CBC Sends Forth Outgoing Executive President in Utter Celebration
Quitting the stage when the music is loudest in our context where power is a highly priced commodity leaves us with mixed feelings of anxiety, curiosity, confusion and even celebration.
Yet, celebration overshadowed the atmosphere on Sunday, January 5, 2024 when CBC Christians, civil authority members, friends and relatives jammed full Etoug-Ebe Baptist Church in Yaounde to send-forth Rev. Dr. Nditemeh Charlemagne, outgoing Executive President of the Cameroon Baptist Convention (CBC). He took everyone unawares when he declined to take a possible second mandate at the helm of the CBC Church in the lastly organized decentralized elections.
Rev. Dr. Nditemeh outlined two reasons why he and his family decided to step aside from seeking re-election. The first one was to give peace a chance for unity and reconciliation to happen in the CBC and the second was to match his public action of equity.
“For 70 years since the autonomy of the CBC in 1954, only one leader from the South West region has led the CBC at the pinnacle. The history of the CBC militates for equity…. My humble decision – critical it was though – to shy away from standing for a second mandate was conceived to see a dream come true on the sands of time namely, giving the chance to a qualified servant of God from the South West region to lead the CBC after 40 years,” Rev. Dr. Nditemeh narrated amidst thunderous applause.
He called upon all CBC Christians to give full and unflinching support to the incoming CBC Executive President, Rev. Dr. Teke John. According to Rev. Dr. Nditemeh Charlemagne, “The best of CBC Executive President is yet to come; not the ones in the past, less still the ones on board, and let alone the one that is leaving the stage”.
Rev. Njobara Nelson, pastor of Salvation CBC Church in Molyko, Buea had another opportunity to preach at Rev. Dr. Nditemeh Charlemagne’s farewell just as he did during his induction service some four years ago. In a thrilling sermon on the topic, “You still have the choice” from Joshua 24:14-17, Rev. Njobara Nelson said Rev. Dr. Nditemeh had another chance to be elected for a second mandate as CBC Executive President but like Joshua, he made his choice carefully to decline for the sake of peace to return to the CBC. Like Joshua whose leadership had a lasting impact on Israel because he and his family chose to serve God at all cost, the prelate related that Rev. Dr. Nditemeh has chosen to opt for peace at a time when the destiny of the Convention is at crossroads.
With this unique example from the outgoing Executive President, Rev. Njobara called on CBC Christians who thronged the Etoug-Ebe Baptist Church for the send-forth ceremony to emulate Joshua and Rev. Dr. Nditemeh in making their choices carefully in favour of God, peace and justice and not for self. Like other speakers after him, such as HRM Senator Fon Chafah Isaac of Bangolan, the Man of God condemned the cases in court against the CBC as an affront to God.
The newly elected CBC leaders led by the in-coming Chairman and Executive President coordinated the parting rites with the outgoing team. The in-coming Executive President, Rev. Teke John led in the prayer session for God to open another ministry door to Rev. Dr. Nditemeh Charlemagne.
For the sake of history, Rev. Nditemeh Charlemagne has gone down as the 14th CBC leader and the second Executive President. His 4-year mandate was tagged on the mantra of Truth, Equity and Justice for which he faced much resistance in the implementation. However, despite the challenges, in his words, “The CBC has witnessed tremendous progress during this period. We have seen the school property in Bafoussam bought and transformed into two campuses (BABICAST and BABINAPS). For a truth, there has been more than this at exit!”
