Barrister Felix Agbor Nkongho."The Major National Dialogue was just a means to an end"

Barrister Felix Agbor Nkongho was president of Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium, which coordinated civil disobedience at the start of the Anglophone Crisis. The Biya government arrested him in January 2017 and detained for eight months in Yaounde. 

Barrister Agbor Nkongho participated in the 2019 Major National Dialogue (MND).Just a few days to the MND’s first anniversary he shared his views on the Dialogue with The Horizon’s Contributing Editor, Christopher Ambe, in Buea.

Excerpts:

Barrister Agbor Nkongho, you took part in the Major National Dialogue (MND) which held from September 30 to October 4, 2019 in Yaoundé. In a few days, it will be the first anniversary of the MND. Is there any reason for celebration?

There is a cause for celebration in the sense that for a long time in the history of this country, people of divergent views came together to try to find solutions to the Anglophone crisis and the other problems that we face as people in Cameroon.

But substantially, I don’t see any reason for celebration in the sense that the Dialogue was tele-guided by the Government. If you look at the composition of various groups and how people were selected, it was clearly something that was controlled by Government. In that regard, it is not something to celebrate.

 If you look at the way national dialogues have been organized in other parts of the world, they take into consideration the holistic approach, where invited parties have inputs. In our case, every suggestion that was presented in the pre-dialogue consultations was not taken in to consideration during the MND.

 But in terms of the outcome, the big thing was the “special status”, which ushered in a lot of euphoria on the one side and skepticism on the other. What has really been the outcome of this special status? It is an empty shell; more cosmetic but in effect, nothing is really happening. Concerning Special Status, there isn’t much to write home about.

 Reconstruction was also a recommendation but nothing has been done yet.  I understand measures have been put in place to ensure that reconstruction and construction begin. May be something good can come out of it depending how they implement it.

What were your expectations from the Dialogue?

 I did not expect that the conflict that has taken place for years would have a solution in five days. But I also expected genuine and frank dialogue; I expected discussion that would go beyond the themes of the National Dialogue. I expected that if the organizers were honest they would know that the problems had gone beyond this unitary decentralization; I thought we would ,at least, have a discussion on federalism but unfortunately, the Dialogue looked like a well-scripted play to suit the whims and caprices of the powers that be.

 The idea of the MND was mainly to seek solutions to the socio-political crisis in the Northwest and Southwest regions. Closing the Dialogue, the Prime Minister said proposals made therefrom could only be truly implemented in an atmosphere of Peace. Have you noticed any return of peace and security?

 Peace and security flip-flops, depending on where you are. When October is coming closer, the security situation in [Anglophone Cameroon] is tense or during elections, like what happened during parliamentary and municipal elections. The security situation here in the Southwest seems to be getting better, but in the Northwest it is getting worse.

The Government must be sincere so people see that while we do reconstruction we are also trying to find out the solution to the crisis, by talking to the people we don’t agree with.

 You see, when information filtered out that, Sisiku Ayuk Tabe( the imprisoned Interim President of the Republic of Ambazonia)  was negotiating with Government, one could get the euphoria on the social media; for the sake of peace, people wanted him to go ahead; they did not know about the “infighting” in Government until when the Minister of Communication  announced that nothing was happening. There is urgent need for Government and for those who have taken arms against the State to put the interest of the people first, in whatever actions they take.

Would you recommend the holding of a second Major National Dialogue?

The Major Dialogue was a step in the right direction. It was a means to an end, and not an end in itself!  To me, there are supposed to be a series of dialogues before we come out of this quagmire...

We knew why the Dialogue was called; but the government wanted to give it national coloration which was not necessary.

 I understand the State wanted to show that, it could not be bullied by people who have taken up arms .There is an Anglophone problem and other problems.

 To me, they have done the national dialogue where we agreed on things that touched the entire territory; but now, let us go to the specific issues of the Northwest and Southwest regions. During the dialogue a lot of people there were CPDM people, thinking alike. But such a conference required also people of different ideologies-I mean some major Players like Ikome Sako. They might not come but they have people in Cameroon who can represent them so that they feel involved.

  When you invite people from the Diaspora to come for Major Dialogue and a few days before  to it ,you arrest somebody in Cameroon who uses the media to criticize Cameroon and you term him a separatist, are you not  sending a message to the others willing to come ,not to.

 

Which of the MND recommendations do you like most and why?

Be to honest, the one I like most is the “Special Status” for Anglophones. Why? Because it will give us some autonomy like what is happening in Monacco ,Quebec... The special status was the closest to what some of us have been clamoring for. And if you have a genuine special status, it can go a long way to make people feel empowered, that they can elect their governors and manage their affairs.

Reconstruction is good. You cannot wait until the conflict ends before you do that. I ask my separatist friends, “Let us assume that we are going to have a state tomorrow, are we not going to benefit from the roads?” There are things that we just have to look at the interest of the people and- as leaders, allow them to be done.

The Diaspora has been very instrumental in the Anglophone crisis. How can they be helpful to the return of peace and normalcy back home?

Unfortunately, when we talk about the Diaspora, during the crisis, we only see them in the negative .But we have some of the finest Diasporas, very resourceful to and supportive of families back home; in periods of crisis they pay school fees to family members. I think we have to encourage them to do more for the development of the country.

But also, we have to be honest in this country. When you ban someone from coming to the country they consider as theirs, they may destroy to have a new country. Imagine a Cameroonian resident in the Diaspora who loses the father back home but is not allowed to return for burial. Why the blacklisting of people abroad? I urge that State to grant general clemency to our citizens. Consider this issue of dual nationality where some Cameroonians abroad wishing to return are refused visas at the embassies. What is wrong if the state declares that Cameroonians by birth abroad whether with a foreign passport don’t need a visa to come to Cameroon? They cannot invest in a country where they are not sure to have access to it.

We have to engage our Diasporas. Why is there always tense relationship between the Government and the Diaspora? We need to have a minister in charge of Diaspora Affairs so that they should establish that working and brotherly relationship.

But also, some of our brothers and sisters in the Diaspora at times have very bad attitudes. It is not because you are abroad that you say all kinds of nasty things about Cameroon. The problem with this crisis is that, the people abroad think that they are all-knowing. They try to victimize everybody who lives in Cameroon and at the end we are where we are. Realistically, we need to work together; there need to be a synergy between our leaders abroad and those in Cameroon. We cannot have a revolution where everybody who matters is abroad, trying to blackmail or tarnish the image of everyone in Cameroon.

So the state should do something so that our Diasporas should feel Cameroonian. Feeling frustrated by the State, they have turned to support those fighting against Cameroon. Government should see how to use the Diaspora for the betterment of the Country

 (This Interview was first published in The HORIZON Newspaper, Cameroon of September 28,2020)

 

Cameroon:Pioneer Managers urged to make NASLA a model

Tanyi Tiku EnohAchuo Bayee,DG,NASLA

 By Christopher Ambe

The Minister of Decentralization and Local Development (MINDDEVEL), George Elanga Obam, on September 18, urged the pioneer management team of National School for Local Administration (NASLA),Buea to make the institution not only a brand in Cameroon but in Africa.

Minister Obam made the appeal at Mountain Hotel, Buea during the commissioning into office of Mr. Mouhtar Ousman Mey, as pioneer Chair of the Board of Directors of NASLA, and Mr.Tanyitiku Enohachuo Bayee, as pioneer Director-General (DG) and his deputy Mrs. Ongolo Nyanguinda Lidwine. Other NASLA Board members were also commissioned and the Board later held its first session same day.

The minister urged the DG and his deputy to be instrumental in the smooth take off of Cameroon’s decentralization by training staff of both regional and local authorities, as well as their elected officials.

 “A census conducted by MINDDEVEL in 2019 indicated that more than 70% of workers of councils [in Cameroon] have qualifications below the standard while about 80% are temporary or seasonal staff,” Minister Obam revealed, regretting that  “our regional and local authorities are not well equipped with the technical competences needed in the management  devolved to them”

He implored the DG to work extremely to “give NASLA a good name, make it a brand in Cameroon, in our sub region, and our continent.”

 The goal of NASLA, the Minister noted, is to facilitate decentralization and local governance in Cameroon by ensuring professional training in areas of local administration in accordance with guidelines defined by the Government.

 NASLA was created by President Paul Biya on March 2, 2020 from the ashes of Local Government Training Centre (CEFAM) as a public administrative and professional establishment, with a distinct legal personality and financial autonomy

 

The minister enjoined the DG to master the regulations governing NASLA and immediately propose to the Board the priority action plan for the school,  organizational chart, the equipment plan, the statutes governing personnel, the curricula, proposals for appointment to positions of sub-director so that they should be validated for implementation.

 Mr.Tanyitiku was urged to demonstrate his management skills with a strong leaning to results-based management.

The minister told him to encourage proper use of both official languages, noting that “bilingualism is the bedrock of our national integration.”

 NASLA offers a two-year duration diploma training, which comprises three cycles: Cycle A-for senior executives of local administration; Cycle B,for mid-level staff of local administration and Cycle C,for specialized workers of local administration.

Admission into NASLA is through a competitive entrance examination .Only holders of a Bachelor’s degree (aged at most 35) sit for Cycle A; holders of GCE Advanced level or recognized equivalent (aged at most 35)sit for Cycle B and holders of GCE Ordinary Level or recognized (aged at most 30) sit for Cycle C.

 

 Director-General Mr. Tanyitiku and his deputy Mrs. Mrs. Ongolo were appointed on March 25 by President Paul Biya. 

 Board chair Mr.Mouhtar was appointed by a presidential decree on August 11 2020 and the next day was the appointment of nine other board members.

The Board members are:Mr. Miene Mindoumou Robert Arnaud(Presidency of the Republic),Mrs. Ngeve nee Hannah Njeke Ngombi( Prime Minister’s office),Mr. Cho Ngu Ernest(MINDDEVEL),Mr. Yufenyuy Fai Yengo Emmanuel(Ministry of Finance),Mr. Ndzana Louis de Gonzagne Anaclet(Ministry of Territorial Administration),Mr. Tsimi Serge(Ministry of Public Service),Mr. Abane Engolo Patrick Edgard( Ministry of Higher Education),Mr. Ntye Ntye Daniel Elise(FEICOM) and Mr. Akoa Albert Anicet(Regional and Local Authorities).

 

 Board chair Mr. Mouhtar, born on November 4, 1960,in the Far North region of Cameroon ,is a retired superscale senior administrative officer. Before his appointment he retired as Secretary-General in the Ministry of Arts and Culture, but before that he   had held the same position in the Ministry of Social Affairs. He is married and has two children

 Director General, Mr. Tanyitiku is a senior administrative officer. Born on May 5, 1975, he read law and political science in the University of Buea before enrolling into ENAM Yaounde where he was trained as administrator. He is married and has four children.Before his recent appointment he was an attaché at the Prime Minister’s office He hails from Manyu Division

. Deputy DG Mrs. Ongolo was born on December 7, 1975 in Yaoundé. She graduated as an administrator from ENAM Yaounde. Prior to her appointment she was Head of Division of Planning and Local Development in MINDDEVEL. She hails from the Lekie Division and is a mother of two.

Buea Mayor David Namange Mafani,who welcomed Minister Obam ,promised the support  of his council to NASLA. SW Governor Bernard Okalia Bilai was among dignitaries who witnessed the ceremony.

 

After UN Conflict Reporting Workshop: Journalists more conscious of their safety

Journalists  in family picture  after the opening of the Kribi Workshop

 

By Christopher Ambe

Kribi-Cameroon-Journalists of both the public and private media last September 11 emerged from a four-day workshop more conscious of their right to security and safety when covering crises and conflicts.

 The 27 journalists were also taught what constitutes hate speech and how to avoid it in the exercise of their duties

The journalists, drawn from the Southwest, Northwest, Littoral and Centre regions of Cameroon, had   converged on the resort town of Kribi, from September 8-11 for a workshop on “Mainstreaming Protection in Reporting on Crises and Conflicts  in the Central African Region:The Case of  in Cameroon”.

The workshop, which took place at Hotel Framotel in Kribi, was organized by five United Nations agencies-OHCHR, UNOCA, UNDP, UNESCO and UNICEF, as the first of a series of such workshops to be organized in the Central Africa Sub region, for media professionals and security and defense forces.

 The participants welcomed the workshop, mindful of the ongoing crises and conflicts in Cameroon such the Anglophone Crisis, Boko Haram deadly attacks and Corona Virus/COVID 19 pandemic, and the threats to security and safety of media practitioners covering them.

The workshop was opened by the 1^st Assistant Senior Divisional Officer for Ocean Division,Mrs. Josiane Nko’o Ella, who urged journalists to do their job as legally and ethically required. She lauded the UN for ensuring the protection of journalists, hoping that the workshop would improve media coverage of the crises and conflicts in Cameroon

Welcoming participants via a Skype, Mr. Hilaire Mputu, interim head of UNESCO in Cameroon, reiterated the important role of the media in society. But Mr. Mputu regretted that, thousands of journalists have been killed in relation to their job, while many others have been harassed, tortured, arrested with others facing sexual violence and long pre-trial detention.

He urged journalists to be law-abiding and professional, but warned them against using the cover of their profession to do anything.

” Your safety is more important than the crises and conflicts you cover”, he noted.

Mr. Mputu emphasized that the lives of journalists must be protected by all to ensure that they carry out their work safely for the good of society.

During the workshop, media professionals were advised to take their safety and security much more seriously in the exercise of their job.

 The Human Rights, Communication and Advocacy Officer at the UN Human Rights Centre in Cameroon,  Kiven Fonyuy Timothy Frankline  who was one of the facilitators at the workshop, reiterated  that there is no great journalist in the grave, wishing that  no journalist should be killed in the exercise of their job. 

Colonel Cyrille Serge Atonfack Guemo, in charge of communication in the Ministry of Defense in Yaounde, talked on the theme “Building relationships that strengthen protection- the case of Law Enforcement Officers, Defense and Security Forces and Non State Armed Groups.”

He said the state (via military) has the obligation to guarantee the security and protection of the population including journalists.

He said the Ministry of Defense is now more open and ready to collaborate with journalists covering conflicts. He advised journalists of the need for proper identification and neutrality when in the conflict area, so as not to be treated as a suspect.

Dr. Emini Zephirin, Assistant Resident Representative of UNDP and Fajong Joseph, UNDP national communication and advocacy expert discussed the “UNDP Recovery Plan” for the crisis-stricken Northwest and Southwest regions.

Salomon Biguel, Communication Officer for UNICEF Yaounde drilled participants on “Protection of vulnerable groups in complex emergencies-the role of the media professionals.”

“National, regional and international Protection  mechanisms for journalists”  was a also a topic at the workshop, presented by Serge Banyimbe, Communication for Development Specialist at UNESCO Regional Office for Central Africa.He discussed  the UN plan of action for safety of journalists with focus on the protection mechanisms. He expressed the wish to a national protection mechanism in Cameroon soon.

Mr. Kiven Fonyuy dwelled on “Hate speech: causes, consequences and the role of the media in combating hate and discriminatory speech in the media.”

 Participants were briefed on UN Security Council Resolution 2222(2015) on the protection of civilians in armed conflict; they discussed how to best Practices communicate COVID19 prevention and response in situations of violence and conflict.

The workshop ended with participants adopting a check list for detecting hate speech in the media and another one for conflict/crisis reporting. They also   resolved to improve on their collaboration and networking.

 

 

Cameroon:Minister to install NASLA Managers on Friday

Mr.Tanyitiku  Enohachuo  Bayee, pioneer DG,NASLA 

By  Christopher Ambe

Mr Mouhtar Ousman Mey, pioneer Chair of the Board of Directors of the  National School for Local Administration (NASLA),Buea and Mr.Tanyitiku  Enohachuo  Bayee, pioneer Director-General (DG) and his deputy Mrs. Lidwine Ongolo Nyanguinda,will be officially installed into their functions on Friday September 18 by the Minister of Decentralisation and Local Development(MINDDEVEL), George Elanga Obam.

NASLA was created on March 2, 2020 by President Paul Biya as
a public administrative and professional establishment, with a distinct legal personality and financial autonomy.

 It was created from the ashes of Local Government Training Centre (CEFAM). The principal of NASLA is to facilitate the processes of decentralization and local governance in Cameroon through training and capacity-building.

 NASLA Director–General Mr.Bayee and the Deputy Director-General, Mrs. Nyanguinda were appointed  last March 25 by President Paul Biya. 

NASLA Board chair, Mouhtar Ousman Mey was appointed by a presidential decree on August 11 2020 and the next day was the appointment of nine other board members.

Although the full management team will only be installed on Friday, NASLA has since last April 9 been operational, following the technical handing over ceremony between the out-gone director of defunct CEFAM Hagbe Matthieu and the pioneer DG of NASLA.

 Mr Hagbe had served as director of the now defunct CEFAM for sixteen years uninterrupted. The handing over ceremony was chaired by Fred Ebongue Makolle, secretary-general in MINDDEVEL Yaounde.

NASLA offers a two-year duration diploma training, which comprises three cycles: Cycle A-for senior executives of local administration; Cycle B,for mid-level staff of local administration and Cycle C,for specialized workers of local administration.

Admission into NASLA is through a competitive entrance examination .Only holders of a Bachelor’s degree (aged at most 35) sit for Cycle A; holders of GCE Advanced level or recognized equivalent (aged at most 35)sit for Cycle B and holders of GCE Ordinary Level or recognized (aged at most 30) sit for Cycle C.

 The Director General, Mr.Bayee is a senior administrative officer. Mr. Bayee read law and political science in the University of Buea before enrolling into ENAM Yaounde where he was trained as administrator.

NASLA Board has representatives from: the Presidency of the Republic, the Prime Ministry,the Ministry of Decentralization and Local Development, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Territorial Administration, the Ministry of Public Service and Administration Reforms, the Ministry of Higher Education, FEICOM and representatives of Local Development

(With input from Walter Wilson Nana)

 

 

 

UN on Mainstreaming Protection into Conflict Reporting in Cameroon

 By Christopher Ambe

Thirty(30) journalists from  both the public and private media  from the Southwest, Northwest ,Littoral and Centre regions of Cameroon will  tomorrow, Tuesday September 8, converge on the resort town of Kribi,to begin a four-day  workshop  on the theme  “Mainstreaming Protection into Reporting on  Crises and Conflicts   in Cameroon.”

The media workshop, which will take place at Hotel Framotel in Kribi, has been organized by five United Nations agencies-OHCHR, UNOCA, UNDP, UNESCO and UNICEF- and it is within the framework of a project to mainstream protection in media coverage of crisis in Cameroon.

A series of such workshops are scheduled to be organized this September for media professionals and security and defense forces.

According to Abdoulaye Traore, officer-in-charge of OHCHR CARO who signed out invitation letters to the selected journalists,

“During the workshop for media professionals, a session will be devoted to exchange with a representative of the defense forces on appropriate conduct for media professionals when covering crises. The same will be done during the workshop for security and defenses (which will take place in Douala from September 15 to 17.”

 The workshop has been described as timely, coming at a time when the Anglophone crisis, which erupted in 2016, is far from over; and when Boko Haram terrorists occasionally launch deadly attacks in the northern regions of Cameroon.

During the workshop, participants will brainstorm on the strengths,weaknesses,opportunities and threats linked to coverage of the crisis in the Northwest and Southwest regions; they will discuss the protection of vulnerable groups in complex emergencies-the role of journalists and other media professionals; focus will be on national, regional and international Protection  mechanisms for journalists; Hate speech:causes,consequences  and the role of the media in combating hate and discriminatory speech in the media will be discussed;  participants will always be familiarized  with the UN security Council Resolution 2222(2015) on the protection of civilians in armed conflict.

There will be an information session on “The Reconstruction plan for the Northwest and Southwest regions-UNDP’s involvement and what the media should know.”

Among other important themes programmed for discussion, participants will examine “Best Practices from the field on communication on COVID19 prevention and response in situations of violence and conflict.

 

The Hunt for killers of Muyuka woman

 By Joe Atumba

When suspected   separatists beheaded 32-year Comfort Sirri Tumasang in Muyuka in August 2020, the terrible act drew wide-spread condemnation from rights groups and the general public.

The deceased was buried on August 15 at her family compound at Makanga quarter, Muyuka but Cameroon security forces are searching for her killers.

 Cameroon government  has vowed not only to fish out perpetrators of the macabre act, but  on August 18 sent  Confiance Ebune, director at the Prime Minister’s office and special envoy of Prime Minister Dion Ngute to Muyuka to condole with deceased’s mother. The PM’s envoy was accompanied to Muyuka by Southwest Governor, Bernard Okalia Bilai.

 After   the delegation extended Government’s sympathies to the bereaved family, the deceased’s deflated mother alerted the PM’s delegation that separatists had also threatened to burn her Makanga –Muyuka residence for allowing the burial of her daughter, Comfort there.

 Comfort was accused by separatists of betraying them by collaborating with government forces who are out to neutralize separatist fighters. She was labeled as backleg by the armed group.

Cameroon labels separatist fighters as terrorists, and the latter could face up to the death sentence in the country.

According to sources,with the search for the killers of Comfort Sirri intensifying, certain Ms. Josephine Djougang a nurse in Yaounde is said to be on the run. Her search is not because she is a separatist fighter, but because reports claimed she had treated an injured and sick separatist fighter named E. Enoh in a private clinic in Yaoundé.

The said Enoh whose whereabouts is unknown is suspected of having links with the killers of comfort Sirri . Said to be a separatist fighter in Muyuka, security operatives believe he could know more about separatist fighters’ locations there.

The search for Josephine is reportedly to find out if she has direct links with separatist fighters because she administered treatment to E. Enoh. She is suspected of having some information about their activities.

According to sources,  Josephine  is running for fear that she could be killed, since some hospitals where separatist fighters were  receiving treatment had reportedly been attacked by the military, searching for them.

 Since the Anglophone crisis started in 2016, thousands of both civilians and security officers/soldiers have lost their lives as government forces clash regularly with separatists, who seeking the independence of minority-English speakers from the majority French speakers. Hundreds of houses and villages   have been burnt to ashes, many in desperation and agony.

Hundreds of thousands are internally displaced (IDPs), while over 40 thousand Cameroonians are seeking asylum in neighboring Nigeria. Many others have fled the country to the USA,Europe,Asia and other  parts of the world for safety purposes.

 About 20% of Cameroon’s population of about 24 million is English speakers and 80% French-speakers. The English-speakers  since their union with French-speakers in 1961 have been complaining of their  gross marginalization .

Suspended Buea EBC Christian: "I am righting the wrongs of the church "

 

Hansel Ekwa Itue, the Baptist Christian who provoked a crisis at Ebenezer Baptist Church (EBC),Buea, leading to his suspension, likens himself  to  Martin Luther, who wrote 95 theses against the Roman Catholic Church, bringing about reforms.

Ekwa Itue spoke to The Horizon’s Contributing Editor, Christopher Ambe on Sunday after the EBC Pastor Rev. Gefon and Nkwan Amos blamed him, in a previous interview, for plunging the church into a crisis. Excerpts:

Do you still consider yourself as a member of EBC after your temporary suspension, which you have been protesting against?

 I remain a member of EBC.   I am not yet liberated by the Church.

After my unjustified suspension, I wrote to the church requesting they should terminate my member but they have not responded.

But if you angry with the church for its decision temporarily suspending you,, can you not  quietly and voluntarily withdraw your membership and worship elsewhere?  

I can do that if need arises, but I remain a Baptist for now. And there are issues in EBC  which must be resolved before I start considering whether to leave or not. The issues are crucial in the unity and growth of the church.

But the issues you raised against the church leadership have been looked into by same and judgment  passed against you, resulting to your temporary suspension .What else?

I must keep pressing because the church of God is not owned by an individual or group of individuals. I pray the church leadership should sooner or later come to reason. Remember when Martin Luther [who was Professor of moral theory at the University of Wittenberg, Germany] protested against the Roman Catholic Church, everybody thought he was  mad until he published the 95 theses about the church, in which he condemned its excesses and corruption.   The EBC or church leadership may consider me a mad man because I am trying to right the wrongs of the church, but   only time alone will tell.

What are the wrongs that you want to correct?

I want to be categorical on my position. The senior pastor of the church Rev.Gefon, in my opinion, is rude and very arrogant, which are not supposed to be traits of a pastor.

Secondly, the pastor “scammed” the church about a project in Munyenge for the building of a house for a desperate pastor .In the Baptist Church, the pastor does not collect, keep or spend money in any congregation. The Church has a financial secretary, treasurer and chair person who takes financial decisions on behalf of the church. Why did the Rev Gentleman involve himself in this financial mess, by raising funds and spending such without records?

Scamming should be a crime. Why did you not lodge a complaint with the Police for investigation if you are sure of your claim?

 I made this known to the church, because when you raise money in the church it is church money. And the pastor cannot raise money and the church does not have the financial records. Church money is supposed to be spent with the approval of the church committee, which is not what he did.

But the Pastor has dismissed your claim as unfounded, insisting the Church knew and approved his expenditure on the Munyenge pastor’s house.Why Insist on this point?

This is not true.  The pastor, as a man of God, should stand by the truth and the truth alone shall set us free. The pastor should be honest at once that the church never approved of the project. The church has no records of the project in question.

If the church did not approve of the project, why did it raise the requested funds?

You see, there should be somebody who sees in the world of the blind. That is why I say he deceived the church. He has no right to raise money and spend it without following church procedures.

During the fund-raiser where were you?

I was there and raised an objection. But fund raising continued in the church and nobody could reason with me.

Didn’t that suggest to you that the majority of the church endorsed the fund-raiser?

They did not approve. They did not know whether the pastor was right or wrong in what he was doing. There is no Baptist church where funds are raised by the pastor and same spends the money without  the vetting by a committee.

It seems you are the only one faulting the pastor, despite the many informed Christians in EBC.Don’t you think so?

There are many who blame the pastor in silence. They lack the courage to speak out. As I told you when Martin Luther raised concerns about the Roman Catholic Church, everybody thought he was mad. He insisted .But when his points were finally appreciated and understood it sparked the great revolution in the Catholic Church.  I think that when the church will understand the truth of what I am saying there will be a revolution.

 You have petitioned church authorities on your claims now for months and even copied the Executive President of CBC.What has been the response of superior authorities?

They have not responded to my complaints. They have not given me their position yet.

Don’t you think that they have not seen any merit in your complaints and have ignored you?

Not at all; I complained to those directly concerned and only copied the executive president. So, I don’t expect a direct response from him.

From your previous interview with the pastor and secretary, the church claimed to have put a reconciliation mechanism where I am not responding. It   is unfortunate all that is falsehood.

 The Pastor told me he has no personal problem with you. Do you have a personal problem with Pastor Gefon, who is from the Northwest region and you are a native of Buea?

I don’t! It is just a matter of church principles and practice. His practice to me looks strange and un-Baptist.

When you were suspended you were given some counselors to work with. Have you been interacting?

The disciplinary sanction against me did not follow church principles; the judgment against was based on falsehood and I reject it.

Do you want the pastor relieved of his functions at EBC?

 I don’t want him sacked! I want the unity of the church to stand. The right things should be done. We should not take advantage of the ignorance of the majority on how the church is supposed to run to do wrong things.

Church internal rules have been violated- by putting me on suspension. So my suspension is null and void.

If  the pastor is sacked, will that make you happy?

Honestly, I won’t be happy. Life is a learning process. If you are at fault, accept your fault, accept your corrections and move ahead.

But the EBC leadership has been making effort to bring about peace and reconciliation?

On the contrary I have made several official attempts to bring about peace and reconciliation to reconcile with the pastor… I went to the pastor personally to reconcile with him in his office.  But he scandalized me by telling people that I attacked him. If I attack his short comings, am I not correct to do so?

Let it be clear: the pastor has neither made any effort to reconcile with me nor sent anybody to facilitate that.

 Would I be right to call you the Martin Luther of the church?

It is such a big title to be thrown on me.But that is exactly what I am doing: correcting the wrongs of the church.

I pray that there will be peace and reconciliation. You don’t expect the things of God to  happen automatically. Time alone will tell.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cameroon-University of Buea: Head of JMC To Move On After Producing Two PhDs.

Stephen Mokondo (holds thesis) ,Dr Kingsley Ngange  & Nseme Ndode after defence

 By Christopher Ambe

The Head of Department of Journalism & Mass Communication (JMC), of University of Buea, has hinted that it  may  now  be time for him to embrace new challenges  after the department, which he has headed only for three years, has produced two PhDs and the third one is underway.

Dr. Kingsley L. Ngange, who was appointed head of Department of JMC on August 17, 2017, said his two students, last week, brilliantly defended their PhDs.

In a telephone chat with this reporter last Saturday, Dr. Kingsley L.Ngange who was the first student to obtain his PhD from same department 10 years ago, said since JMC started in 1993, a total of four students have defended successfully their doctorates. The second to obtain a PhD from JMC/UB was Henry Muluh, who had also headed the department for several years.

Of the four PhD holders from the JMC/UB, two   defended theirs on August 14, 2020 on UB campus before two examination panels separately   chaired by Professor Noel Alembong of University of Buea and Professor Boyomo Assala of University of Yaounde II.

 The two students are Nseme Stephen Ndode, whose thesis was titled “Professionalization of Training Towards a Model of Excellence for Journalism and Mass Communication in Cameroon”, and Moki Stephen Mokondo, whose thesis was “The Content and Nature of Cameroon Newspapers Coverage of the Anglophone Crisis (2016 -2019”.

 Dr.  Ngange, who co-supervised the two candidates, said the jury was very satisfied with the high quality of their research works. “The theses were judged as well-conceived, well-researched and well-presented and both candidates were awarded A-grades, ” he said.

 He said Ndodi ‘s work had to do with journalism training and Mokondo’s   own with journalism practice, adding that both works are interrelated not only  because both candidates share the name Stephen, but that they are young persons who were destined to be together. “They started their undergraduate programed together in same department and they are finishing with the PhD. Both were also instructors in the department,” he pointed out.

“In the weeks or months ahead the department will be producing more PhDs,” he disclosed.

“As Head of Department, I am very satisfied  that in just three years we have produced two PhDs and one will be before September ends”, Dr. Ngange  noted , adding that his leadership of the department faced biting challenges, which   emboldened him.

He said, “I think that I have got to the pinnacle of my career as HOD. It is always good to quit the stage when the applause is loudest. I am now ready to carry on with other challenges.”

Dr. Ngange, has done all the facets of journalism -training, practice (with state-owned broadcaster, CRTV); journalism education for over twelve years and journalism management as head of department for three years.

The HOD  stressed :“Once more, I think it is good to quit the stage when the applause is loudest…

What I mean is that when we prepare young people we should be humble enough to let them take over from us rather than stay there and start fighting against them.

“When you produce PhDs, you don’t produce them  to keep in cupboards; so, the new PhDs should be given the opportunity to shine!”

 

 

 

Buea Baptist Church in Crisis: Christian, Pastor Suspended but Latter is Quickly Reinstated by Hierarchy

*Group calling self “Concerned Christians” slams church leadership 

By Christopher Ambe

The Ebenezer Baptist Church (EBC) ,Great Soppo- Buea, has been fighting tooth and nail for over seven months now to contain a serious crisis, which has shaken its foundation and threatened its unity.

A small group of EBC worshippers, which has named itself as “Concerned Christians”, has been slamming the local church leadership over the alleged poor handling of a crisis situation, provoked by the suspension of a Christian, Hansel Ekwa Itue.

Ekwa Itue was judged and sanctioned by the EBC leadership for challenging the moral authority of Rev. Patrick Munjoh Gefon,one of the three church pastors.

Rev.Gefon (native of Babanki, Northwest Region) has served as senior pastor of EBC, Great Soppo, for three years.

EBC ,on March 25, 2020, suspended Ekwa Itue for three months, during which period he was not supposed to “participate in the Lord’s Supper; not to hold any office in church; not to be called upon to pray, teach or preach; not to tithe;not  to be delegated to represent the church or church group in any gathering.

Ekwa Itue’s suspension letter (signed by  EBC  Chairman, Bro Tabong Augustin; Senior Pastor Rev.Patrick Gefon  and Bro Nkwan Amos, church secretary),however ,permitted him only to attend worship service  and Bible study; he was assigned a host of counselors  to follow him up.

  Following the suspension of the “rebellious” Christian, Rev.Gefon and the EBC leadership on the one hand and Mr. Ekwa Itue and a small   group of “Concerned Christians” on the other hand,have been at daggers drawn, a situation that is jeopardizing the peace and unity that EBC has known for decades.

 It is feared that tribal sentiments over the handling of the church imbroglio,may  leave  the church in pieces rather than  in peace.

 EBC leadership has initiated mediation and reconciliation talks, but the opposing group has rather given preconditions if it must attend any reconciliation meeting.

The small but “rebellious” group is made up of Dr. Filbert Eko, Eyole N.Monono,Yawa Monono,James Handison,Quintin Nartey and Lydia N. Haddison.

Even as of August 11, 2020, the EBC leadership still wrote another letter titled “Invitation To Dialogue/Reconciliation”, which it sent to the group of “Concerned Christians”, who are reportedly members of the same family and natives of Buea.

The crisis developed an ugly twist when Rev.Gefon was later slammed a three-month suspension by his immediate church boss, Rev.Dr. Liombe Timothy.

 Rev.Dr. Liombe, who is Field Pastor/chair of Soppo Field (Buea and Muyuka) Council of Churches, slammed a suspension against Rev. Gefon for allegedly using the pulpit to spread what the latter’s  challengers likened to hate speech.

 But the EBC leadership, banking on the CBC Constitution, swiftly reacted by addressing a letter titled “The Position of EBC Great Soppo Buea In Relation To The Recent Happenings In The Church”, to the Chair of Soppo Field Council of Churches, Buea .

In the letter dated 6^th May 2020, the EBC leadership justified the temporary suspension of Ekwa Itue, and noted that activities of the “Concerned Christians” were irregular and their letters full of misinformation intended to “foment a conflict in the EBC and magnify it, as they threaten to destabilize the church”.

The EBC leadership regretted that the “Concerned Christians” had in one of their letters, among other things, accused the Pastoral desk of “lacking experience and dynamism to handle churches in coastal areas, particularly a church like Ebenezer Baptist Church”, an accusation which it dismissed as unfounded.

 “EBC has grown numerically, spiritually, financially and even in their relations with the community”, the church leadership noted.

EBC decried the manner in which the Soppo Field Ministerial Council handled the former’s internal issues, without respecting church regulations.

Sanctioned Christian,Hansel Ekwa Itue, had accused Rev. Gefon   of arrogance and of managing funds raised for the building of a residence of  a desperate pastor in Munyenge without   consulting other church officials as required by regulation, but the accused  dismissed such  claims, noting that raised funds were used transparently  for the intended purpose with the knowledge of the church congregation.

“It is important to know that the church does not have any record on how much was raised and how it was spent, yet the fund raising was done in this church,”  Ekwal Itue  had alleged in a Feb 10^th 2020 letter  to “The Crisis Management Adhoc Committee” of Ebenezer Baptist Church, Great Soppo.

In his second letter dated March30, 2020 addressed to the Chairman of Soppo Field Ministerial Council, Ekwa Itue narrated how his efforts to cause Rev. Gefon to respect church principles, instead provoked the pastor to attack him whenever the Man of God mounted the pulpit on Sundays.

Ekwa Itue regretted that the crisis escalated because an allegation circulated   that he had stormed Rev.Gefon’s office and   beaten him up, an allegation which the former dismissed as unfounded, noting that he visited Rev.Gefon to discuss privately with him towards reconciliation.

 “I made countless efforts to meet the Pastor for us to get out of the deadlock, and going to his office on that day was proof of my will to seek peace and understanding between us”, argued Itue in his second letter.

 This reporter on August 11^thAugust met Rev. Gefon and Nkwan Amos,EBC secretary  to get their reactions to accusations leveled against them by Ekwa Itue and the group of “Concerned Christians” and they welcomed him .

Nkwan Amos told this reporter,” The genesis of the crisis is that a Christian,Hansel Ekwa Itue was disciplined  by EBC . He refused to accept the sanction and walked out, then a group calling itself “Concerned Christians emerged and started writing letters against the church and its leadership, claiming the disciplinary sanction was unjust”

The secretary said EBC has been making a lot of efforts to bring about reconciliation, with little or no success.

“But first of all before reconciliation comes you must  accept that you are wrong; reconciliation becomes difficult when someone has not accepted that he is wrong,” he added.  “When Mr.Ekwa Itue was disciplined he insisted  he was not wrong and refused to apologize. So reconciliation could not be immediate when he had not accepted wrongdoing”

Nkwan regretted that both Ekwa Itue and the group of “Concerned Christians” (not a recognized group in the church) have been hesitant to come for reconciliation for the unity of the church.

“The conditions they are giving us for reconciliation cannot be accepted, because they are not even a recognized group in the church”, the secretary said, citing Chapter 8,Article 32(4 ) on PROHIBITIONS of the CBC Constitution.

The subsection 4 reads: “Any complaint, petition or memoranda, verbal or written submitted by any person, or group of persons not properly identified  as an authority ,a body or institution operating within the confines of the Convention or not channeled through the competent  authority or body must be considered inadmissible.”

Nkwan admitted that the crisis has negatively affected church attendance and other activities of the House of God

On allegation of Northwest /Southwest divide in EBC,Nkwan said, “This was mentioned  by the letters of the Concerned Christians. They said if we don’t [yield] to their demands it will lead to inter-tribal conflict. So we believe that they are pushing towards that direction.”

Reacting, Rev. Gefon admitted he was placed on suspension for alleged hate speech against Bakweri people, which he added was false accusation; reason why he said when he was absent during a church service, the Bakweri vernacular choir protested, by “refusing to sing because of my suspension. So if I insulted people, how could the same people protest against my suspension? To me, the “Concerned Christians” are the ones propagating hate speech,” he said.

Rev. Gefon rather thought he was suspended because he spoke truth to hierarchy: “that according to the CBC constitution they were not supposed to entertain an unrecognized group as the “Concerned Christians”.

He further noted,”To show that my suspension was not genuine, it has been lifted by the Field Pastor earlier than scheduled.”

 This reporter learned it was the Executive President of CBC,Rev Dr. Ncham Godlove ,who ordered that the suspension on Rev.Gefon be lifted forthwith, but  your reporter  could not independently confirm it.

A letter signed by Rev.Dr. Liombe Timothy, dated August 8, 2020 and titled “Reinstatement of Rev. Gefon Patrick” partly reads: “We write to notify you that you have been uplifted from your suspension dated June 17, 2020.You can begin work from Wednesday August 19, 2020”

Asked about his relationship now with the Field Pastor who suspended him, Rev Gefon quipped: “He remains my Field pastor, I respect him and we are bound to work together. In any aspect of life we all can err. Pastors are not God; they are human beings.”

Rev. Gefon said he had no personal problem with Ekwa Itue,but admitted  the latter had attacked him. “He did not attack me because of any personal problem but because he thought I was not following the procedures of the Church. He was not right.”

Asked whether personally he was working towards bringing back disgruntled Christians, Rev.Gefon said," Definitely! That is the job of a pastor. The pastor is a peace maker. If they want to sit with us and we talk we are ready. When Hansel Itue was disciplined, he wrote a letter saying he wanted to leave the church. We have not responded because we don’t want him to leave. He is part of us.”

In one of the latest statements made public by the group of concerned Christians, it said: “We will repeat, we don’t have any personal issue with Rev. Gefon, we have issues with the way the church is being administered…

“We regret to say that some persons have taken the church hostage with their bad judgments and this has greatly polarized the church within tribal lines.”

.The EBC has scheduled a “Dialogue and Reconciliation” meeting for August 17^th 2020 and it is hoped the Concerned Christians and Hansel Itue would attend.

EBC, established since 1934, now has three pastors to shepherd Christians, viz: Rev. Patrick Gefon, senior pastor; Roland Lyonga, associate pastor and Minister Ntalah Alimah