By signing the strike call-off:

Afu Stephen has betrayed the Church

– Rev. Kang Denis

Afu Stephen, head of the Presbyterian Education Authority Teachers’ Trade Union (PEATTU)

Following the abortive attempt last month by some Teachers’ Trade Union Leaders to call off ongoing strike action in Anglophone Cameroon, some startling revelations are beginning to unfold.

                The latest is coming from a Senior Pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, the Rev. Kang Denis. The Pastor has said that the Presbyterian Church was disappointed by the decision of Afu Stephen, head of the Presbyterian Education Authority Teachers’ Trade Union (PEATTU) to join other Trade Union leaders to call off the Teachers’ strike last month.

                Preaching during Ash Wednesday service, which begins the period of Lent, culminating in Easter, the Parish Pastor of PCC Nsimeyong, Yaoundé, lamented how man could betray man especially during trying moments. He made reference to Afu Stephen, stating that he betrayed the people and joined others to call off the strike action when issues have not been resolved. “Afu Stephen failed the church,” Kang said. “At a time when the Moderator was in Akwaya with other Pastors in a Thanksgiving service, Afu Stephen was in Bamenda putting his signature to the document calling off the strike,” Kang stated emotionally, adding that the church was very disappointed with his decision.

                As he continued the sermon, drawn from the Temptation of Jesus as recorded in Luke 4:1-13, and the Love of God for humanity despite all odds as written in John’s Gospel, 3:16-18, Rev. Kang observed that even though Jesus was tempted and under pressure he did not give up. He instead sacrificed His life just to give man Victory. Making allusions to the current strike action, he said, Afu Stephen excuse to them was that “the pressure was too much on us.”

                The Rev. Kang Denis is an outspoken Pastor noted for his unflinching public rebuke of government. He is known to regularly preach against government’s marginalization of Anglophones and its mismanagement of the current situation in most of his sermons. He is the Parish Pastor of the PCC Nsimeyong, Yaoundé, one of the biggest congregations of the PCC and harbours some of the regime’s top barons.