Cameroon:Late Hon. Emilia Monjowa Lifaka laid to rest in Bonjongo

Hon,Hilarion Etong, decorating posthumously the fallen Hon.Lifaka 

 By Christopher Ambe                       

 Hon. Emilia Monjowa Lifaka, MP for Fako West constituency and one of deputy speakers of Cameroon’s 180-member National Assembly, who died on April 20, 2021, was buried in her village of Bojongo in Buea Subdivision, Southwest Region.

 She died at Buea Regional Hospital, where she was hospitalized.

During her funeral at the Independence square (Bongo Square), Buea, the deceased MP was raised posthumously to the dignity of “Commander of the Cameroon Order of Valor” by the First Vice President of Cameroon’s National Assembly, Hilarion Etong, who represented the Speaker of the National Assembly, Cavaye Yeguie Djibril, at the ceremony, which was attended by thousands of mourners,coming from within and out of Cameroon.

The Archbishop of Bamenda, Andrew Nkea who was chief celebrant at the requiem at Bongo Square, revealed that he had been serving as the spiritual leader of the late Hon.Lifaka.

 “I have journeyed with Hon.Lifaka as her spiritual leader”, the Archbishop said, noting that the grave is the destiny of all humans. “For, Scriptures tell us that, we are dust and until it we shall return.”

The prelate said when Hon. Lifaka took ill, complaining of difficulty in breathing, she called “me and I prayed with her on the phone”, only to be surprised  shortly afterwards with news of her sudden death.

Nkea Andrew described the deceased MP as a committed catholic and woman of faith, who served the ruling CPDM party loyally.

“She was a politician and patriot with a difference; she was what politicians worth the salt should be”, noted the Nkea, adding that Hon.Lifaka spent all her resources to ensure her constituents were happy.”

MP.s paying last respects  to their fallen colleague ,Hon. Lifaka

The archbishop contrasted Hon.Lifaka with many Cameroonian politicians whom he likened to political scammers, noted for duping their constituents.

Nkea used the funeral to urge politicians to be common interest-driven and ensure that their love for Cameroon must be sincere.

There were seven eulogies  at the funeral ,which  came from Jacob Matike,family head;Mbawo Kenneth,son of late Hon.Lifaka;Joanna Agbor Ntui,representative of elites of Southwest region;Mrs.Ndoh Bertha, representative of CERAC whose founder is First lady Chantal Biya;the Director of Commonwealth in Cameroon’s Ministry of External Affairs who read the condolence message from the Secretary=General of the Commonwealth; former Premier Peter Mafany Musonge,leader of the CPDM Central Committee delegation  and Hilarion Etong,representative of the National Assembly Speaker, Cavaye Yeguie  Djibril,who was unavoidably absent.

In summary, the vari
ous eulogies presented the late Hon.Lifaka as a committed, resourceful, generous, God-fearing, patriotic and development-driven woman, whose death has created a huge vacuum hard to fill.

Among delegations of mourners from abroad were Mola Nathaniel Mosaso, president of Bakweri Elements Cultural and Development Association USA & North America (BECDA –USA/NA) and the association’s Cultural Director, Iya Enanga Lemeh.

“Our association is composed of all Bakwerians residing in the USA and North America. Our different activities are aimed at protecting, preserving and enhancing the Bakweri culture .Hon Lifaka was our beloved sister, mother and iconic development partner.

“BECDA-USA/NA deemed it necessary to participate in her funeral. In so doing, we are acknowledging her contributions in the accomplishments of Bakweri people”, Mola Nathaniel Mosaso told this reporter at the funeral ceremony at Bongo Square.

 

Nathaniel Mosaso,president of   BECDA-USA/NA and  Iya Enanga Lemeh 

                   How Hon.Lifaka will be remembered

 Emilia Monjowa Lifaka he became an MP since 2002 until her death: she was MP for 19 years.

Before becoming MP,she was director of state-owned Intensive Vocational Training Center for Office Employees(IVTC),Buea

Hon Lifaka, looked healthy and cheerful on Saturday April 17, 2021 at Mountain Hotel Buea where she hosted a sumptuous party to celebrate her 62^nd birth anniversary; little did she know it would turn out to be her farewell party.

She was elected Deputy Speaker of National Assembly since 2009. But before ascending to the rank of deputy speaker, Hon Lifaka was Vice-President of the ruling CPDM Parliamentary Group and National Coordinator of Cameron’s female MP’s.

A native of Bonjongo in Fako and mother of two, Lifaka was considered by Fako chiefs and elites, and her constituents as a duty-conscious, committed and development-focused MP

The deceased MP, noted for her gorgeous dressing, carried out development projects aimed at empowering constituents- especially rural women and school children

  Socio-economic Works

The late MP was frequently in touch with her base; made material and financial donations to needy schools and other groups in her constituency;  supplied  farm equipment and seedlings to women; sponsored some underprivileged but deserving  children  in schools and vocational training centers.

 For example, in 2008 she paid tuition fees for 25 female children at the Buea Women’s Empowerment Center and did same for same number children in subsequent years,

In 2016, Hon.Lifaka offered scholarship worth about seven million Fcfa to thirty-six (36) underprivileged youths from her constituency to undergo training in different trade areas at Cameroon Opportunities Industrialization Center (COIC) Buea. In In September 2010, Hon.Lifaka donated 100 plastic chairs and FCFA 500,000 to the Southwest Chief Conference to help them equip their secretariat in Buea, whose conference had inadequate seats and other office equipment.

She was hailed for what many of her constituents likened to her transparent use of parliamentary micro-project grants.

Lifaka as Peace Advocate

The deceased who was also leader of the CPDM Central Committee to Fako Division, was a peace advocate. She often used party events to reiterate President Biya’s appeal to separatist fighters to lay down their arms for the sake of peace and unity.  For instance, in 2019 in Buea at the 37^th anniversary of President Paul Biya’s ascension to power in Cameroon, she made this appeal to separatist fighters:

““My children in the bushes, I am speaking to you like your own mother…

“The government has heard and noted your worries; please leave the bushes and return to the comfort of your homes, because there is no other better place like home.

 “Please don’t terrorize your own mothers. Today mothers are even scared to go to their farms, markets or to do anything. Our children are now school drop-outs. You cannot build a community without educated people.”

Friendly to Constituents

Hon Lifaka was conscious that her rise to political prominence was largely dependent on her constituents. As such she made it a tradition after electoral victories, to go back and say “Thank You” in various forms, to her electorate.

The Politician at Work

 Hon. Lifaka was a substantive member of the Central Committee of the ruling CPDM. In 2007, she became a parliamentary group leader. In 2009, she was elected deputy speaker the National Assembly, a position she held till her demise.

In her 19-year duration in parliament, other positions she held included:  of member of Finance and the Budget Committee and Constitutional Laws Committee; member of Good Governance Committee.  She also represented the legislative chamber at the then National Commission for Human Rights and Freedom; represented the National Assembly in the National Decentralization Council from 2007 to 2014.

Her Commonwealth Prominence

Hon Lifaka since 2017 to her demise was voted chairperson of the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, CPA. (She was first African to occupy the chairmanship).

She once served as CPA Executive Committee Regional Representative for West Africa Sub-region.

In 2014, when Cameroon hosted the CPA 60th parliamentary Conference, Hon. Lifaka was Conference Coordinator.

Educational Qualifications

She was an MBA student in Human Resource Management at Anglia Ruskin University in the United Kingdom.

Hon.Lifaka had a diploma in Secretarial and Business Studies, from Crown Secretarial and Business Studies College, London; had a diploma in Administrative Management from University of Maryland Eastern Shore USA.

State Honours

While alive she received honors from State of Cameroon: Knight of the Cameroon Order of Valour, Officer of the Cameroon National Order of Merit, and Knight of the National Order of Valour.

Buea: FOWEC-CAM urges Pupils to embark on creativity

Yuven Juliana, Director of FOWEC-CAM addressing pupils of Morning Dew School

By Christopher Ambe

Pupils of Morning Due Nursery and Primary School, Sandpit Buea, have been urged to be creative and develop their talents in order to increase their chances of success in life.

The call was made by Yuven Juliana, Director of Footsteps for Women and Children –Cameroon (FOWEC-CAM) on April 21 on the occasion of World Creativity and Innovation Day.

 The day, celebrated every April 21, was designated by the United Nations, to raise awareness on the role of creativity and innovation in all aspects of human development.

FOWEC-CAM is a Buea-based non-governmental organization, whose motto is “Taking Education to the Needy and Transforming lives.”

Addressing the pupils on campus,  Yuven Juliana  said everybody has talents, adding that “we need to do is to discover and develop them”

“Whatever talent you have, please use it very well. Endeavor to be creative and innovative. We all have the potentials to be great achievers.

“Creativity leads to wealth and job creation. If you develop your talents you can create jobs for yourselves and for others”, said the director of FOWEC-CAM to the pupils, who excitedly watched the performances of their school mates in various extra-curricular activities that animated the day.

 FOWEC-CAM officials awarding gifts to pupils of Morning Dew School

The pupils, under the supervision of their teachers, performed activities such as cultural dances, fashion parade, poem recitation, drama, drawing/art and craft and wrestling.

 FOWEC-CAM appreciated the activities of the pupils by awarding prizes to them.

The head master of Morning Due Nursery and Primary School, Mr. Leke Marcellus, expressed happiness that FOWEC-CAM chose his school for the celebration of the World Creativity and Innovation Day.

He noted that his school is educating and preparing children to be instrumental not only in their own development but also that of society as a whole.

 

Mobile money operator under investigation for money transfer to separatist fighter.

By Joe Tanji

 In a country where unemployment is so rife, getting employed is a herculean task. In Cameroon, for instance, where unemployment is high many university graduates are now resorting to telephone call box and mobile money transfer business for survival.

Before now many had thought this business was suitable for college dropouts or the less educated.

 The mobile money business is supposed to relieve their operators from financial stress, but many of them in the two restive English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon have, since the eruption of the Anglophone Crisis in late 2016, sent remittances to criminal suspects, subjecting them to arrests and judicial investigations.

Fresh reports said a certain Sirene Nwani – a Cameroonian university graduate who was eking out a living from the mobile money business was   arrested, late April 2021, in Buea for allegedly sending an undisclosed amount of money to a separatist leader.

The Cameroon government has accused mobile money dealers of facilitating the funding of separatist activities in the country, reiterating the criminal consequences   that would befall those implicated.

When contacted, Barrister Fombon Jerry, counsel for the accused Sirene Nwani, said

 “We are doing everything  legally possible to ensure her release…because we are convinced that she could not have knowingly carried out the purported transfer of money to a separatist ….”

Although the arrested suspect was born in May 1998 in Bali Kumbat, Northwest region of Cameroon, she did her secondary education in Tiko and proceeded to Buea for her post-secondary education before gaining admission into the University of Buea in 2016.

It would be recalled that when separatist fighters had attempted to disrupt the smooth functioning of the University of Buea in the heat of the Anglophone crisis, by kidnapping lecturers and students, Cameroon forces of law and order raided neighborhoods near the university believed to be hideouts for separatist fighters and suspects who included students like Sirene Nwani   and they were reportedly rough-handled, detained and later released following the interventions of their lawyers.

That encounter with the brutality of security forces is said to have traumatized Nwani who was reportedly still being monitored by security agents.

 With the escalation of the Anglophone crisis, security agents have been working round the clock to identify mobile money kiosks that transfer money to separatist leaders.

And it was during such investigations that Sirene Nwani was identified by security agents and whisked off for sending money to separatists, whom the Cameroon government has tagged as terrorists, threatening the unity of the country.

President Paul Biya, who has ruled Cameroon since 1982, has insisted Cameroon is “one and indivisible” and has likened the separatists to terrorists whom he promised to neutralize