Fr Ela Enam was born on 15 September 1980 in Mebang, Cameroon, diocese of Ebolowa. He did his novitiate in Gbodjomé, Togo, and took his first vows on 8 September 2000 and perpetual vows on 26 May 2007 in Yaoundé. After completing his theological studies at the Theologate in Yaoundé, he was ordained a priest in his home diocese of Ebolowa on 31 May 2009.
His education led him to a Licentiate in Philosophy and then a Licentiate in Spiritual Theology at the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome. Fr André Young Ela Enam has dedicated much of his priestly ministry to the service of formation and governance in his Vice-Province.
Between 2010 and 2012, he served as councillor and oratory leader at the Novitiate in Gbodjomé, Togo. Upon his return from studies in Rome, in 2014, he was appointed Rector of the Theologate in Yaoundé, a position he held with dedication for six years, until 2020. Parallel to running the Theologate, Fr Ela Enam was called to serve on the ATE Council as Councillor, from 2014 to 2020.
In June 2020, he was appointed Vice-Superior of ATE, a role he still holds, since his term was renewed for a second three-year term in June 2023. As Vice-Superior he assisted the Superior of the Vice-Province, Fr Roland Mintsa in the guidance and animation of all Salesian works in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. In this role, he was particularly involved in the area of Formation. In addition to these governmental duties, since 2023 he has also taken on the role of Secretary of the Vice-Province
His participation in the 28th General Chapter further enriched his experience and vision of the congregation worldwide. He currently resides in the Don Bosco community Ebolowa, Cameroon, where he is also in charge of the Prenovitiate. For the past three years, he has also been the Formation Coordinator for Africa, a position that has enabled him to strengthen the link with the Formation Sector in Rome. Fr Ela Enam is a polyglot Salesian who speaks French, Italian, Spanish and Ntumu, one of the local languages of southern Cameroon.
His consolidated experience in the field of formation, his in-depth knowledge of the local reality and his long collaboration in the government of the Vice-Province make him particularly well suited to face this new mandate with Salesian vision and competence.
