Pope Leo XIV made a powerful pitch for justice, peace and breaking “the chains of corruption” in his first speech in Cameroon, just two hours after arriving in this country of 30 million people from over 200 ethnic and even more linguistic groups.
He spoke at the presidential palace in Yahoundé after a state welcome at the airport, with a 21-gun salute and guard of honor. But the real welcome was given by an ecstatic crowd of hundreds of children, young people and women wearing colorful dresses featuring images of Leo gathered outside the airport, waving Vatican and Cameroon flags, who shouted, sang and danced when they saw him.
In Algeria, there were no crowds on the streets or anywhere except at the two churches that he visited, but in Cameroon, the atmosphere has been festive. Tens of thousands lined the streets when he drove through Yahoundé, the capital city with a population of five million, to reach the fortress-like presidential palace, called “The Palace of Unity.”
A big cheer went up when he arrived at the palace and when the country’s 93-year-old president, Paul Biya, who has ruled this land since 1982, came out to welcome him, just as he previously welcomed Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI to this majority-Christian country, eight million of whom are Catholic.
Speaking after the president, Pope Leo expressed “deep joy” at being in Cameroon, which, he said, is often described as “Africa in miniature” because of “the richness of its lands, cultures, languages and traditions.”
Ending the ‘logic of violence’
Addressing the state authorities, cardinals, bishops, representatives of civil society and the diplomatic corps, he said, “I come among you as a shepherd and as a servant of dialogue, fraternity and peace,” with “the desire to encourage each of you to keep moving forward with enthusiasm and perseverance in building the common good.”
He noted that “we are living at a time when hopelessness is rampant and a sense of powerlessness tends to paralyze the renewal so deeply desired by peoples.” But, at the same time, he said: “There is such a hunger and thirst for justice! A thirst for getting involved, for a vision, for courageous choices and for peace!” He said he wished “to reach the hearts of all” and “especially young people, who are called to help shape a world that is more just, including in the political sphere.”
The political situation in Cameroon is unstable. As Ludovic Lado, S.J., told America before the papal trip, “[W]e pray that his visit will work miracles for peace and justice in a country with nearly 2,000 political prisoners and mired in civil war in the Anglophone regions for almost 10 years.” There is also an influx of refugees from the Central African Republic, whose condition has been made even more precarious because of cuts to foreign aid from the United States and other countries.
In a speech that seemed targeted at those in positions of power, Pope Leo said that “serving one’s country means dedicating oneself, with a clear mind and an upright conscience, to the common good of all people in the nation” and “this includes dedication to both the majority of the population and the minorities.”
Cameroon, he said, faces “complex difficulties” and is experiencing “tensions and violence” that “have caused profound suffering,” referring to what is often called the Anglophone crisis: A separatist movement in English-speaking parts of the country has risen against the Francophone central government and displaced some 648,000 people. “Lives have been lost, families displaced, children deprived of schooling and young people no longer see a future. Behind the numbers are the faces, stories and shattered hopes of real people,” Leo said.
Given this dramatic situation, Leo called on the people of Cameroon “to reject the logic of violence and war, and to embrace a peace founded on love and justice. A peace that is unarmed, that is, not based on fear, threats or weapons, and at the same time disarming because it is capable of resolving conflicts, opening hearts and generating trust, empathy and hope.”
“Peace cannot be decreed: It must be embraced and lived,” he told them. “It is a gift from God, which unfolds through patient and collective effort. It is everyone’s responsibility, beginning with civil authorities.”
In a speech delivered in French that drew frequent applause, Leo, drawing inspiration from St. Augustine’s The City of God, went on to speak of good government and said: “To govern means to love one’s own country as well as neighboring countries; the commandment ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ is equally applicable to international relations! To govern means truly listening to citizens, valuing their intelligence and their ability to help build lasting solutions to problems.”
Such an approach, he said, requires that “civil society must be recognized as a vital force for national cohesion.” He added, “Cameroon is ready for this transition!” and said associations, women’s and youth organizations, trade unions and humanitarian N.G.O.s, as well as traditional and religious leaders, “can all play an irreplaceable role in weaving the fabric of social peace.”
He praised “the role played by women” in society but denounced the fact that “they are often the first victims of prejudice and violence, and yet they are tireless peacemakers.” He praised their “commitment to education, mediation and the rebuilding of the social fabric” that “serves to curb corruption and abuses of power.” He insisted that “their voice must be fully recognized in decision-making processes.”
Breaking the ‘chains of corruption
Speaking fearlessly in the presence of the authorities, he threw the spotlight on the root causes of many problems in Cameroon by calling for “transparency in the management of public resources and respect for the rule of law.”
He told them, “It is time to examine our conscience and take a bold leap forward. Just and credible institutions become pillars of stability. Public authorities are called to serve as bridges, never as sources of division, even when insecurity seems prevalent.” He acknowledged that “security is a priority” but insisted “it must always be exercised with respect for human rights, combining rigor and magnanimity, with particular attention to the most vulnerable.”
Leo told those in authority that “for peace and justice to prevail, the chains of corruption—which disfigure authority and strip it of its credibility—must be broken. Hearts must be set free from an idolatrous thirst for profit: True profit comes from integral human development, that is, the balanced growth of all the aspects that make life on this earth a blessing.”
Transparency International has ranked Cameroon 142nd out of the 182 countries evaluated on corruption in public office, impunity for corrupt officials, restricted civic space and limited access to justice.
On the positive side, he noted that Cameroon “possesses the human, cultural and spiritual resources necessary to overcome trials and conflicts and move toward a future of stability and shared prosperity” and many young people “who represent the hope of the country and of the church.” But he warned that “while unemployment and social exclusion persist, frustration can lead to violence.” He called for “investing in the education, training and entrepreneurship of young people” as “a strategic choice for peace” and as “the only way to curb the outflow of wonderful talent to other parts of the world” and “to combat the scourges of drugs, prostitution and apathy, which are devastating too many young lives.”
He highlighted two other assets that can help to overcome the country’s problems: first, that “young people in Cameroon possess a deep spirituality that still resists the homogenizing influence of the market”; second, the religious traditions in the country because “when they are not twisted by the poison of fundamentalism, religious traditions inspire prophets of peace, justice, forgiveness and solidarity.”
Christianity is the majority religion in Cameroon (about 60 percent of the population), but Islam also has a significant presence (25 percent). Pope Leo told the authorities that “by fostering interreligious dialogue and involving religious leaders in initiatives of mediation and reconciliation, politics and diplomacy can draw upon moral forces capable of easing tensions, preventing extremism and promoting a culture of mutual esteem and respect.”
He assured them that the Catholic Church desires to serve “all citizens without distinction” through its efforts in education, health care and charity, and said it “also wishes to work in good faith with civil authorities and all those involved in efforts to promote human dignity and reconciliation.”
Pope Leo concluded his challenging speech by asking God to bless “the entire Cameroonian people—Christians and non-Christians alike,” and to help them “build together a future of justice and peace.”
The audience applauded at the end. After the visit to the palace, Leo went to a nearby orphanage to meet the children and staff. It houses 64 children, including both orphans and children from impoverished homes. Tomorrow, he will fly to Bamenda, the heart of Anglophone Cameroon, and there continue his pitch for justice and peace.
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