wfn.org | Rev. Dr. Nyansako-Ni-Nku of Cameroon is New AACC President

[cfouke@ncccusa.org]

For Immediate Release

Photo Follows

REV. DR. NYANSAKO-NI-NKU OF CAMEROON IS NEW AACC PRESIDENT

November 27, 2003, Yaounde, Cameroon -- Applause and cheers met the 
following announcement as the All African Conference of Churches 8th 
Assembly closed Thursday evening:  "We have a new President, and it's the 
Rev. Dr. Nyansako-Ni-Nku of Cameroon." 

The news of the election of Dr. Nku of Buea, Cameroon, Moderator of the 
Presbyterian Church in Cameroon and Second Vice President of the 
Federation of Protestant Churches and Missions in Cameroon, came from the 
AACC's outgoing President, the Rev. Dr. Kwesi Dickson of Ghana.

Dr. Nku was promptly serenaded by a Cameroonian choir - which offered a 
selection from South Africa.

In a news conference Friday morning (Nov. 28), he stressed the importance 
of good communications and of a strong voice from the churches.

"There is such a paralyzing fear for people to criticize their 
governments because of the consequences," he said.  "The only salvation 
for the people is to listen to the church.  The church has to have high 
morals and to raise strong ethical issues."

He said, "The churches have a responsibility to raise concerns of justice 
and of equitable sharing of resources.	It means the church must conduct 
itself with such integrity that its words carry weight.  We must set our 
own house in order.

"Greed," Dr. Nku said, "is one of the greatest poisons of our time.  Why 
build many houses and own many cars when you can only sleep on one bed at 
a time?"

One of the AACC's tasks, he said, is to "get the information, analyze and 
expose the injustice Africa has been exposed to on a daily basis."  He 
had harsh words for leaders who engage in "massive looting of resources" 
and who "instead of addressing poverty use the funds to enrich the rich."

Dr. Nku, who served as General Secretary of his denomination before being 
named Moderator four years ago, is author of several books, 
including "Cameroon, Keep God," a collection of sermons, and "Days of Our 
Lives."  He edited "Journey of Faith," a history of the Presbyterian 
Church in Cameroon, and "Footprints," theological essays.

"We must proclaim the Gospel with willingness to resist the threats to 
our lives," Dr. Nku said.  "I belong to the theology that you have to 
identify the demons and name them by name.  That is very risky.  We who 
are called to ministry must realize the call to discipleship has its 
costs."

Dr. Nku also spoke a strong word for inclusion of all in the life of the 
church and the rebuilding of Africa.

"I think what I have heard the Assembly say over and over is that all 
Africans have to be full participants in the reconstruction of the 
continent," he said.  "That's why we spent a whole day on HIV/AIDS so 
that people with HIV infection not be so stigmatized that they not be 
able to make their contribution to the rebuilding of Africa.  The idea is 
to be a completely inclusive community and not an exclusive one."

As the AACC embarks on the next five years, he said, "We will start with 
the most urgent social problems."  One is HIV/AIDS, and the AACC's 
program will include an advocacy component, Dr. Nku promised.

"Pharmaceutical companies have been Africa as another big market - that's 
an open secret," he said.  He envisioned "our General Secretary, backed 
up by leaders of our churches and of Africa, combining to serve up a 
strong lobby to ensure that the money meant for AIDS victims doesn't go 
for high-profile jobs or meaningless conferences while people are 
suffering."

Asked his views on Christianity's relationship to African indigenous 
religions, Dr. Nku acknowledged the latter's value and the importance of 
communicating the Christian Gospel in the context of African culture, 
adding, "When Christianity comes into head-on conflict with our culture, 
Christ must be supreme."

Dr. Nku, the new President, has been associated with the ecumenical 
movement for many years. He attended the AACC's 1974 Assembly in Lusaka 
as a youth delegate and later wrote the report of that Assembly, 
entitled "The Struggle Continues."  He also attended the Nairobi and Lome 
Assemblies.  

He has served his church as head of its Communication Department, having 
received communication training at the AACC's communications training 
center in 1971 and began his career as a broadcaster and journalist.  He 
studied journalism in England (Sheffield) and earned a double masters in 
sacred theology and communications in the United States.  He also has 
taken coursework at the World Council of Churches' Ecumenical Institute 
in Bossey, Switzerland.

Dr. Nku was a delegate at the WCC Conference on Ecumenical Sharing of 
Resources in El Escorial, Spain, in 1987.  He led his church's delegation 
to the WCC Assembly in Harare, Zimbabwe, in 1998.  Dr. Nku is a member of 
the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches and a 
member of the Executive Committee of the World Alliance of Reformed 
Churches.

He describes himself as an "intensely family man."  Dr. Nku is married to 
Grace Mbong, a secondary school teacher of history.  They have four 
children: two girls and two boys.

In the Assembly's closing hours, delegates also elected vice presidents 
from each of the AACC's regions and a new 40-member General Committee.	
All will serve through the time of the AACC's next Assembly in about five 
years' time.

Thus the AACC goes forward with the following leadership:

The Rev. Dr. Nyansako-Ni-Nku, Presbyterian, Cameroon, President.

Vice Presidents:

East Africa - Ms Hellen Wangusa, Anglican, Uganda
Northern Africa - H.E. Metropolitan Seraphine, Greek Orthodox 
(Alexandria), Egypt
Southern Africa - the Rev. Gertrude Kapama, Presbyterian, Malawi
West Africa - Rev. Dr. Simon Kossi Dossou, Methodist, Benin

All play an important AACC leadership role while continuing in their 
current positions.  They will work closely with the Rev. Dr. Mvume 
Dandala, Methodist, South Africa, General Secretary.  On the job since 
Sept. 1, he is the AACC's top staff member, based at headquarters in 
Nairobi, Kenya.  G.S. is a full-time salaried position.

-end-

Carol Fouke-Mpoyo  AACC

AACC Media Team: (011) 237 966 3059 or 3063 through 11/29
Thereafter: AACC Communications, Nairobi: 254 20 444 1338/9
In the U.S.: 212-870-2252; In South Africa: 27 82 784-7693

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