November 2013 FACULTE DE THEOLOGIE EVANGELIQUE DU
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FACULTE DE THEOLOGIE EVANGELIQUE DU CAMEROUN CAMEROON FACULTY OF EVANGELICAL THEOLOGY CHRISTIAN WITNESS TO THE MBORORO-FULANI PEOPLE IN TUBAH SUBDIVISION OF MEZAM DIVISION IN THE NORTH WEST REGION OF CAMEROON Master of Theology Thesis in Missiology Presented and defended By FUHBANG EMMANUEL TANIFUM Bachelor in Law and Master of Divinity President of Jury: Dr. ASLO Nganon Phénom Supervisor: Dr. KWAK Y. SAMUEL Assessor: Pr. NKWETI David Co- supervisor: PINDZIE ADAMOU ROBERT November 2013 i ABSTRACT Fuhbang, Emmanuel Tanifum 2013 “Christian Witness to the Mbororo-Fulani People in Tubah Subdivision of Mezam Division in the North West Region of Cameroon” Cameroon Faculty of Evangelical Theology, Master of Theology in Missiology.119pp. This study examines the obstacles affecting Christian witness to the Mbororo- Fulani People in Tubah Subdivision of Mezam Division in the North West Region of the Republic of Cameroon. This study explores these obstacles affecting Christian witness to the Mbororo in Tubah subdivision from two angles: from the Christian perspective and also from the Mbororo Islamic perspective. The research shows that Christian witness to the Mbororo in Tubah subdivision of Mezam division in the North West Region of Cameroon is very challenging. It reveals the existence of social, cultural and religious obstacles that have challenged effective Christian witness to the Mbororo in Tubah Subdivision of Mezam Division in the North West Region of Cameroon. It also points to Mbororo’s fear of persecution as the principal obstacle involved in the Christian witness to the Mbororo in the Tubah subdivision. This work analyses the cross-cultural elements that are typical and necessary for an effective communication of the Gospel in the Mbororo context of Tubah subdivision. This study shows that the Mbororo context in Tubah subdivision religiously is purely Islamic, a major factor that nurses Mbororo’s fear of persecution. This research provides some insights for Christian witness in this cross-cultural setting. Christians must be aware of these issues, how to overcome them and should wake up to be effective in their witness to the Mbororo-Fulani of this area who have been for a long time the carriers of Islam. ii RÉSUMÉ Fuhbang, Emmanuel Tanifum 2013 «Le témoignage chrétien au peuple Mbororo dans l’arrondissement de Tubah, département de la Mezam, dans la région du Nord-Ouest Cameroun» Faculté de Théologie évangélique du Cameroun, Master en théologie en Missiologie. 119 pages. Cette étude examine les obstacles au témoignage chrétien chez les Mbororo dans l’arrondissement de Tubah, département de la Mezam dans la région du Nord-Ouest Cameroun. Elle explore ces obstacles affectant le témoignage sous deux angles : à partir de la perspective chrétienne, et à partir de la perspective Mbororo. L’étude montre que le témoignage chrétien chez les Mbororo dans l’arrondissement de Tubah, est un grand défi. Elle révèle d’une part l’existence des obstacles sociaux, culturels, et religieux qui ont défié le témoignage chrétien chez les Mbororo dans cette contrée. Elle relève d’autre part chez les Mbororo la peur de la persécution comme l’obstacle principal agissant dans le témoignage chrétien chez les Mbororo dans cette contrée. Par ailleurs cette étude analyse les éléments transculturels qui sont typiques et nécessaires pour une communication effective de l’Evangile dans le contexte Mbororo de l’arrondissement de Tubah. Elle montre que le contexte Mbororo dans l’arrondissement de Tubah sur le plan religieux est purement islamique ; un facteur majeur qui favorise chez la Mbororo la peur de la persécution. Cette recherche fournit certaines visibilités pour le témoignage chrétien effectif dans cet environnement transculturel. Les chrétiens doivent être conscients des ces faits, et doivent se lever pour être efficaces dans leur témoignage chez les Mbororo-Fulani de cette contrée qui ont été pendant longtemps les porteurs de l’Islam. iii DEDICATION To my Lord Jesus Christ who stopped the gates of hell from prevailing over me for these two years that I shuttled between Bamenda and Yaoundé, Ministry and School. To Him be all glory. Amen. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ for the grace to go through this study. I am thankful to my supervisor Rev. Dr. Samuel Kwak Yeokyung, for his invaluable contribution and support in the realization of this research. I am also very grateful to Rev. Pindzie Adamou Robert for his relentless academic and moral support and also the entire FACTEC teaching core, especially Dr. Aslo for their encouragement and corrections. I also heartily thank Rev. Lee for his spiritual, financial and material support without which I wouldn’t have been able to go through this program. My appreciation also goes to Dr. Jacob Ngwa, Professor Wilfred Mbacham Fon and Dr. Nkweti David for the corrections they made on this research. I also extend appreciation to Rev. Abang Simeon, Mama Bame Anne and the entire Patmos community for their spiritual, financial, moral and material support. I also appreciate the special effort of my dear wife Mrs. Fuhbang, Lem Amabel Fuh for her tolerance, sacrifice and holistic support. Special thanks to Mr. Sali and the MBOSCUDA staff, for putting their library and resources at my disposal. I also acknowledge the support of my research assistant and of the Mbororo Community in Tubah especially those who opened their homes for me, gave me tea, rice and milk to drink, to them for their hospitality, I say once again ‘useko’. Special thanks also to my roommate Georges Boum Boum Emmanuel for putting at my disposal his computer. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT………….……………………..………………………………………………i RESUME………….………………………………………………………………………..ii DEDICATION……….……………………………………………………………………iii AKNOWLEDGMENTS…………..………………………………………………………iv TABLE OF CONTENTS …………………………………….……………………………v LIST OF TABLES …………………………...………………………………………….viii LIST OF MAPS ………………………………………….………….……………………ix LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ………………………………………….……………….....x GENERAL INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 1 Background ....................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose of the Research .................................................................................................... 3 Goals of Research ............................................................................................................. 3 Central research issue ....................................................................................................... 5 Research questions ............................................................................................................ 5 Hypotheses ........................................................................................................................ 5 Delimitations ..................................................................................................................... 6 Definitions ........................................................................................................................ 7 Christian ........................................................................................................................ 7 Witness .......................................................................................................................... 7 Christian Witness .......................................................................................................... 7 Cross-cultural Ministry ................................................................................................. 8 Cross-cultural analysis .................................................................................................. 8 Mission .......................................................................................................................... 8 Assumptions ..................................................................................................................... 8 Methodology ..................................................................................................................... 9 Data Collection ........................................................................................................... 10 Sampling ..................................................................................................................... 10 Interviewing ................................................................................................................ 12 Individual Data ............................................................................................................ 14 Cultural data ................................................................................................................ 14 vi Observation ................................................................................................................. 15 Data Recording ........................................................................................................... 15 Data Analysis .............................................................................................................. 16 Grounded Theory ................................................................v ........................................ 16 Data analysing process ................................................................................................ 17 Summary of Research ....................................................................................................