Most Rev. Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo, Bishop, Catholic Diocese of Oyo, has described the late Richard Cardinal Baawobr, Bishop of Wa, Ghana and President of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) as a symbol of great hope to the Church in Africa. Bishop Badejo who is President of Pan African Episcopal Committee for Social Communications (CEPACS), prayed for God’s mercy and the repose soul of Cardinal Baawobr, one of the recently elected cardinals in Africa who died on Sunday, November 27, 2022 at the age of 63 at the Agostino Gemelli Hospital in Rome, as he said Baawobr’s optimism will keep SECAM going. According to Bishop Badejo, “When His Eminence was elected by the Bishops of SECAM at their assembly in Accra, Ghana at the end of July, 2022, even before the consistory for his installation in Rome to be President of SECAM; his acceptance injected a new dynamism into the life of the Church in Africa.”
He said Cardinal Baawobr rallied the new executive and Standing Committee of SECAM to a meeting few days after his election to chart a new course for the group. He said: “The ever-smiling Cardinal immediately rallied the new executive and Standing Committee of SECAM to a meeting a mere two days after his election on July 31, 2022 to define a new course for SECAM, to better address the recommendations of the immediate past executive and Standing Committee, namely; unity and communion in the Church, financial autonomy, clearly defined responsibilities and other recommendations of the Kampala Document, the pastoral letter issued by SECAM after its golden jubilee celebrations in 2009.” The Bishop disclosed that Cardinal Baawobr showed the direction he wanted SECAM to go, through his adoption of a synodal and inclusive style of procedure, from the conduct of his first and only Standing Committee meeting. Bishop Badejo said that the late President expressed his desire to help SECAM recover lost ground on its pastoral and administrative obligations to the local Churches, and to help Africa participate effectively in the ongoing universal synodal process.
“As it turns out, all that was not to be, SECAM will have to forge ahead without its beloved new President”, Bishop Badejo said. According to him, “I was privileged to have met Cardinal Baawobr just a few days before he passed on. Despite his frail aspect, his mood was sky high, sand he told me how he looked forward to getting back to work as president of SECAM. The work must go on with him on the other side, but his optimistic smile will stay here for long with us. Surely, he will be praying for us from the bosom of the Lord. “On behalf of the Pan African Episcopal Committee for Social Communications (CEPACS), I pray that God strengthen and comfort the Cardinal’s mother and immediate family, SECAM, the Diocese of Wa and the Missionaries of Africa. He will surely be sorely missed among us.”
