When my resident pastor, Rev. Edugu Henry, informed me that I had been selected to read the welcome address during the visit of Papa, the President of The Apostolic Church, to our assembly in Barombi Kang, my heart overflowed with joy and honour.
After I concluded the address and Papa mounted the pulpit, what followed has remained indelibly etched in my memory. The eloquence, charisma, spiritual clarity, and youthful fire with which he ministered immediately arrested the atmosphere.
As he spoke, I found myself inwardly asking whether I was listening to a seasoned father or a vibrant youth, so fluid was his energy and so piercing his articulation of truth. For many within TACC, Apostle Dr. Paul Eyong Tambe imprinted the church with a legacy so deeply etched that time itself cannot erase it.
Born in 1949, he encountered Christ in the year 1970 and answered to the call of God in 1974. Apostle Dr Paul Eyong Tambe, stands as a distinguished apostolic father who served as the 5th National President of The Apostolic Church Cameroon from 2007 to 2011, succeeding Apostle Henry Betang and preceding Apostle Dr. Victor Ndih.
His presidency came at a critical moment in the life of TACC, a season marked by the urgent need for stability, continuity, and the consolidation of national leadership structures across the denomination.
Within the official historical records of TACC, his tenure is firmly recognised as an integral part of the church’s progressive leadership succession and institutional development, contributing to the preservation of its apostolic identity. And the lesson to every church leader is clear: be a visionary leader, one who stands in God’s counsel, sees afar off, and builds today what heaven demands for tomorrow.
Beyond office, Apostle Dr. Paul Eyong Tambe was widely regarded within the Apostolic community as a father figure, mentor, and spiritual leader. He was known for a distinctive preaching and teaching grace, marked by vivid illustrations and practical spiritual insight that endeared him to both ministers and congregants alike.
Testimonies from those who encountered his ministry consistently describe him as a prolific orator, a committed soul-winner, and a deeply prayerful man, often affectionately referred to as a “praying machine.”
His passion for the next generation of ministers was unmistakable. It was expressed through his intentional encouragement of young leaders and his active engagement with youth movements within the church, where he recognised, affirmed, and nurtured emerging gifts and callings. Some even testify his efforts contributed in solidifying the women movement within the church.
Administratively and spiritually, Apostle Dr. Paul Eyong Tambe played a key role in strengthening the national framework of TACC during his four-year presidency. His leadership preserved institutional coherence while building upon the foundations laid by earlier presidents, ensuring a smooth and orderly transition into subsequent phases of growth and expansion.
Though Papa went to be with the Lord in 2020, his legacy endures through the ministers he mentored, the structures he helped stabilise, and the enduring spiritual impact of his ministry across the Apostolic landscape of Cameroon.
His name remains indelibly inscribed in the leadership history of The Apostolic Church Cameroon as a builder, motivator, and servant-leader of his generation. May the Lord raise new dynamic leaders within the Pentecostal landscape of Cameroon, carrying the spirit of Papa, Apostle Dr. Paul Eyong Tambe.
Rev. Bobbs Lyonga Elive
0 Comments