Meet Julius Mbunkur: The Exemplary Young Contractor

 By FC Junior

"Shey" Julius Mbunkur

In life there are three categories of people, those who make things happen, those who observe things happen and those who comment on the way things are happening. However, a right person falls within the rank of those who make things happen. They are people with independent minds, workaholics and those who like what they do. They have self-esteem and would do extra-ordinary things in a very common way.

 Dignity, wise men opine, does not consist in possessing honours but in deserving them. This is to say that if you are by any stroke of historical accident, bestowed with honours that are undeserved; it makes no sense for it is tantamount to putting a golden ring on the nose of a pig.

In a nutshell, Councilor Julius Mbunkur is an exemplary young politician cum contractor par excellence not because he is a politician but because he genuinely deserves such dignity and honour and has merited them through his own might and right.

GS Binju constructed by Julius Mbunkur

He is an able Abbot fit to represent whosoever on this planet called earth without any complex due to his high sense of duty and commitment both in politics and business.  This is so because this young man has been able to combine politics and business to make the them bedmates. At the level of politics, Julius Mbukur is a militant of the Social Democratic Front-SDF. It is rare to see a young dynamic politician entering politics on the opposition platform, yet he did it and he is succeeding. Political analysts have often described him as a pragmatic politician.  He has not entered politics to reap where he did not sow, but rather where he thinks he can make a sound contribution to the development of the country.  This explains why he spends from his own pocket and being a visionary that he is, he chooses the Social Democratic Front (SDF), a phenomenon which has sent shock waves to the spines of the Donga Mantung CPDM political iguanas.

Being elite of Binju in Nkambe, Julius Mbukur knows without being told that the ruling CPDM party can only manage to get few votes through dirty gimmicks.

As a councilor, Julius Mbukur represents the interest of Binju people in Nkambe. During council sessions, all hopes are usually in him as he would make sure that he scrutinizes every little thing. As a great lobbyist, he has succeeded where many failed woefully, given that makes sure that development projects are allocated for his area. However that is not our interest for now. Our interest is that he is not a young man to pigeon-hole with when it comes to executing contracts.

The Young Role Model

Private residence he constructed

Julius Mbukur is a multi-talented young business man. He is the proprietor of the famous Divisional Hotel in Nkambe and like Farfre in The Mayor of Casterbrigde, every little thing he touches prosper. This apparently explains why many youths admire him and calls him, “The Role Model” because he advises his peers and even elders on business edeavours.

Because of his judiciousness, unassuming nature, God fearing and straight forwardness, Julius Mbukur is often described as somebody who loves his profession to an extent that he drinks business, eats business and dreams business.

Above all, Julius Mbunkur has honoured himself and the rest of young men of Donga Mantung by clearly demonstrating by his acts that what an old man can do, a young man can also do it better. 

Julius Mbukur can tell you it was no piece of chocolate when he launched Ets Budison, a construction company in 2011.

Given that he had experience that he had worked with his father since 1993 in supervising his jobs in the field, he decided to register, Ets Budison.

Another Private Residence

But being a workaholic by nature Julius knocked on doors and established relationships with young man and women in the Diaspora who were willing to build back home as well as other local vote-holders. Soon he was able to be awarded a contract by the Nkambe Cultural and Development Association-NKACUDA. The construction of two classrooms at Government School Moh and an additional two classrooms at Government School Binju placed him on the pedestals of successes.  “I got the courage to bid as a general contractor” he says.  Although I didn't win some of the jobs, I was happy to know the process of what it takes to be able to bid on your own.” However, the Nkambe Council discovered the knack in the young man and he was awarded the contract to rehabilitate the administrative block of the council. He was again trusted and awarded another contract to rehabilitate the Nkambe Council Rest House and the construction of the slaughter house in Nkambe town. “I think that prudence and scrutiny are the watch-words in the execution of contracts”. The manner and the level of work that he did for NKACUDA caught the admiration of the Fon of Nkambe, HRH Jafbu Ibrahim Nfor that he crowned him “Shey Ngiri” for hard work, a traditional honour that is bestowed on trusted people in Mbum land.

Of late, he was awarded a contract by the National Community Driven Program-PNDP to construct two classrooms, a store, an office and modern toilets at GS Binju. Besides, Julius Mbukur has been the first contractor to win the admiration of Mbum young men and women in the Diasporas. He has constructed over six homes for them. Some of these houses are located in Nkambe and the neigbouring Binshua village.

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Lightning Strike Ravages 22 Cows in Donga Mantung

 

Ardo Yaya Adamu’s herd has been reduced to almost half by a lightning strike. The incident that took place on May 13, 2013 at Akweto –Misaje has left breeders of Donga Mantung Division in the North West Region of Cameroon speechless. It is very common in the North West Region that every year tens to hundreds of cows are killed by lightning strike. Twenty-two mature cows were electrocuted by the lightning strike.

The strike also knocked down the herdsman but he didn’t sustain any major injury. The group of cows was in the valley during the heavy down pour of rain. Even some cows that were up the hill were also killed

Twenty cows were electrocuted under the tree shades while two others were also killed up the hill. About 30 were out of the range of the lightning strike and they all survived. Yet, all the old bulls were all killed. “I lost 18 animals of ages 14 and 15 years old”, narrates Ardo Yaya Adamu in agony and pains. A technician from the Divisional Delegation of Livestock told this reporter that the least of the cow could cost not less than 180.000 FCFA and that biggest could have been sold at about 700.000 FCFA live-weight.The damages incurred by Ardo Yaya Adamu is estimated at about 20-28 Million FCFA.

It is even alleged that the horns of cows attract lightning. Yet it has not been proven. Ardo Yougouda Moussa also remarked that every time lightning strikes, it also looks for a mass to hit. He said since the area is savanna without huge trees, lightning seek solace in cows. All eyes are turned to the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization where there is a fund for victims of natural disasters for the grazer to re-establish himself.

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Baby Factory Exposed in Nigeria

 Courtesy of Al Jazeera (By Yvonne Ndege West Africa Corespondent) 

 During raid in Imo State, police found young girls forced to become pregnant and give birth repeatedly.

The tiny building that housed a baby factory in Umuaka, Imo State in Eastern Nigeria was dilapidated and filthy. Nobody knows how many pregnant girls and teenagers passed through the factory or how long it had existed, before it was raided by Nigerian police five days ago.

The girls were set free. It was understandable that locals were not suspicious about what was going on there. At the front of the compound that housed the baby factory, there was a small informal mineral water packeting factory, fully equipped with machines and water packaging boxes everywhere.

But not far behind, behind a few small trees, bushes and oddly built walls and open air passage ways, the baby factory lay. Girls were crammed into four tiny rooms where they slept on nothing but straw mats, without beddings.

The police told us that babies were conceived in these rooms, right on the floor. Girls were often lined up and forced to have sex in full view of other teenage girls, one after the other. The girls were impregnated by an elderly security guard, who watched the gate of the "mineral water packaging factory" during the day. And impregnated the girls at night.

It is also believed that a 23-year-old man found living in the compound was hired by the factory owner to impregnate the girls.

The factory owner, a woman known only as "Madam One Thousand" fled the factory during the raid. But some of the girls showed up at the factory pregnant already.

They were tricked into thinking it was a safe haven for teenage girls who did not want to keep their babies, but did not want an abortion either. They intended to give their babies up for what they thought was a formal adoption. But once they were in the compound, they were held prisoner by Madam One Thousand - and forced to get pregnant again and again and again.

The police have discovered that babies were sold for as little as $600. They are still investigating how many were sold, and where they might have ended up. The pregnant girls have told police everything they know. They are now being given counseling and are being taken care of by Imo State government.

Some of the girls we met are very worried about their future. Some of the girls parents do not even know where they are. But at least now their in safe hands and out of the hands of Madam One Thousand.

Baby-trafficking is becoming a problem in Eastern Nigeria of recent. On Wednesday night a raid in Enugu saw six girls all under 17 freed, from a similar baby factory. And just two weeks ago several pregnant girls were freed from a baby factory in Abia state.

The Nigerian authorities recognise the seriousness of this problem. But a month ago the European Union published a report saying that human trafficking is the third biggest crime in Nigeria.

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Sparrow Hawk: Charles Metouck Transferred to Kondengui Prison

Classified sources have hinted that the former General Manager of SONARA, Charles Metouck has been a transfer to the central prison in Yaoundé (popularly known as Kondengui). According to the hint the former GM was secretly transferred on May 08. The operation we gathered was conducted in a very discrete manner.

It is alleged that the move to transfer the former SONARA from Buea prison is linked to his imminent appearance in the Special Criminal Court (TCS) based in Yaoundé. Allegations are also rife at that Charles Metouck is pursued by the special court for alleged acts of "of mismanagement and attempted act of embezzling about 669 million FCFA”.  
It should be recalled that Charles Metouck was last April sentenced to nine years in prison for "destruction of documents belonging to the Sonora, illegal possession of keys and badge of office, etc.  Yet Metouck said he obtained permission from the Board Chairman, Ebong Ngolle who refused that he never gave any permission to the former GM to enter his former office. It is alleged Charles Metouck destroyed some documents and even carried out illegal money transactions with the complicity of some of his colleagues on that day. He was arrested and detained before being sentenced. Allegedly, another new Metouck case is about to start and this time with the Special Criminal Court in Yaounde (affaire a suivre).

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Fire for Fire at the University of Buea as Students Go on Rampage Again

 

The University of Buea-UB is in a state of confusion as six persons are reported injured as students stage another demonstration. Reports also indicate that the injured persons are mainly security guards. It is alleged that during the confrontation between students and security gurads more than three vehicles were destroyed.  It is aired that the students are aghast that their colleagues were detained and more so want the charges against some 12 students dropped. It is also alleged that the Vice Chancellor was held hostage by the striking students in February and she was only rescued thanks to the timely intervention of the security. However, all attempts to get to the Vice Chancellor by this reporter were all fruitless. Sources linked to UB hinted that the students before taking to the streets have tried to reach a compromise with the administration but all attempts flopped. An atmosphere of uncertainty and fear now reins in Buea ahead of the May 20, celebration. Yet, it is also feared that the strike may hinder the upcoming 50^th Anniversary celebration of reunification slated for Buea, Regional capital of the South West Region. A well-placed hinted that security in the University of Buea has been stepped up but determined students say they would prefer to be detained along their colleagues.

Dr Nalova, VC of the University of Buea is quoted to have been mute over the issue a source hinted. Besides, it is alleged that if care is not taken, UB could be transformed into a sinkhole for character assignation. Dr. Nalova who reportedly was spotted in Yaounde at the solemn ceremony of the validation of pioneer senators, was surely taken aback when news reached her that UB was on fire.  

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Hon. Awudu Mbaya Rubbishes Dr. Nick Ngwanyam, Says Dr. Nick's Constituency Begins and Ends at St. Louis

 By Fai Cassian N

The Member of Parliament for Nkambe, Hon. Awudu Mbaya has described Dr. Nick Ngwanyam as a political deceit whose constituency begins and ends at St. Louis Institute in Bamenda. Hon. Awudu Mbaya Cyprian lashes that CPDM bigwigs in Donga Mantung Division are blatant lies tellers given that they take credit for development projects that have been carried out by the SDF or influenced directly by his party.

According to Hon. Awudu Mbaya the declaration by Dr Nick Ngwanyam that the portion of road from Mbot to Tabenken was constructed by Gerald Ngala, CPDM elite is a blatant lie. Harping on Dr. Nick’s verbal diarrhea Hon. Awudu Mbaya said that Dr. Nick Ngwanyam who claims to be a development luminary has no residence in the village and not to talk of having knowledge of development projects in Donga Mantung Division.

To Awudu Mbaya, Dr Nick Ngwanyam “displayed intellectual dishonesty when he claimed that Gerald Ngala constructed the said stretch of road”.Awudu went ahead to challenge Dr Nick Ngwanyam to state what he has done for Donga Mantung apart from “a few scholarships” that he has offered to the division. “I remember Dr. Ngwanyam opened a branch of St. Louis in Nkambe, infact he should tell us what happened to the school at the point that he was talking of having the knack to create 5000 jobs”. Besides stating that he (Awudu Mbaya) has offered far more scholarships that Dr Ngwanyam “whose constituency ends only at his St Louis Clinic” in Bamenda, the stretch of road under contest was constructed with fcfa 75 million from the state and not from somebody’s pocket as Dr. Ngwanyam claimed. The said amount, Awudu reiterated was lobbied by him in his capacity as the chairman of the regional committee of the follow up committee for the public investment budget. Awudu lamented “it’s shocking that for a man who claims to know everything, Dr Nick Ngwanyam does not even know that government can’t allow an individual to construct even a kilometre of public road. He is telling lies simply because he is in a hurry to see me out of parliament”.  Awudu further challenged Dr Nick to go and read the signboard on the contested stretch of road which reads “public investment budget 2012-mandated to the North West Regional Delegation of Public Works and to last three months eventhough Ngwanyam claims that Ngala constructed the road in four months”.

Besides stating that his going back to parliament is not a do or die affair, Awudu said he has been in parliament since 1997 and even before that was a wealthy businessman in Douala. The MP noted that he constructed his first house in Nkambe in 1978 and another in Njap village in 1980.On some of his achievements in parliament, Honourable Awudu Mbaya listed the provision of electricity to several villages including Njap ,Ngi,Mbot,Kungi,Chup,Wat right down Mbah and Mbuwar Government school ,Wowo village,Njilah ,and soon there will soon be electricity in Kup,Wanti and Mba’a palaces .Last year the former SDO for Donga Mantung,Nzeki Theophile and SDF chieftain Ni John Fru Ndi were in Tabenken to inaugurate two bridges worth fcfa 16 million constructed by the MP. Awudu also counted the roofing of schools in Taku,  Mbirbo and schools in Tabenken as well as churches in the area and youth halls. The most recent being the two youth halls at Mbabi-Wat.

On the recently ended senatorial elections Honourable Awudu Mbaya lashed out at Dr Nick Nick Ngwanyam for accusing the SDF for not spending enough money on its councilors to win the elections. Hear him ”Dr Nick Ngwanyam spends time talking about chairman Fru Ndi whom he claims did not share money to councilors .Ngwanyam was the first person who declared his candidature for the senate and I used to encourage him and even call him senator. But from the look of things, I believe in his queer method of doing things that prevented his list from going through. He was unable to constitute a list and was unable to be selected from within his CPDM party but does not talk about that. Dr Nick Ngwanyam should tell us how many bridges he has contributed for their construction in his village.He should tell us the contribution he has made to his Ntundip village of origin as far as development projects concerned .He should not only be quick to criticize others. All that he has done is for himself is that he has constructed his St Louis Clinic and of course people should know that the regime Dr Ngwanyam is today supporting chased him from Bertoua when he gave a true autopsy report about someone who was murdered.The name Louis which he has named the clinic after is the boy who was killed in Bertoua”.

Honourable Awudu went ahead to state that though he has all along supported Shey Jones Yembe including working to make him member of government, “but if he thinks all he can do is to empty his accounts to get me out of parliament, then they should wear their boots because I would not like to see them moving around with bare feet simply because they want me out of parliament”.

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