Pope Francis appoints Fr. Bruno Ateba Edo as first Cameroonian Bishop of Maroua-Mokolo

On Saturday, April 5, 2014, Pope Francis appointed 50-year old Fr. Bruno Ateba as the first Cameroonian Bishop of Maroua-Mokolo Diocese.

Native of Zoétélé in the South Region, Cameroon, Fr. Bruno Ateba Edo, was once the director of Mary, Queen of the Apostles Minor Basillica, Mvoylé. He is also the first Pallotine Bishop within the Episcopate in Cameroon. The Pallotine Missionaries, a congregation that today has about 2400 members in 40 countries worldwide, were the first to implant the Catholic Faith in Cameroon and Fr. Ateba’s appointment may be considered as a recognition of that historical fact.

At the time of his appointment, Mgr. Bruno Ateba was the Pallotine Regional Superior for Cameroon and Nigeria. He was trained as a priest in Cameroon, Rwanda and Germany. He is the third Bishop of Maroua-Mokolo Diocese and will succeed the Belgian-born, Mgr. Philippe Stevens, 77, who is looking forward to retiring two years after he reached the canonical retirement age of 75 for bishops.

Mgr. Philippe Steven, who first came to Cameroon in 1965 long before his priestly ordination as a memberof the Congregation of Little Brothers of the Gospel, has been in the northern region of Cameroon for close to 50 years as a missionary, and over 20 years as the Bishop of Maroua-Mokolo Diocese. He was appointed on November 11, 1994, as the second bishop of that diocese, created in 1973. He succeeded Mgr. Jacques Bernon, who was the first Bishop of Maroua-Mokolo.

Speaking over the State radio shortly after the news of a new Bishop for Maroua- Mokolo was announced; Mgr. Philip Stevens said he was stepping down with joy. He added that he was pleased with what the Diocese of Maroua-Mokolo is doing to be the light of the world. He said his future depends on the new bishop and that it is possible to him to stay in Maroua if the new bishop asked him.

Reacting to his appointment at the Mvolyé Minor Basilica, Yaounde, shortly after the Apostolic Administrator of Yaoundé Archdiocese, Mgr. Jean Mbarga, broke the news during the homily of a Mass he was celebrating, he said, “ I thank God for calling me into the priesthood as a Pallotine. I express my deepest gratitude to the Holy Father for appointing me as the Bishop of Maroua-Mokolo.”

In a spontaneous address to his predecessor and the clergy of Maroua-Mokolo Diocese he said, “I greet Bishop Stevens and all the clergy of Maroua-Mokolo Diocese. You should not worry as I am Fr. Bruno your brother. We also need spiritual support for our diocese.” He also told them not to be afraid as he is coming to the diocese only as a humble servant.

Mgr. Bruno Ateba’s appointment coincided with the kidnapping of two Italian missionary priests, Giampaolo Marta and Gianantonio Allegri, and a Canadian Rev. Sister, Gilberte Bussier, in Tchère about 16 km from Maroua, on the night of Friday, April 04, by some unknown assailants, suspected to be members of the militant Islamic group, Boko Haram, who last year, kidnapped a French family and a French Priest, Fr. Georges Vandenbeusch. They were all later released unhurt. This is certainly one of the challenges that awaits the new bishop.