Ecclesiastical province Bamenda Denomination Roman Catholic Area 8,600 km² Country Cameroon Secular priests 83 | Parishes 27 Rite Latin Rite Bishop George Nkuo Metropolitan archbishop Cornelius Fontem Esua | |
 | ||
Territory Comprises Bui and Donga-Mantung Divisions. Population
- Total
- Catholics (as of 2011)
789,000
202,543 (25.7%) | ||
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kumbo (Latin: Dioecesis Kumboënsis) is a Roman Catholic diocese in the Ecclesiastical Province of Bamenda in Cameroon. The first German settlers were Missionaries of the Sacred Heart who arrived in 1912 and established their mission in 1913. The Diocese of Kumbo was erected by Pope John Paul II on Thursday, 18 March 1982, with territory taken from the then Diocese (now Archdiocese) of Bamenda. It is a suffragan diocese of the Metropolitan See of Bamenda along with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buea and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Mamfe.
Contents
- Religious Data
- Pastoral Zones and Special churches
- Leadership
- Governance
- Religious Communities
- Catholic Education
- Other services
- References
The Diocese of Kumbo is made up of two civil administrative units, namely, Bui and Donga-Mantung Divisions in the North West Region of the Republic of Cameroon. Bui Division is further divided into 6 subdivisions: Kumbo Central, Jakiri, Oku, Mbven, Nkum and Noni, while Donga-Mantung Division is divided into 5 subdivisions, viz: Nkambe Central, Ndu, Ako, Misaje and Nwa.
The territory of Bui and Donga-Mantung Divisions situated in the Bamenda grassfields area of the North West Region of Cameroon covers a surface area of 8,000square kilometers (3,090 Square Miles) with a population of approximately 789,000 of whom over 202,543 (25.7%) are Catholics. There are 11 ethnic groups: Nso’ tribe, the Oku tribe and the Noni tribe in Bui Division, and the Wimbum, Mbembe, Jukum, Nchanti, Mfumte, Yamba, Mbaw and Mambila tribes in Donga-Mantung Division. Each of these tribes has its own language and dialects.
Considering the fact that the average annual population growth is about 2.36%, the total population of the diocese has grown from 653,244 in 1998 to 734,052 in 2003. Since the area of the territory is about 8,000 km2, the population density is about 92 people per km2. This is one of the densely populated Catholic dioceses in Cameroon.
Religious Data
There are three main religious groups in the Diocese of Kumbo, namely, the Christians, the Muslims or (also spelled Moslems) and the adherents of the African Traditional Religion. The present statistics reveal that the adherents of the African Traditional Religion are still the majority, followed by the Christians in the second place and then the Moslems. The Christians are further regrouped into Catholics, Presbyterians, Baptists and some Evangelical and Pentecostal Communities like the Churches of Christ and the Deeper Life Church. The population of this latter group is very insignificant, made up mainly of drop-outs from the other Christian groups.
1. The Catholic Population
The Catholic population has continued to grow steadily, with an average of about 4,140 baptisms per year, and about 5,429 catechumens per year.
2. The Protestant Population
Unfortunately we do not have any statistics of the main Protestant Churches, namely, the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon (PCC) and the Cameroon Baptist Convention (CBC). But considering the growth rate of the population, it could be said that their population is increasing proportionately.
The evangelical groups, like the Churches of Christ and Deeper Life Church, which can be considered as sects, recruit their followers from the mainline Protestant Churches. They are very active among students and young people.
3. Islam
It is equally difficult, if not impossible, to get statistics about the Muslims, because it is not likely that they keep such statistics. However, from the number of mosques which are sprouting up here and there both in villages and in townships it is evident that their population is increasing. The fact that they are founding a number of educational institutions, both primary schools and colleges, also shows this. In Kumbo Urban Area there are two Islamic Secondary Schools and a Teacher Training College.
The Moslem population is made up of the traditionally Islamic tribes, the hausa people, the Fulanis and the Wodaabe or the Bororo people, who are mostly grazers, and those from the local tribes who have been islamized. The greater bulk of this category and of the Moslems in general is found among the Nso Tribe. They are quite active but not aggressive. They win some of their converts, especially women, through marriage and by giving cows as baits to the young people who want to get rich overnight.
4. The African Traditional Religions
The adherents of the African Traditional Religions still constitute the bulk of the population. As with Islam, there are no statistics about them. But, considering the fact that the percentage of the Christian population is decreasing, we presume that the percentage of their population is also rising. It is about 67%. Nevertheless with the increasing rural exodus of the young people and with the onslaught of secularization, materialism and modernism and the consequent breakdown of the structures of traditional society and culture, the African Traditional Religions is gradually losing ground.
Pastoral Zones and Special churches
The cathedral is Saint Therese of the Child Jesus Cathedral in Kumbo. Below is a full list of Deaneries and Parishes in the two civil administrative units that make up the Diocese of Kumbo.
Leadership
Governance
The diocese of Kumbo is led by
- The Bishop
- The Vicar-General
- Two Episcopal Delegates or Vicars
- The Vicar for Catechists
- The Vicar for Laity
- The Council of Priests
- The Chairman for the Association of Diocesan Priests (ADP)
Additionally, there is a Presbyteral Council, various consultative Committees and Commissions and each Deanery has a Dean or a Vicar Forane.
Religious Communities
MALE CONGREGATIONS
Priests
Brothers
FEMALE CONGREGATIONS
Catholic Education
Vocational Training
Secondary Education
Other services
The Diocese of Kumbo, in addition to the work within the 27 parishes, operates some services centrally. The best known of these are BEPHA (the Diocesan Service for Health Care), the Printing and Communication Centre (PCC), a Carpentry and Construction Department, a Mechanical and Technical Training Centre (MTTC) and the Catholic Book Centre (CABOC). The Diocese also operates Pilot Agricultural Training Projects at Mfumte, Mbiame and Misaje.
The Diocese is also runs the FACTS Project for Catholic schools and colleges.There are also outreach programmes for orphans and vulnerable children. The diocese is also home to Community Based Organization (CBO) programme for local communities and underprivileged children.