By Hope Nda
Buea Diocese, which is the oldest Roman Catholic Diocese in Cameroon, celebrated its 75th anniversary Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at the Divine Mercy Co-Cathedral by awarding medals to dozens of clergymen, faithful Christians and officials who have contributed to its growth.
The anniversary celebration was presided over by the Apostolic Nuncio to Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, Archbishop Jose Avelino Bettencourt, who was dressed in the Bakweri traditional regalia the previous day and honoured with the title, Mola Lyonga Eyole.
Among dozens of medallists was the Bishop Emeritus of Buea, Mgr. Emmanuel Bushu, who shepherded the Diocese from 2006 to 2019 when he retired from priestly service to give way to Bishop Michael Bibi.
Bushu is credited, in the Diocese’s anniversary book edited by venerated History Professor Victor Julius Ngoh, for spearheading the construction of the largest Church building in the Diocese—the 5,000 capacity Divine Mercy Co-Cathedral.
The construction of the Cathedral was launched in 2009 but the project was only completed in 2024 and inaugurated in January 2025.
Other achievements of Mgr. Emmanuel Bushu include the Catholic humanitarian service, CARITAS, which he created in the Diocese in 2009; he constructed Our Lady of Grace Shrine at Meveo-Sasse and created the Catholic University Institute of Buea, alongside several other learning institutions.
However, after his retirement, issues surrounding the management of the Catholic University and other diocesan properties brought Bishop Bibi into conflict with Mgr. Bushu, who was at one point prohibited from celebrating Mass in the Diocese—a decision that was later overturned.
Bishop Bushu’s honour medal, which many saw as well-placed, was greeted with a thunderous applause from the crowd of Christians who came from the Diocese’s seven Deaneries and 40 Parishes.
The Archbishop of Bamenda and President of the Episcopal Conference of Cameroon, His Grace Andrew Nkea, received a medal too, as well as the Bishop of Kumbo, Mgr George Nkuo, who held a position in Buea before his appointment to Kumbo.
Other awardees included the Governor of the Southwest, Bernard Okalia Bilai; the National President of Catholic Men Association, Okie Johnson; business magnate, Kate Kanyi-Tometi Fotso; the CEO of Biaka Group, Dr Francisca Hongla Biaka, among others.
Priests and nuns who had served in the Buea Diocese for over 30 years received medals as well; while several lay faithful who dedicated decades of service in their various Parishes received honour medals too.
The awards were preceded by a Mass which Archbishop Bettencourt celebrated in the presence of the five Bishops of the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province and some Bishops from the Francophone regions, including Archbishop Samuel Kleda of Douala.
In his homily, Bettencourt charged Christians to firmly set their eyes on eternal life, which he said should be the goal of every believer.
He praised the early missionaries, Christians and Catechists who laid the foundation of the Buea Diocese and called on Christians to continue supporting their Bishop and remain united with him.
He also used the event to pray for the Cardinals who were in Conclave at that time to elect a new Pope. They eventually elected American-born Cardinal Robert Prevost, who opted for the name Pope Leo XIV.
Bishops with Governor and other officials during 75th anniversary celebration
Bishop Bibi Says Time For Buea To Become Archdiocese
Monsignor Michael Bibi, who has been Bishop of Buea since 2020, thinks it is time for the Diocese to become an Archdiocese after 75 years of existence.
In a speech that opened the 75th anniversary celebration, Michael Bibi described the Buea Diocese as “the mother Diocese” and thanked God for enabling Christians to continue keeping up the faith.
Tracing the history of the Diocese, he said Buea has given birth to several Dioceses, including Mamfe, Kumba, Bamenda and Kumbo.
“You can see for yourself that Buea Diocese is growing and the Buea Diocese needs many favours from the Catholic Church because of the faith that has been handed to this Diocese from one generation to the other,” he said, addressing the Apostolic Nuncio.
However, the decision on whether to uplift the Buea Diocese into an Archdiocese rests on the Holy See at the Vatican.
Bishop Bibi said they were celebrating a “legacy of faith” that the Diocese has kept since its creation on April 18, 1950.
He is the fifth Bishop of Buea. His predecessors include Mgr. Peter Rogan (1950–1961); Mgr. Jules Peeters (1962–1971); Mgr. Pius Suh Awa (1972–2006); Mgr. Emmanuel Bushu (2006–2019).
Bishop Michael Bibi, who is described as a project-oriented Bishop, is credited for bringing financial sanity into the Diocese, and for fast tracking the realisation of key Diocesan projects, including the Divine Mercy Co-Cathedral.
In five years, he has also moved the number of Catholic primary schools in the Diocese from 55 to 60; extended the Catholic University Institute of Buea’s campus to Douala; constructed the Bishop Pius Awah Memorial Pastoral Centre with a 1,000-seater hall; constructed the Mount Mary Hospital and created the Divine Mercy Television.
In evangelism, Mgr. Bibi has repeatedly led pastoral missions to the most enclaved parts of the Diocese to encourage believers caught in the Anglophone Crisis.
He has also created four new Parishes, moving the total to 40.
The prelate said more work needs to be done to keep the Catholic faith alive in Buea Diocese.
“Together with members of Christ lay faithful, the religious, the priests and myself, we are going to sit and have an evaluation of the state of the Diocese,” he said.
“Of course, there are things that are existing that are good that we have to maintain, there are also certain things that we may need to take some decisions and give proposals on how we can live and live better in a united way in communion with one another.”