Current National Presidents:
Apostle Dr. Sunday Mbote is the current acting National president.
The table at the bottom of this page shows the list of all national presidents since 1975.
BRIEF HISTORY AND OVERVIEW OF THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH CAMEROON
It is Marvelous as we glance into the past, seeing how the Lord has undoubtedly, but firmly planted His Church in our Nation Cameroon. Nevertheless, this has not been voided of difficulties, challenges, surprises and a great sense of sacrifice. Many laboured and gave up their lives for the sake of the gospel and the implantation of the Church. They can only be rewarded by the Master. Kudos to our fathers of faith who have longed departed. May their souls rest in Peace.
The reading of the Apostolic literature by the Christians in Lagos Nigeria led to an exchange of correspondence with the missionary Centre in Bradford and in 1931, Pastors Daniel Powel Williams, Williams Jones and Andrew Turnbull arrived in Nigeria. Great blessing was experienced and the Nigerian leaders decided to join the Apostolic Church. In 1932 Pastors Perfect and Vanghan were sent as the first missionaries to Nigeria.
There was a great revival in the land of Nigeria as the missionaries visited. The revival in Nigeria had not been the work of the missionaries or the African leaders, but of the Holy Spirit Himself. Year by year the work rapidly grew, and large tracts of virgin soil were pioneered by both white and native missionaries. A mighty revival spread through the land, reaching Calabar in the east and naturally spread across the border to Cameroon.
As the rain and snow fall on the various kinds of ground, so also did the Word of God in the Cameroon Development Cooperation (C.D.C.) Bota in 1949 accomplishing its best goal.
HOW THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH CAMEROON WAS ESTABLISHED
It all started in Victoria a small and beautiful town situated near the shores of the Atlantic Ocean now called Limbe. This town is legendary so far as Christian Cameroon is concerned for it is in Victoria that the famous Baptist Missionary Alfred Saker settled. Little did we know that the first ever Pentecostal church – The Apostolic Church Cameroon would be planted first in this town.
It all started with one-man, Elder OI. Oyoyo, a civil servant at the time. He was transferred from Nigeria to work in the Laboratory Department of Victoria General Hospital in 1949. When he arrived, he was surprised that there was no Apostolic church nor any other Pentecostal church for him to worship. Immediately he began to pray together with his family asking God for a breakthrough. One morning, he heard a voice clearly saying to him “There are many sheep outside the fold. Go out and bring them in”
In November 1950, a year after the Church started, the first Missionary by name D.H. Maggil, the Area Superintendent for Nigeria at the time resident in Calabar, visited the Victoria small assembly. During this visit, he was led by the Lord to set aside two men for God’s use in the Church. Bro. Otto Kwo was called to eldership while Martin Nengong received the call of a deacon.
As a civil servant, Pioneer Church planter O.I. Oyoyo once more was requested to obey the decision of yet another departmental transfer that took him back to his country of origin, Nigeria. He had to leave the assembly in the hands of Elder Otto Kwo for continuation, growth and expansion of the work.
Although he left Cameroon, O.I. Oyoyo in his spirit never left the work God had used him to begin. He would not take time off, relax back home and enjoy his leave but rather would rush to Cameroon during each leave period to preach the gospel. On his second leave trip, O.I. Oyoyo made acquaintances and created a lot of contacts. He had the vision to take the gospel out of Victoria already.
In August 1951, Missionary D.C. Hopkins visited the work whose report they had got in Nigeria. The assembly had grown in number in less than two years after its inception. Pastor Hopkins returned to Nigeria and presented his own report based on what he had seen. In March 1952, the Council in Calabar sent the first ever resident Pastor to Cameroon in the person of Pastor O.E. Hogan, who’s coming was timely.
Hogan continued evangelism mainly around the C.D.C Plantation camps. Revival broke out in a tremendous way. The wind of the Holy Spirit moved tremendously, and many received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Miracles were common and very evident. A case in point is that of a child whose condition doctors had declared hopeless. When he was brought to Church, after prayers, he miraculously regained his life. This healing brought the child’s father, Mr. E.E. Effiom and family to the Lord. He later became an Overseer in Victoria assembly.
Hogan was called back to Nigeria and was replaced by Pastor Ene. During his term of office, the Church was privileged to witness the maiden visit of Apostle E.E. Okon and Prophet Henshaw from Calabar. Both men of God saw for themselves what the Lord had wrought in Cameroon. They visited the little Churches that had been opened. God equally used them to set aside some to eldership and some to Deacons.
The work also extended to the creeks. Apostolic Christians who left Nigeria for fishing in Cameroon settled there. They had their little come-together and as a result, Calabar sent a worker to Mboko one by name Nkuma. From Mboko, the work grew rapidly in the hands of Elder E. E. Effiong. Chief William Ndem took the Church to Cap Cameroon, and this created more openings for the establishment of churches in the fishing ports.
Pastor Ene was called back to Nigeria and replaced by Pastor A.D.E.Udoh. After Pastor Udoh, Pastor A. Ntungwen who took over laboured until a permanent chapel was erected in 1965. Today, the number of Christians has outgrown the church. There are several assemblies under Limbe District. Not only in Limbe, but the church also spread rapidly to other cities and villages in Cameroon. Today the church has more than 70,000 members 600 plus pastors and more than 1000 assemblies.
Administratively, Cameroon was under the Calabar council until 1966, after the ordination of Pastor Adolf Ntungwen and Pastor John Kwo, in 1967 the Calabar Council handed administration to Cameroon to manage their affairs with the Swiss Missionary Otto Tanner being the leader of the work in Cameroon. His main goal was to expand the church to the French speaking part of Cameroon. The first administrative body was formed with the following members:
Adolf Ntungwen, John M. Kwo, J.Z. Ayafor, A.B. Enohnyaket, Ene E. Ekpenyong, Gaston Gentizon;. Heinrich Sporri, Undohnsak N. Ebitu, and Henry E. Betang. By the year 1977, the leadership of the church was handed to the first Cameroonian Pastor in the person of Pastor Adolf Ntungwen. In this beginning the council was called Area Council (AC) , later as the church was expanding many areas/groups were created the council was called Field council (FC) and as many groups came together to form Fields, the council was changed to National Council (NC).
Government Recognition of TAC Cameroon
Following the expansion and growth of The Apostolic Vision in Cameroon, it was necessary to seek for the Government’s recognition and approval. This was gotten on the 11th of November 1965 in the form of a Certificate of Incorporation issued in Buea West Cameroon. Later, this recognition could not serve a national purpose since it was got from the Southern Cameroon Federation State. In accordance with a Government Decree that Churches be registered for recognition, a delegation made of Pastors A. B Enohnyaket and H. Sporri and others were sent to Yaoundé on the 13th of June 1968. On Friday 14th June, an application was forwarded to the President of the Federal Republic of Cameroon through the Minister of Territorial Administration. Finally, on the 10th of July 1968, a recognition was accorded the Church by Decree.
Scope of Expansion
That little seed that started in Limbe has now turn into a mighty tree that has affected all the Divisions in Cameroon and all the cities and villages in Camerron. From one Field, the church has now 14 fields with thirteen of the fields within the Cameroon soil. The last created field (Field 14) covers USA, Canada, Europe, and Asia. Just within Africa we have mission Fields which are Niger Republic with a missionary from Cameroon stationing there, Equatoria Guinea etc. We have other mission fields in Dubai and Pakistan under the leadership of Field 14. The church has about 37 institutions, made up of primary and secondary schools, hospitals, seminaries and Apostolic Bible Institutes.
Head Administrators of the Church
| Title/Name | Start Year | End Year |
|---|---|---|
| Apostle Dr. Sunday Mbote | 2021 | Present |
| Apostle John Enoh | 2018 | 2020 |
| Apostle Dr. Victor Ndih | 2012 | 2017 |
| Apostle Dr. Paul Tambe | 2007 | 2011 |
| Apostle Henry Betang | 2000 | 2006 |
| Apostle John Kwo | 1995 | 1999 |
| Apostle Aaron Mokwe | 1986 | 1994 |
| Apostle Adolf Ntungwen | 1978 | 1985 |
| Apostle Otto Tanner | 1975 | 1977 |
The Apostolic church is owned by God. No human being can claim its ownership no matter where it is found in the world. It operates with Theocracy as it’s form of government. A kind of government where the Holy Spirit or God is the Leader, working within a constituted council or presbytery of the church. Two things are obvious, the smallness of the seed and the greatness of its growth. The Apostolic Church in Cameroon which had its small beginning with 5 people in a veranda of a house, today is found in cathedrals all over the national territory and beyond.
