continued mission of Catholic education with the presentation of a gift to the Bishop.
The Bishop himself used his thanksgiving remarks to turn attention away from himself and towards Christ and the people he serves.
He thanked the SAC community, the priests, religious men and women, students and faithful for joining him in prayer and celebration.
Reflecting on the past 20 years, Bishop Nkuo said the anniversary gave him an opportunity to look back on his journey and the circumstances that brought him to Kumbo.
He also shared a personal prayer to the Virgin Mary, asking for the grace to approach the people he serves with hope and to understand the hardships they carry.
Bishop Nkuo prayed for the ability to remain close to people who come to Church after difficult weeks, carrying “hardships, difficulties, disappointments” and tensions, and seeking encouragement to persevere.
He invoked Mary as a model of perseverance, asking for the strength to accompany his people through their difficulties and to bring the hope of the Gospel into their lives.
The anniversary therefore offered the Diocese an opportunity not only to celebrate the longevity of Bishop Nkuo in office but also to take stock of a pastoral journey marked by education, community engagement, traditional leadership, faith and conflict.
Fr Edwin Boye urged the faithful to learn from the Bishop’s example of fidelity to God.
He called on them to pray that Bishop Nkuo would remain protected and strengthened for the remainder of his ministry, while asking the intercession of the Virgin Mary, whose Nativity the Church celebrated.
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As the Mass ended, Bishop Nkuo thanked the SAC community and the faithful for the celebration and asked God to bless them.
Twenty years after leaving SAC Nso as Bishop of Kumbo, George Nkuo returned to the institution not simply as the Diocese’s chief shepherd, but as a Bishop whose episcopacy has been tested by some of the most difficult years in the Diocese’s history.
The celebration at SAC Nso thus became both a thanksgiving for 20 years of episcopal service and a reflection on the continuing task of shepherding a wounded Diocese towards peace, hope and renewal.
Asheri Loveline for Hilltopvoices Web in Kumbo
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