He was one of the most popular speakers at the training seminar for Francophone African evangelical radio stations, held from January 14 to 18 in Lomé (Togo). Alphonse Teyabe (pronounced Téyabé), from Cameroon, is a pastor, researcher, and communication consultant. As the author of the book "Church and Media: The Contribution of Evangelical Radio Stations to the Mission," he outlines here the potential role of the hundred or so evangelical radio stations in Francophone Africa in proclaiming a holistic Gospel.

Reprint of Serge Carrel's article published on January 21, 2019, on lafree.info

What do you do in the field of radio in northern Cameroon?

Since 2003, we have been establishing radio stations there. Currently, there are about ten evangelical stations. This region is landlocked and lacks sufficient communication infrastructure. This underdeveloped area is also under the influence of Islam. In this context, radio stations are an effective way to spread the Good News of the Gospel and contribute to the region's development through the various programs we broadcast.

Based on your experience in northern Cameroon, what is the impact of these evangelical faith-based radio stations?

These radio stations make a real contribution spiritually, by proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ. The message we broadcast transcends cultural barriers and geographical borders. Sometimes, women are unable to leave their homes for religious reasons. The message reaches them in their homes, and they are uplifted. These women are dedicated listeners to these radio stations and follow the various programs that bring fulfillment to them and their children. So, there is a contribution not only spiritually but also on a "political" level, meaning in connection with community life. We effectively assist the state in managing community issues related to environmental problems, health, education, and more.

Specifically?

In 2010, for example, during a cholera epidemic, the government approached us. Seeing our audience and the impact we had on the population – in northern Cameroon, Salaaman radio has a larger audience than the state radio! – the government asked us to produce programs related to the cholera epidemic. The goal was to raise awareness among all segments of the population about this disease, which had started to decimate some villages. Through special broadcasts, we brought in doctors, health delegates, and others. In a few weeks, we were able to completely eradicate the disease from the region.

Would you say your radio station was the primary instrument in this eradication?

We contributed to this eradication because we dedicated the necessary resources. Following this, the state was compelled to sign a partnership with our radio station...

When you say "compelled," what do you mean by that?

Given the work we were doing on the ground and the impact we had, state representatives had no choice but to work with us to combat this scourge together. People are now very aware of this issue, and we haven't heard of this disease since. We have continued this work in the health sector, including an expanded vaccination program against certain diseases like polio.

So, did this faith-based radio station receive state funding to carry out these campaigns?

The state has financial resources to carry out such programs. It therefore invested in our radio station and contributed to its funding. We also see other partners coming forward: NGOs, mayors seeking support for certain causes, and so on. In our program schedule, we have allocated 30 percent of the time to broadcasting evangelical programs and 70 percent to social and development-focused programs. We believe that the Gospel concerns the whole person: body, soul, and spirit. All these aspects must be considered. That's why we dedicate 70 percent of our airtime to development programs: on education, health, agriculture, etc.

You also try to reach young girls who drop out of school early... What do you do to encourage them to continue their education?

We observed that in northern Cameroon, girls drop out of school as early as primary level because their parents marry them off at a very young age. This society favors boys much more than girls. As a result, over 70 percent of the population is illiterate. It was crucial to intervene, and to do so quickly. We developed programs and public service announcements to raise parents' awareness of this issue. Sometimes, we sent our staff into the field to meet people in their homes and encourage parents to send their young daughters to school. We also produced specific literacy programs on our radio stations.

What has been the impact on the population?

Today, we see that more young girls are attending school. Some have even gone to university and found good jobs. There were girls who were "glued" to their radio sets. So, we brought in educational inspectors to supplement the broadcasts...

So, some young girls are behind their radio sets in their homes or huts, following lessons as if they were at school...
They follow these programs, and once a week, we gather them in a school, in partnership with that school, to further their learning. Today, we have girls who have passed their CEP (Certificate of Primary Education), their BEPC (Brevet d'Etudes du Premier Cycle)... There's even one who just earned her baccalaureate thanks to our programs. The initiative has taken off, and these programs even reach young girls in remote villages. This has a real impact on the population, and our goal is to contribute to the transformation of society.

Is this distribution, with 30 percent evangelical programs and 70 percent development programs, a model that Francophone African evangelical radio stations should follow?

In my opinion, it is important for us to share our experience with other radio stations in Francophone Africa. We wish to invite all stakeholders in Francophone evangelical radio to come together and implement this model we have just presented. It can have a real impact on the population for the development of the community.

Interview by Serge Carrel

Alphonse Teyabe's Quick Bio

Alphonse Teyabe is a pastor, researcher, and communication consultant in Cameroon. He has launched several radio stations in the northern part of the country and supports numerous radio and TV stations across Francophone Africa. Alphonse Teyabe earned a doctorate in the United States with a thesis published under the title: 'Church and Media. Contribution of Evangelical Radios to the Mission' (Mauritius, European University Editions, 2017, 352 p.).

He is also the Secretary-General of the Bible Study Groups for Students in Cameroon (GBEEC) and the Alliance of Evangelicals in Cameroon (AEC).

Married, he is a father of 4 children.