Evangelical Church in Cameroon gets new general president

Reverend Alexandre Billa is the new General President of the Evangelical Church in Cameroon, EEC. He was elected on Thursday December 29, 2022 during the extraordinary general synod of the EEC that was held in Bangante, West Region.

The session that was closely followed by Senator Marcel Niat Njifenji, elder of the Famngo Parish in Bangangte comes to put an end to the over 6-year leadership crisis that has been reigning in the church.

The crisis broke out in 2017, shortly after general elections were held in Ngoundere where Rev. Henje Toya from the Bamileke ethnicity was elected to succeed Rev. Isaac Batomen as president.

The Sawa community in EEC contested the results of the election accusing Rev. Isaac Batomen of fraud and embezzlement and also of failing to hand over power to the Sawas as agreed at the 2009 General Assembly that was held in Yabassi. This according to the Sawas was to put an end to the 15-year reign of Bamilekes.

It is important to note that a non-written rule exists in the church which specifies that power should rotate among three main ethnic groups, the Sawa, Bamileke and Bamoun. This according to many, was not respected and was the main cause of the crisis.

Thursday’s Synod was then the occasion to resolve the ethnic power tussle which resulted to the acclamative election of Alexandre Billa who hails from the Sawa community.

He was previously Pastor of the Bonamuduru Parish in Douala I, Wouri division.

Here are other executive members voted on Thursday:

President : Rev Alexandre Mbenga Billa

1st Vice President : Rev Dr NJOUENWET KOPP Bernard

2nd Vice president : Elder NGONGANG MEPPA Séraphin

3rd Vice president : KAMBOU TETOUOM Cleopasse

Secretary General : Rev. MEMIAFO SOBJIO Abestine Epse KEMOGNE

1st Assistant SG: MEKAH NYIMI Pierre

2nd Assistant SG: Elder MAKA TOKO Samuel

Treasurer : Elder FOCHIVÉ Edouard

Assistant Treasurer: Rev. DJENE Jacques Brunot