By Noela EBOB BISONG
Rev. Fr. John Berinyuy Tata has been appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Bamenda. The appointment was made public on Friday, February 13, by the Apostolic Nuncio in Cameroon.
The communiqué read that, “The Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, has appointed the Rev. John BERINYUY TATA as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Bamenda, Cameroon. The Apostolic Nunciature joins the Church in Cameroon in praying for Auxiliary Bishop – elect John BERINYUY TATA and of the Archdiocese of Bamenda.”
The appointment is being celebrated as the silver lining after a dark cloud, following the kidnap of Rev. Fr. Tata last November, 2025 by alleged Separatist fighters, during which he spent at least 14 days in captivity. The incident had sparked widespread condemnation and rage, with the Catholic Church in Bamenda, under the leadership of Archbishop Andrew Nfuanya Nkea making a strong stand over what it described as an attack on the Church.
Born on December 18, 1975, Rev. Fr. Tata was ordained priest on March 30, 2005, at the age of 30. After serving as parish vicar of St. Joseph’s in Bafut
for a year and parish priest of St. Patrick’s in Babanki – Tungo until 2010, alongside furthering his studies, he later earned a Doctorate in Theology from Rome in 2015. Prior to this most recent appointment, Rev. Fr. Tata has held several positions since he returned home from Rome, including Spiritual Director and Lecturer at St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary in Bambui, Chaplain of the Diocesan Charismatic Movement and was current Rector of the Catholic University of Cameroon in Bamenda.
