Cameroon:Why Ekeke Njuma should be voted MP for Buea

“This is the time for a change as almost everybody is unhappy with the functioning of state institutions”, he says.

By Christopher Ambe

Ekeke Njuma Moses

A disciplined man is, undoubtedly, a responsible, courageous and accountable person. In fact, when one is disciplined, he speaks and acts only when the need arises. Such a person is conscious that time is money and flies without waiting for anyone. And, as such, when given an assignment, he puts in his almost, to get or come out with the best.

    Ekeke Njuma Moses, a retired senior official of the Cameroon military fits squarely with the above description.

   Having served dutifully and patriotically in the   Cameroon military for some twenty-two years before retiring in 2006 as Major(Commandant), Ekeke Njuma,is the  Buea Social Democratic Front(SDF) candidate for the National Assembly(NA),the lower house of Cameroon’s Parliament.

   The SDF in Buea, after scouting for go-getters, settled for this native of Buea as their best bet for the race for the National Assembly .And as Election Day is just a matter of days, public opinion, The Recorder has observed, is increasingly in favor of Ekeke Njuma.

Except the unexpected happens, many Buea residents sampled by The Recorder, are convinced that he is  en route to  the National Assembly after the September 30 legislative elections.

Born 61 years ago, this healthy-looking and outspoken father of several children, served as a teacher for eleven years before joining the Cameroon army. He graduated from the Cameroon military academy (EMIA) Yaounde as a sub-lieutenant.

   Having served in various capacities and held duty posts in the army in several towns (e.g Ebolowa,Yaounde,Bamenda,Ngaounda ) in the country, he was, in 2002, transferred to his native Buea- where he worked there until his retirement in 2006.

Retired but not tired, this senior citizen developed interest in party politics and after a serious consideration joined the SDF, which promises to bring real meaningful change in Cameroon.

“I joined the SDF after reading its manifesto/ideology and falling in love with it” he told The Recorder.

Asked why he accepted the people’s clarion call to run for parliamentary election, Ekeke Njuma, looking very serious retorted:

 “I feel that Buea-despite its strategic importance has never been ably represented at the National Assembly-being that we have had in the past hand-clappers as MP’s –who even avoided the camera most of the times.”

  Known as somebody who harbors no fears when it comes to articulating important issues, the SDF Candidate optimistic: “Just as many people think, I feel I will be a far better representative of Buea people in the National Assembly”

   The Candidate, who is a devout Christian, says if voted into the National Assembly, he would like to have an effective decentralization-where, for instance, the administrators of the regions such as governors will be elected -so as to be accountable to the populations.

“I am very particular about our educational system and having two educational systems. Let it be clearly defined so that Anglo-saxon institutions like the University of Buea should be purely Anglo-saxon,” he voiced out.” I am also particular about the true separation of power (Executive, Legislative and the Judiciary).There should be a clear distinction among these arms of government, so that people can do their jobs as expected”

    If elected, Ekeke Njuma says he will argue strongly for the infrastructural development of Cameroon-roads, schools, pipe-borne water, health facilities and other basic social amenities; the dis-enclavement of localities some of which are less than 50 km form urban centers.

  His other priority concerns include: equal opportunity for employment of youth and Job-creation. He wants   aged people to quit the scene and give opportunity for the youth to be employed instead of their being recycled over and over. “Unemployment of the youth is a time-bomb to be carefully and quickly addressed,” according to this respected senior citizen.

    The candidate appeals to the electorate to rally behind the SDF, insisting: “This is the time for a change as almost everybody is unhappy with the functioning of state institutions and the attitude of lies-telling to the people”

    To Ekeke njuma, the time is gone past when people voted only the party without paying attention to the quality of the candidates.  “The electorate should rather vote the candidates whom they think will represent them ably. And such candidates are found in the SDF”

Ekeke Njuma did his primary education at Government School Buea Town, secondary education at Baptist Teachers’ Training College - Buea (when to qualify as a Grade II teacher was five-year course).

    An intelligent Ekeke Njuma, did not attend high school, but wrote and passed the GCE Advanced Level Certificate at home, before enrolling in to the Cameroon military academy (EMIA) and graduating in 1980 as sub-lieutenant. But he only joined the army in 1984

From 1990-2, he attended American Infantry Academy in Ford Benning, USA, for a vigorous professional training; He did several other military courses elsewhere. It should be noted that he had served as a teacher from 1973 to 1984

   Ekeke Njuma was one-time football player, with Thunder Bolt, which Buea-based belonged to Business Magnet Charles Namme Menyoli many years back. He was the first English-speaking Cameroonian to have practiced Martial Arts-particularly judo. He loves reading and research Ekeke