DOUALA, Cameroon (AP) — On Friday, thousands gathered in Douala, Cameroon’s port city, to witness Pope Leo XIV celebrate a significant Mass. The event was part of his 11-day tour across four nations in Africa, marking the first visit by a sitting American pope. The Vatican anticipated a crowd of approximately 600,000 attendees for this liturgy, making it the largest gathering during Leo’s trip.
As the time approached for the liturgy, the field in front of the Japoma sports stadium filled with enthusiastic participants engaging in singing and dancing. An announcer joyfully shouted “Habemus Papam!” (We have a pope!), welcoming Leo’s arrival. The atmosphere was electric as the pope emerged in his open-sided popemobile, with many young people running alongside to catch a glimpse of him. Some attendees camped overnight, enduring mosquito bites, to ensure they could participate in the Mass.
One participant, Alex Nzumo, expressed his dedication, saying, “I wanted to offer this effort to the pope, to show him that what he is doing and what he wants to accomplish should truly come to life.” Following the Mass, Leo was scheduled to visit the Catholic University of Central Africa in the capital, Yaounde, to engage with students, professors, and administrators. Such encounters are often utilized by popes to encourage young people, particularly in developing regions, to overcome challenges like poverty and corruption.
Cameroon has a youthful demographic, with a median age of only 18 years, and about 29% of its 29 million population identifies as Catholic. Pope Leo has already shared words of encouragement tailored towards the youth during his discussions with President Paul Biya, who is 93 years old and has held power since 1982. In his address, the pope called for the “chains of corruption” in Cameroon to be broken, emphasizing that the youth are the country’s future and source of hope.
Despite being an oil-producing nation with modest economic growth, the benefits have not effectively reached beyond the elite. The pope warned that persistent unemployment and social exclusion could lead to frustration and potential violence. He highlighted the importance of investing in education, training, and entrepreneurship for the youth as a strategic means for fostering peace and preventing a brain drain of talented individuals who might seek opportunities abroad.
Data from the World Bank indicates that Cameroon’s unemployment rate sits at 3.5%, but around 57% of the labor force aged 18 to 35 is engaged in informal work. The challenging economic conditions have resulted in significant brain drain, with many healthcare professionals leaving for more lucrative positions overseas. Reports state that in 2023, about one-third of medical school graduates from Cameroon chose not to remain in the country.
The dissatisfaction with Biya’s longstanding administration escalated following October’s tense presidential election, where he secured an eighth consecutive term amid controversies. Protests erupted nationwide when the main opposition candidate, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, contested the electoral results.
