Muslim scholar and peace activist Abdulkarim Ali has issued a written message from Kondengui Central Prison in Yaoundé, calling for unity and calm ahead of a proposed visit by Pope Leo XIV to Southern Cameroons.
In a text dated 26 February 2026 and shared with MMI News that Breaking News stumbled on, Abdulkarim Ali urged leaders in Southern Cameroons to prepare “with humility and courage” to receive the Pope, describing the visit as a spiritual moment that should not be politicised.
“Our land calls itself a land of Glory because it is anchored by both Christian and Muslim—on the fear of God,” he wrote, appealing for interfaith harmony.
The scholar referenced religious and philosophical figures, including St. Augustine and Immanuel Kant, to emphasise the importance of truth, conscience, and the moral duty to pursue peace. He stated that the Pope’s authority “rests on conscience” rather than political power.
Abdulkarim Ali called on residents to “open the gates” not only to a visitor but to “the better angels of our own nature,” warning against allowing divisions or political actors to exploit the occasion.
It remains unclear under what circumstances the message was issued from prison,
According to his schedule, the pope will visit Ambazonia’s war-torn Bamenda
The message concludes with the phrase: “Hail The Land Of Glory.”
