Christian Cardinal Wiyghan Tumi

Christian Wiyghan Tumi was born on October, 15 1930 at Kikaikilaki within the Kumbo Municipality in the Northwest Region of Cameroon. He is a Cardinal and the Arch-Bishop Emeritus of Douala in the Roman Catholic Church in Cameroon. He was succeeded as Arch-Bishop of Douala by Samuel Kleda, the former Coadjutor Arch-Bishop.

Ethnically, His Eminence Christian Cardinal Tumi is of the Nso Klan, in Bui Division in the Northwest Region, of Cameroon. Tumi studied at minor seminaries in Cameroon and Nigeria. He trained as a teacher in Nigeria and London, and went on to earn a Bachelor Degree in theology in Lyon, France and a doctorate in philosophy at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland.

Ordained a priest on April 17, 1966, he served as a vicar at Small Soppo, Buea in the South West Region of Cameroon for a year before becoming a tutor at Bishop Rogan College, a minor seminary in the Buea Diocese and the only one at the time in the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province. After studying abroad from 1969 to 1973, he returned to his diocese and was named Rector of the Saint Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary in Bambui within the Tuba Municipality in the North West Region.

In 1979, Rev. Father Christian Tumi was elected the first Bishop of the Diocese of Yagoua in the dominantly Muslem Northern Cameroon. In 1984, he was made Arch-Bishop and in 1985 he was elected President of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon, a post he held until 1991.

He was named Cardinal-Priest of Santi Martiri dell'Uganda a Poggio Ameno on  June 28,1988 by Pope John Paul II. Christian Cardinal Tumi was named the Arch-Bishop of Douala on 31 August 1991. He was one of the Cardinal Electors who participated in the 2005Papal Conclave that selected Pope Benedict XVI.

Because of his public stance on issues that directly affect the quality of (spiritual) life of society in general, his voice and opinion has always remained very vital in issues affecting the socio-political landscape in Cameroon. In accordance with his nature and belief, Christian Cardinal Tumi led a Pro-Life March in the city of Douala in 2009. Earlier on in a speech in 2007, he denounced the sexual abuse of children and harped on its negative effects on modern society.

 

 

Cardinal

Il est créé cardinal par le pape Jean-PaulI lors du consistoire du 28 juin 1988 avec le titre de cardinal-prêtre de Santi Martiri dell'Uganda a Poggio Ameno.

Au sein de la Curie romaine, il est membre de la Congrégation pour l'évangélisation des peuples, de la Congrégation pour l'éducation catholique, de la Congrégation pour le culte divin et la discipline des sacrements, du Conseil pontifical « Cor unum » pourla promotion humaine et chrétienne et du Conseil pontifical pour la famille.

Récompenses

Le 9 septembre 2008, le cardinal Tumi reçoit le prix Cardinal von Galen, décerné par l'ONG Human Life International "en reconnaissance de près d'un demi siècle de pastorale de ce Prélat en faveur de la famille, des laisser pour compte, de l'avènement et du respect du jeu démocratique au Cameroun".

Le 15 novembre 2011, il reçoit le Prix de l'Intégrité 2011 décerné par Transparency International.

Facts
 

 

Ordained Priest by Bishop Julius  Joseph  Willem Peeters, M.H.M. † Bishop of Buea. Principal Consecrator: Pope John Paul II St. Karol Józef Wojtyła+ Principal Co-Consecrators -Archbishop Eduardo Martínez Somalo, Titular Archbishop of Thagora -Bishop Ferdinando Maggioni † Titular Bishop of

Episcopal Lineage / Apostolic Succession: Pope John Paul II (1958) St. Karol Józef Wojtyła † Archbishop Eugeniusz Baziak † (1933) Archbishop of Lviv Archbishop Bolesław Twardowski † (1919) Archbishop of Lviv Archbishop St. Józef Bilczewski † (1901) Archbishop of Lviv Bishop Jan Maurycy Pawel Puzyna z Kosielsko † (1886) Bishop of Kraków Mieczyslaw Halka Cardinal Ledóchowski † (1861) Archbishop of Gniezno e Poznań Camillo Cardinal Di Pietro † (1839) Cardinal-Priest of San Giovanni a Porta Latina Chiarissimo Cardinal Falconieri Mellini † (1826) Archbishop of Ravenna Pope Leo XII (1794) Annibale Francesco Clemente Melchiore Girolamo Nicola della Genga † Henry Benedict Mary Clement Cardinal Stuart of York † (1758) Cardinal-Bishop of Frascati Pope Clement XIII (1743) Carlo della Torre Rezzonico † Pope Benedict XIV (1724) Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini † Pope Benedict XIII (1675) Pietro Francesco (Vincenzo Maria) Orsini de Gravina, O.P. † Paluzzo Cardinal Paluzzi Altieri Degli Albertoni † (1666) Chamberlain (Camerlengo) of the Apostolic Chamber Ulderico Cardinal Carpegna † (1630) Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria in Trastevere Luigi Cardinal Caetani † (1622) Cardinal-Priest of Santa Pudenziana Ludovico Cardinal Ludovisi † (1621) Archbishop of Bologna Archbishop Galeazzo Sanvitale † (1604) Archbishop Emeritus of Bari- Canosa Girolamo Cardinal Bernerio, O.P. † (1586) Cardinal-Bishop of Albano Giulio Antonio Cardinal Santorio † (1566) Cardinal-Priest of San Bartolomeo all’Isola Scipione Cardinal Rebiba † Cardinal-Priest of Sant’Anastasia Principal Consecrator of Bishop Gabriel (Régis) Balet, O.F.M. Cap. † (1985) Bishop Jean-Bosco Ntep (1993) Bishop Jan Ozga (1997) Bishop Dieudonné Bogmis (1999) Bishop Francis Teke Lysinge (1999) Archbishop Samuel Kleda (2001) Bishop George Nkuo (2006) Archbishop Denis Komivi Amuzu-Dzakpah (2007) Principal Co-Consecrator of: Archbishop Antoine Ntalou Bishop Agapitus Enuyehnyoh Nfon

 

 Integrity Award on 15 November 2011

Christian Cardinal Tumi from when he was a young priest organising local community meetings on the consequences of corruption to the present day leader of public opinion, His Eminence has been steadfast in his resolve to see Cameroon become a state where integrity is seen as a viable way of life for all.

In a country where public trust in government and the rule of law has been eroded by corruption, His Eminence has been a beacon of integrity for more than three decades. As a Cameroonian proverb goes “the darkness of night cannot stop the light of morning”, and Cardinal Tumi’s story serves as inspiration for all; proof that a life of honesty can illuminate the path for others to live with integrity, however dark the threats and temptations.

Cardinal Tumi was one of the first to publicly denounce commandement operationnel, a Cameroonian state special security force put in place in 2000 to tackle rising crime rates but allegedly resulting in torture and extrajudicial killings, according to human rights groups. Tumi subsequently led a church enquiry into the disappearance of citizens despite receiving death threats himself.

In a country where journalists often fear speaking the truth, Cardinal Tumi has fought for a free press and established a radio station, Radio Veritas or Truth Radio, which regularly denounces government corruption and calls for free and fair elections. His two books paint a critical picture of a country where democracy is absent and the abuse of power is widespread, but also convey a message of hope: that the integrity of its citizens can bring a brighter future for Cameroon.
Cardinal Christian Wiyghan Tumi, Archbishop emeritus of Douala (Cameroon), was born on October 15, 1930, in Kikaikelaki, Cameroon. He did his secondary studies at diocesan seminaries and at the seminaries of Ibadan, Bodija and Enugu in Nigeria. From 1969 to 1973 he obtained in Nigeria a Teachers' Training Grade; a University General Certificate of Education at Ordinary Level in London; a licentiate in theology at the Catholic Faculty of Lyon; a doctorate in philosophy at the Catholic University of Fribourg, Switzerland. He is well versed in his native dialect, Nso, Pidgin and Hausa, Latin, English, and French.

He was ordained a priest on April 17, 1966, in Soppo, diocese of Buéa and from 1966 to 1967 carried out his ministry as a parochial vicar at Fiango (Kumbo). From 1967 to 1969 he was a professor at the Bishop Rogan College minor seminary. In 1973, after having studied abroad, he returned to his diocese and was named rector of the major regional seminary of Bambui, archdiocese of Bamenda. He was also chaplain to the Association of Catholic Dames and was very involved in promoting the ecumenical movement, obtaining much esteem by Presbyterians and Baptists.
President of the presbyteral diocesan council, on December 6, 1979, he was elected the first bishop of the diocese of Yagoua, erected the same day. He received episcopal ordination on January 6, 1980, in St. Peter's Basilica. During his pastoral care, the local church developed rapidly, enriched with institutions and centers of formation, nursery schools and dispensaries.
Elected on April 23, 1982, vice-president of the Episcopal Conference, on November 19, 1982, he was promoted to Coadjutor Archbishop of Garoua. On March 17, 1984, he was made Archbishop.
In 1985 he was elected as president of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (until 1991). President of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), 1990 - 1994.
He participated in the 6th General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (1983) and in the extraordinary assembly of the Synod of Bishops of 1985.
President delegate to the 8th General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (1990); President delegate to the Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops (1994). He participated in the Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops (October 2009).
He was Archbishop of Douala from August 31, 1991, to November 17, 2009, when he became Archbishop emeritus.
He was created and proclaimed Cardinal by John Paul II in the Consistory of June 28, 1988, of the Title of Ss. Martiri dell'Uganda a Poggio Ameno (Martyrs of Uganda at Poggio Ameno).
(Biography courtesy of the Holy See Press Office)

He was ordained a priest on April 17, 1966, at Small Soppo, Diocese of Buéa and from 1966 to 1967 carried out his ministry as the parochial vicar at Fiango in Kumba. From 1967 to 1969 he was a professor at the Bishop Rogan College minor seminary. In 1973, after having studied abroad, he returned to his diocese and was named Rector of the Major Seminary of Bambui, Archdiocese of Bamenda. He was also chaplain to the Association of Catholic Dames and was very involved in promoting the Ecumenical Movement, obtaining much esteem by Presbyterians and Baptists.
President of the Presbyteral Diocesan Council, on December 6, 1979, he was elected the first Bishop of the Diocese of Yagoua, erected the same day. He received Episcopal Ordination on January 6, 1980, in the Saint Peter's Basilica. During his pastoral care, the local church developed rapidly, enriched with institutions and centers of formation, nursery schools and dispensaries.
Elected on April 23, 1982, vice-president of the Episcopal Conference, on November 19, 1982, he was promoted to Coadjutor Archbishop of Garoua. On March 17, 1984, he was made Archbishop.
In 1985 he was elected as president of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (until 1991). President of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), 1990 - 1994.
He participated in the 6th General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (1983) and in the Extraordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops of 1985.
President delegate to the 8th General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (1990); President Delegate to the Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops (1994). He participated in the Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops (October 2009).
He was Archbishop of Douala from August 31, 1991, to November 17, 2009, when he became Archbishop emeritus.
He was created and proclaimed Cardinal by John Paul II in the Consistory of June 28, 1988, of the Title of Ss. Martiri dell'Uganda a Poggio Ameno (Martyrs of Uganda at Poggio Ameno).
(Biography courtesy of the Holy See Press Office)