“Don’t give up on prayer”: Catholic Archbishop in Cameroon to Bereaved after Landslide

“I just want to tell you not to give up. Don’t give up on prayer for only God can lift you and give you the assurance that such tragedy will never happen again in this place,” the Local Ordinary of Yaoundé Archdiocese said.

Credit: Yaoundé Archdiocese

He continued, “We know that death is irreversible, but we must continue to live and think about the future in solidarity with those who have left us.”

At least 30 people died and 17 others were injured after a landslide triggered by heavy rains destroyed parts of the Mbankolo neighborhood, some 25 km from Yaoundé, BBC News reported. 

Credit: Yaoundé Archdiocese

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Some homes, built on slopes, collapsed and banana trees were uprooted as the Mefou River burst its banks. Bodies of the victims were reportedly taken to Yaoundé Central Hospital mortuary, while the injured were rushed to various hospitals.

On October 9, Cameroon’s Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, and his counterpart of Housing and Urban Development, Celestine Kecha Courtes, reportedly visited the site of the incident to assess the situation and provide solace to victims.

Credit: Yaoundé Archdiocese

In his October 10 address to the affected families, Archbishop Mbarge said, “We also came with the desire to understand what happened, (and) to see how the Church can accompany those affected. We are all affected by what happened in Mbankolo; nobody should be indifferent.”

He added, “We have begun a novena of prayer to accompany you in your grief. We must channel to God what we really feel in our hearts.”

Credit: Yaoundé Archdiocese

“May we ask God to give us wisdom to put in place necessary measures to ensure that nature is not against us. Nature was created for man and not against man,” Archbishop Mbarga said, and continued, “Let us all mobilize to put in place the necessary means to support these grieving families.”

The Local Ordinary of Yaoundé Archdiocese implored, “May the souls of our beloved brothers and sisters who died in this tragedy rest in peace. May God comfort the grieving families and offer them the necessary force to overcome this tragedy with hope.”

The disaster comes almost a year after at least 14 people died in another landslide in Cameroon’s capital city, Yaoundé.

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.