Christian Cardinal Wiyghan Tumi

Christian Cardinal Wiyghan Tumi was born on 15 October 1930 in Kikaikelaki, a small village in Nsoland in the Northwest Region of English-speaking Cameroon. He did his seminary studies in Nigeria, then went on to earn a licentiate in theology in Lyon, France, and a doctorate in philosophy at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. Ordained a priest on 17 April 1966, he served in many capacities in the Diocese of Buea before being appointed the first Rector of the sole Major Seminary in Bambui in the English-speaking part of Cameroon.

Pope John Paul II appointed him the first bishop of the Diocese of Yagoua in 1979. In 1984, he was appointed the Archbishop of Garoua and was created a Cardinal-Priest in 1988. He was named the Archbishop of Douala on 31 August 1991 where he served until his retirement. He recently celebrated his 90th birthday anniversary a few months before being abducted, and held overnight, by secessionist forces in the restive English-speaking Northwest Region of Cameroon. That abduction is the subject of this publication.