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Biography
Christian Wiyghan Tumi (born 15 October 1930) is a Cardinal Priest and the Archbishop Emeritus of Douala in the Catholic Church. He was succeeded as archbishop of Douala by Samuel Kleda, who had been Coadjutor Archbishop.
Early life and ordination
Born in Kikaikelaki a small village in the Nso klan, situated in the [Northwest Region, of Cameroon], Tumi studied at local seminaries in Cameroon and Nigeria. He trained as a teacher in Nigeria and London, then went on to earn a licentiate in theology in Lyon and a doctorate in philosophy at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland.
Ordained a priest on 17 April 1966, he served as a vicar in Soppo for a year before becoming a professor at Bishop Rogan College's seminary. After studying abroad from 1969 to 1973, he returned to his diocese and was named rector of the seminary in Bambui.
Bishop and Cardinal
In 1979, Tumi was elected the first bishop of the diocese of Yagoua. In 1984, he was made archbishop, and in 1985, he was elected president of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon, a post he held until 1991.
Named Cardinal-Priest of Santi Martiri dell'Uganda a Poggio Ameno on 28 June 1988 by Pope John Paul II, Cardinal Tumi was named the Archbishop of Douala on 31 August 1991. He was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2005 papal conclave that selected Pope Benedict XVI.
Views
Abortion
Cardinal Tumi led a pro-life march in the city of Douala in 2009.
Child sexual abuse
In a 2007 speech, he denounced the negative effect of child sexual abuse on modern society.
HIV/AIDS and condoms
In 2005, it was reported that Cardinal Tumi said in a press interview that the use of condoms should be possible as protection against AIDS within marriage.
