Cameroon Baptist Convention : Come Join Rev. Dr. Teke John’s Peace, Development Wagon!

It is a new dawn in the Cameroon Baptist Convention, CBC. With the coming of Rev. Dr. Teke John Ekema, formerly Senior Pastor of Mizpah Baptist Church, Limbe in the South West Region for the past 20 years. Who, since Saturday. January 11, 2025, has taken up a new role. And perhaps, the most challenging ever in his ministry. 

New CBC Chief Executive 
Thus becoming the Executive President and 15th leader of the CBC. And by this, also making history. Rev. Dr. Teke becomes the second Minister of God from the South West Region to lead the CBC in 70 years of its existence. The first having held the position over 40 years ago. Twelve CBC leaders have all been from the North West Region, while one was a foreign missionary.

Dignitaries Present 
The history-making and mammoth-crowd-pulling event held in Nkwen Baptist Church, Bamenda, in the North West Region. In the presence of the Governor of the North West Region, Adolphe Lele L’Afrique, the Senior Divisional Officer for Mezam, Simon Emile Mooh and other dignitaries. 

The New CBC Team
During which Rev. Dr. Teke John Ekema was inducted alongside the new CBC Chairperson, Kongor John Kwa and the Vice CBC Chairperson, Mrs. Caroline Sofa, by the outgone CBC Executive President, Rev. Dr. Nditemeh Charlemagne. All three were elected in the November 21, 2024 CBC decentralized General Session which held in 12 centres across the country. 

Freedom From Slavery, Debts 
“2025 is a year of jubilee. Biblically, this stands for freedom from slavery and the cancellation of debts (Isaiah 61:1). It is also a year of forgiveness and reconciliation; and a year of peace and total restoration. I appeal, again I appeal, to our brothers who took the CBC to court to please withdraw all the cases and let us come back home together as a family,” Rev. Dr, Teke pleaded while addressing worshippers soon after being inducted. 

Of Pain, Anger, Revenge, Retaliation 
“I pray that in this year of jubilee, the Lord will help us to cancel every debt of pain and anger, and revenge and retaliation against one another. May we forgive each other and may the Lord Almighty heal every broken heart and bind up every wound inflicted as a result of our person-to-person and interpersonal actions and reactions. Someone has said to forgive is to set a prisoner free, only to discover that prisoner was you,” he insisted.

Peace, Holistic Development 
“The theme of the CBC in 2025 is “Peace be with you” (John 14:27). My vision for the CBC is peace and holistic development. We can only achieve this if we follow the wisdom of Albert Einstein who said: “Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding,” Rev. Dr. Teke underscored.

Jesus’ Peace 
Pleading, “May we truly accept the peace our Lord Jesus left with us so that together in a peaceful environment we can achieve meaningful holistic development. The peace locomotive has taken off and so I invite everyone who truly loves peace and the CBC in general to jump in and let us travel together. Remember, time is not on our side and our journey here on earth is very short.” 

Of Sponsored Litigations 
Rev. Dr. Nditemeh expressed hope that Rev. Dr. Teke throughout his tenure will never appear in court sued by any “retired or unemployed CBC church members sponsored by someone in the CBC.” And that Rev. Dr. Teke will never receive an “unsigned letter written by a collection of former leaders of the CBC (to simply sign and implement).” He wished Rev. Dr. Teke and his team the peace of God. Rev. Dr. Nditemeh said the CBC Executive President at official functions puts on a grey-collared shirt and sash, and no other CBC pastor is authorized to do same.  

Official Regalia 
Rev. Dr. Charlemagne thereafter handed a sash to Rev. Dr. Teke John and Certificates of Assumption of Duty to Kongor John Kwa and Mrs. Sofa Caroline, insisting that there were tenable for their five-year tenure. He then led the congregation in saying a pledge of commitment to the new CBC leadership, calling for the Lord’s blessings and protection on them. 

The Sermon 
A former CBC leader, Rev. Nyumnloh Peter, preached on “From Gloom to Glory” (Nehemiah 1:1-12). The scripture was read by Rev. Dr. Donald Ndichafah, another former leader of the CBC. Rev. Nyumnloh spoke on hope and resilience in the face of challenges. The induction ceremony was coordinated by Rev. Ngalla Godlove and Brother Wango Barnabas. Earlier on Friday, January 10, 2025, the hand-over ceremony held in the CBC headquarters, the Baptist Centre, Nkwen, Bamenda.

Teke John Ekema’s Biography 
Rev. Dr. Teke John Ekema was born on February 5, 1980 in Bokwaongo, Buea in the South West Region of Cameroon. He got married in 2006 to Joy Tiku Taba Mbu. Before his election as Cameroon Baptist Convention Executive President in November 2024, Rev. Dr Teke was for 20 years the Senior Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, New Town, Limbe. He is a member of the CBC Ministerial Council and the Vice Chair of the CBC Missions and Evangelism Board.

His Education 
He holds a Bachelor of Theology degree from the Cameroon Baptist Theological Seminary, Ndu in Donga-Mantung Division, North West Region of Cameroon. A Master of Divinity from the Africa International University, Nairobi, Kenya (2011) and a Doctor of Ministry in Practical Theology from the same university (2018). 

Mrs. Caroline Sofa
Mrs. Teh Monteh Caroline epouse Sofa, the CBC Vice Chairperson, is the first ever Francophone to rise to such a high position in the CBC. Born in 1974, she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Biology from the University of Dschang and a Maitrise in Parasitology from the University of Yaounde I. A State Registered Nurse, Mrs. Sofa also holds a Master’s degree in Project Management and Evaluation from the University of Yaounde II, Soa. She is currently a PhD student in Public Health and Hygiene in the Faculty of Health and Sciences of the University of Buea. Mrs. Sofa is a staff with the Ministry of Public Health.      

Kongor John Kwa
The new CBC Chairperson was born in 1963. A retired high school Physics teacher and principal, John Kongor is a disciple maker and counselor trainer. A two-term CBC Education Board Chair, Kongor is currently a member of the CBC Board of Trustees. He describes himself as the “Real JOHN” – “J” standing for justice; “O” for obedience; “H” for honesty and “N” for nobility. 

The Second In 70 Years 
Also in his address, Rev. Dr. Teke John Ekema commended CBC Christians who overwhelmingly voted for him on November 21, 2024 in the decentralized CBC General Session elections. And those who did not vote for him, saying they simply exercised their democratic right. He recalled that he was the second person from the South West Region to rise to the leadership of the CBC in 70 years of autonomy of the church.      ...