Cardinal Jean-Pierre Kutwa, the Archbishop of Abidjan, is a music composer who has been a strong advocate for peace and reconciliation as well as ecumenical and interreligious dialogue in his war-torn country. He is Ivory Coast’s third ever cardinal.

Born on December 22, 1945 in Blockhauss, Ivory Coast, after attending the minor seminary in Bingerville, Kutwa went on to study theology at Anyama. He was ordained a priest for the archdiocese of Abidjan on July 11, 1971.

From 1971-1974 he served as vicar in the Cathedral Parish of Saint Paul du Plateau and as chaplain of the Catholic student youth group.  In 1977 he was appointed as national director of catholic works, and the following year returned to the Cathedral where he served as parish priest from 1978-1985.

In the meantime, in 1982 he obtained a “Maîtrise” in biblical theology at the Catholic Institute of West Africa (I.C.A.O) and a doctorate in biblical theology from the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome in 1985.

In 1987 he returned to the Ivory Coast where he served as a parish priest of the St. Paul du Plateau Cathedral, as professor of Sacred Scripture at the Anyama seminary, and as diocesan chaplain of the Catholic Student Youth (J.E.C). In 1995 he was assigned as parish priest of Notre Dame du Perpétual Secours in Treichville.

On July 7, 1997 he was involved in a serious car accident and almost lost his life. In February 1998 he returned to his parish. Three years later, in September 2001, Pope John Paul II appointed Kutwa metropolitan Archbishop of Gagnoa (Ivory Coast).

After representing the Ivory Coast as a delegate at the Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist in 2005, the following year Benedict XVI chose him to be Archbishop of Abidjan, the country’s capital. He took over leadership during a tumultuous time when the country was suffering from the devastation of a decade-long civil war.

In 2011, the archbishop went into hiding when a civil war erupted following President Laurent Gbagbo’s refusal to accept defeat in the November 2010 elections. More than 3,000 Ivorians were killed and 500,000 displaced as militias loyal to rival candidate Alassane Ouattara launched a rebellion and seized the country with backing from the United Nations and France, the former colonial power.

In 2014, Pope Francis elevated Kutwa to cardinal.

As archbishop, Kutwa has been a strong advocate for peace, reconciliation and interreligious dialogue in Ivory Coast. He has spoken out against political corruption and urged Catholics to work for justice, human rights and support for the poor and oppressed. He has spoken little or not at all on issues such as abortion, same-sex blessings, synodality or migration.

In addition to his religious duties, Kutwa is also noted as a music composer.

In 2024, Cardinal Kutwa became embroiled in a significant controversy when he reinstated a lay charismatic leader named Do Oulaï Franklin Delaneaux (known as Abraham Marie Pio) who had been accused of sexual abuse, financial extortion and psychological manipulation.¹In 2020, Kutwa suspended Delaneaux from his Royal Priesthood apostolate over allegations of sexual abuse against women, financial extortion and psychological manipulation. He then set up an ad hoc committee to examine the case. However, on February 9, 2024, the cardinal issued a decree lifting his suspension, allowing him to resume his activities. Cardinal Kutwa stated that Delaneaux had “acknowledged and regretted the facts attributed to him,” though he did not elaborate on the specific details. Critics of the reinstatement said Delaneaux had only partially admitted his guilt, no civil legal action had been taken against him despite the serious nature of the allegations, and lax reinstatement conditions were placed on him.²

Pope Francis accepted Cardinal Kutwa’s resignation as Archbishop of Abijan on May 20, 2024, on age grounds.

Cardinal Kutwa speaks French and it is likely he also speaks local Ivorian languages.