14/08/2026
THE VERY REV. DR. FESTUS AMBE ASANA, PCC MODERATOR EMERITUS, LAID TO REST
The Very Rev. Dr. Festus Ambe Asana, PCC Moderator Emeritus, has been laid to rest today in his native village of Nchum, Bafut.
Earlier today, 14 August 2026, at PC Ntamulung, Bamenda, the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, family, friends and well-wishers gathered to celebrate the life and legacy of one of the Church's distinguished servants, the Very Rev. Dr. Festus Ambe Asana.
As the Church bid farewell to this remarkable servant of God before his final interment in his native Nchum, Bafut, we reflect with gratitude on a life marked by faith, scholarship, leadership and devoted service to Christ, His Church and humanity.
A LIFE OF FAITH AND SERVICE
The Very Rev. Dr. Festus Ambe Asana was born in Bafut in March 1948, the first of ten children of the late Rev. David Chembe Asana and Monica Bi Asana. Growing up in a ministerial family, he attended several Presbyterian primary schools as his father's pastoral ministry took the family to different parts of the country.
He later attended Cameroon Protestant College (CPC), Bali, where, in his third year in 1966, he experienced the call to pastoral ministry. He proceeded to CCAST Bambili, where he obtained his GCE Advanced Level.
He pursued theological studies at the Faculty of Protestant Theology, Yaoundé, graduating in 1976 with a Bachelor's degree and postgraduate diploma. His passion for theological scholarship later took him to the United States, where he studied at Harvard Divinity School, obtaining a Master of Theological Studies, and subsequently earned a Doctor of Theology from Boston University School of Theology.
A TEACHER AND TRAINER OF MINISTERS
The Very Rev. Dr. Festus A. Asana's ministry was deeply rooted in theological education. He served as a teacher, lecturer and theological educator, occupying several important positions within the PCC's educational and theological institutions.
He served as Principal of the Theological College, Chaplain and Pastor in different contexts, and later as Dean of the Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Kumba.
Through his teaching, preaching and mentorship, he contributed significantly to the formation of generations of pastors and church leaders. To many, he was not merely a lecturer or administrator but a teacher, mentor, counsellor and spiritual father.
A SERVANT AND ADMINISTRATOR OF THE PCC
The Very Rev. Dr. Festus A. Asana served the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon in numerous capacities as a pastor, teacher, lecturer, principal, chaplain and theological educator.
From 1999 to 2009, he served as Synod Clerk of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, dedicating a decade to the administration and advancement of the Church.
In November 2009, the 44th Synod of the PCC, meeting in Kumba, elected him as the fifth Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon. He succeeded the Rt. Rev. Dr. Nyansako-ni-Nku and served as Moderator from 2009 to 2014.
As Moderator, he emphasised discipline, transparency, accountability, integrity, hard work, unity and respect for the Constitution and laws of the Church. He consistently called Presbyterians to spiritual renewal, responsible Christian living and meaningful transformation.
His leadership was characterised by a strong desire to see the PCC remain united, orderly, accountable and faithful to its calling as a Christian institution.
A SERVANT BEYOND THE PCC
The ministry of the Very Rev. Dr. Festus Ambe Asana extended beyond the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon.
He served in various ecumenical and educational bodies, including the Council of Protestant Churches in Cameroon (CEPCA), the Cameroon Association for Bible Translation and Literacy (CABTAL) and the Protestant University of Central Africa (PUCA).
He also served the wider Christian community through the World Council of Churches (WCC), including service on its Central Committee and other ecumenical structures.
Through these engagements, he contributed to the promotion of Christian unity, theological education, ecumenical cooperation and the witness of the Church in Cameroon, Africa and beyond.
A LEGACY THAT LIVES ON
Beyond the offices he occupied and the titles he carried, The Very Rev. Dr. Festus A. Asana will be remembered for the lives he touched and the people he inspired.
He was a shepherd who cared for God's people, a teacher who formed ministers, a theologian who valued sound doctrine, an administrator who championed accountability, a mentor who invested in younger leaders and an ecumenist who served the wider body of Christ.
His influence extended across generations. Ministers who passed through his classrooms, Christians who listened to his preaching, colleagues who worked alongside him and leaders who benefited from his counsel all became part of the story of his ministry.
Even after completing his tenure as Moderator, he remained a respected elder statesman of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, whose experience, wisdom and commitment to the Church continued to be valued.
CALLED HOME
The Very Rev. Dr. Festus Ambe Asana was called to glory on 22 June 2026 in Orlando, Florida, USA, at the age of 78.
His passing brought sorrow to his family, the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon and the wider Christian community. Yet, as believers, we give thanks to God for the years granted to him and for the many ways in which his life became a blessing to others.
Today, after the funeral service at PC Ntamulung, Bamenda, his earthly remains have been laid to rest in his native Nchum, Bafut, where his earthly journey began.
We therefore remember not only the Moderator Emeritus, but the Pastor, theologian, teacher, mentor, administrator, ecumenist and servant of God whose life was given in service to Christ and His Church.
His earthly journey has ended, but the seeds he planted through preaching, teaching, theological education, leadership, mentorship and service will continue to bear fruit in generations to come.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7)
Rest in the peace of Christ, The Very Rev. Dr. Festus Ambe Asana, PCC Moderator Emeritus.
🕊️ A shepherd has gone home.
A teacher has gone to his reward.
A servant has entered the presence of his Master.
His legacy lives on.
Photos: CBS Radio Bamenda
