"Ask and you shall be given": Pentecostalism and the economic crisis in Cameroon Akoko, R.M. Citation Akoko, R. M. (2007, June 26). "Ask and you shall be given": Pentecostalism and the economic crisis in Cameroon. African studies collection. African Studies Centre. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/1887/12290 Version: Corrected Publisher’s Version Licence agreement concerning inclusion of doctoral thesis in the License: Institutional Repository of the University of Leiden Downloaded from: https://hdl.handle.net/1887/12290 Note: To cite this publication please use the final published version (if applicable). “Ask and you shall be given”: Pentecostalism and the economic crisis in Cameroon PROEFSCHRIFT ter verkrijging van de graad van Doctor aan de Universiteit Leiden, op gezag van Rector Magnificus prof.mr. P.F. van der Heijden, volgens besluit van het College voor Promoties te verdedigen op dinsdag 26 juni 2007 klokke 15.00 uur door Robert Mbe Akoko geboren te Ngwo (Kameroen) in 1960 Promotiecommissie: Promotores: Prof.dr. P. Pels Prof.dr. P.L. Geschiere Co-promotor: Dr. P. Konings (Afrika-Studiecentrum, Leiden) Referent: Dr. R. van Dijk (Afrika-Studiecentrum, Leiden) Overige leden: Prof.dr. R. Bedaux Prof.dr. B. Meyer (Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam) Prof.dr. F. Nyamnjoh (CODESRIA, Dakar) Dr. J. van Santen African Studies Centre African Studies Collection, vol. 2 “Ask and you shall be given” Pentecostalism and the economic crisis in Cameroon Robert Mbe Akoko This research project was made possible by a grant from the Netherlands Foundation for the Advancement of Tropical Research (WOTRO) and the African Studies Centre, Leiden Robert Mbe Akoko Department of Sociology and Anthropology Faculty of Social and Management Sciences University of Buea P. O. Box 63, Buea Cameroon [email protected] Published by: African Studies Centre P.O. Box 9555 2300 RB Leiden The Netherlands [email protected] http//:asc.leidenuniv.nl Cover design: Heike Slingerland Printed by PrintPartners Ipskamp BV, Enschede ISBN 978 90 54 48007 5 © Robert Mbe Akoko, 2007 Contents Acknowledgements vii 1 INTRODUCTION 1 Explaining the central theme: From asceticism to accumulation 2 Related topics: Pentecostalization of mainline churches and involvement in politics 7 Context of crisis and central questions 12 Relevance of general debates on Pentecostalism and religious change for this study 14 Techniques of data collection 39 Outline of the book and overview of the chapters 44 2 NEW PENTECOSTALISM IN THE WAKE OF THE ECONOMIC CRISIS IN CAMEROON 48 Reasons for the explosion of Pentecostalism in Cameroon 50 Some of the problems confronting the growth of Pentecostalism 53 The economic message of the Pentecostals 58 Conclusion 63 3 FROM ASCETICISM TO A GOSPEL OF PROSPERITY: THE CASE OF FULL GOSPEL MISSION CAMEROON 66 Transition to prosperity 69 Factors which influenced the adoption of the gospel of prosperity 73 Presenting the message 80 The reactions of the followers 90 Conclusion 100 v 4 A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE REACTIONS OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH AND FULL GOSPEL MISSION TO THE ECONOMIC CRISIS IN CAMEROON 102 Nature of the economic crisis 105 Churches under comparison and how each has been affected by the crisis 107 Reactions to the crisis: How each group interprets the crisis and provides a solution 121 Zion Credit Financing 132 Conclusion 140 5 “YOU MUST BE BORN-AGAIN”: THE PENTECOSTALIZATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN CAMEROON 143 Earlier controversial attempts at introducing Pentecostal practices in the PCC 146 The ongoing Pentecostal practices in the church 157 Factors which have contributed to this development in the church 170 Why the authorities rejected earlier attempts but condone the present development 181 Conclusion 183 6 CHRISTIAN CHURCHES AND THE DEMOCRATIZATION CONUNDRUM IN CAMEROON 186 Rationalizing the emergence of liberation theology in Cameroon 187 The Presbyterian Church in Cameroon and the democratic process 193 The Roman Catholic Church and the democratic process 201 Conclusion 208 References 209 Summary 216 Samenvatting 220 Curriculum Vitae 225 vi Acknowledgements Although I am the author of this book, the book is in much respect the result of the collective efforts of many. Since it is literally impossible to mention all those who assisted me in writing this book, I wish to take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude to all those who contributed in the writing of the book, particularly those mentioned here My first gratitude goes to those who gave me the intellectual guidance right from the conception of the theme to the final write-up of this book. Besides provision of guidance, these academics in fact laid the foundation that has facilitated my rise in the higher education core of Cameroon. Indeed, even before completion of the work, I had already started achieving upward mobility due to the fruits of the work. The research leading to this would have been difficult without the grant from The Netherlands Foundation for the Advancement of Tropical Research (WOTRO). It was thanks to WOTRO’s four-year grant that saw me successfully carry out the work. I must thank this foundation for its continuous support to research in Africa. It is also a great pleasure for me to point out that Lenie Schoenmakers and her husband Piet have come to occupy a special place in my life. They did not only play the role of parents to me in The Netherlands but also extended it to my family back home. They made Posterholt a place of weekend relaxation for me. In Posterholt, Lenie very much knew my favorite dishes, which were usually combined with rabbit, red cabbage, egg and bubbled water which she made sure she provided to me. My little son, Piet, will always be a reminder of the bond that exists between the two families. I am immeasurably indebted to the African Studies Centre, Leiden, which provided vital support every time that I was in the Netherlands. The Centre provided office space, access to all its facilities and supplemented the living grant from WOTRO. It was during the period of a visiting fellowship offered me by the Centre in July and August 2006, that part of the book was written. I wish to extend my special thanks to all members of the Culture, Politics and Inequality (CPI) theme group of the Center who made valuable contributions to my research in a seminar, which I presented on the research proposal leading to this book. Their insightful criticisms and suggestions subsequently got incorporated into the book. I am also indebted to members of staff of the Centre for making me feel at home during my stay in The Netherlands. I am in this regard particularly grateful to Professor Jan Abbink, Professor Leo de Haan (director) Dr Stephen Ellis, Dr vii Dick Foeken, Dr Gerti Hesseling, Marieke van Winden, Maaike Westra, Joop Nijssen, Karl Dorrepaal, Gitty Petit, Dr Ineke van Kessel, Dr Klaas van Walraven, Julie Ndaya, Professor Wim van Binsbergen, Dr Rijk van Dijk (my senior researcher on Pentecostalism from who I learnt a lot), Dr Han van Dijk, Dr Mirjam de Bruijn, Ann Reeves, Dr Sabine Luning, Karin Nijenhuis, Lucien and Willem who made sure my Laptop was always in good condition for me to carry out the task even out of the office. I wish to thank Kiky van Til, my office mate during my first stay in The Netherlands who made sure that I had coffee or tea to brave the scourging winter cold. The ‘drops’ and general information on living in The Netherlands, which she offered me were indeed helpful. The entire staff of the Centre’s library is not left out for their assistance in guiding me through the library, ordering books which I needed but were not available in the library and in making several gifts of books that have swelled my library in Cameroon. I want to thank also prof. Birgit Meyer (now at the Free University, Amsterdam) for her very stimulating interest in my work. I equally wish to acknowledge the cooperation of members of the Research School of Asian, African and Amerindian Studies (CNWS) of Leiden University, especially Ilona Beumer for making the Dutch translation of the summary. I should like to express my gratitude to the University of Buea authorities for granting me study leave to do the Ph.D in The Netherlands. I wish to acknowledge the financial assistance they gave me as part of the University’s staff development initiative. I will in particular, thank the former Vice Chancellor Professor Cornelius Lambi (my Dean at the time I had to go out) and the incumbent, Professor Vincent Titanji (at the time Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of teaching) for the role they played in always advising me to do the Ph.D and in making it easy for my study leave application file to move fast despite some initial obstacles. Indeed, I must make reference to the entire teaching and administrative staff of the Faculty of Social and Management Sciences for their collaboration. However, all the efforts would have been in vain but for the trustful cooperation of many of my informants from the various Pentecostal churches. I refer in these regards to Reverend Paul Ewome of Full Gospel Mission. Reverend Ewome was an extremely open and fatherly person who offered whatever information I needed. I approached him anytime and anywhere whenever I needed his assistance and there was never a time he was not willing to talk with me. My close relationship with him enhanced the cooperation I received from members of this church in Buea. I will also wish to appreciate the assistance of Dr Pius Oben elder of the Molyko Assembly of Full Gospel Mission. He was instrumental in enabling me to obtain an authorization to carry out research on Full Gospel Mission from the headquarters of the church in Douala.