Martin Fon Yembe: The Journalist Heading for Mayorship

By Haruna Mohammadou

Martin Fon Yembe

 Martin Fon Yembe is a household name in the media world, not only in the NW and Cameroon, but as well a well known freedom fighter in Africa and beyond. He was one of the jokers on the SDF list in the Ndu Municipal constituency for the just ended council elections and, as Chairman of the Strategic Committee for his party, he says he is a happy winner and sees the battle to satisfy the Ndu people a great challenge, reason why he has submitted his application for mayorship for consideration to the National Investiture Committee. The Eye’s Haruna Mohammadou met Martin Yembe after the Commission declared that the SDF party won in the September 30, 2013 Municipal Elections. Here below is the exclusive interview. Excerpts

Mr. Martin Fon Yembe, you are one of the 41 successful candidates on the SDF list that won the Sept 30 council elections in Ndu. What is the secret the SDF in Ndu implored to beat great names like Dr. Ngwanyam, Judith Achidi Achu, Laban Tansi etc?

Martin Fon Yembe:  Permit me, first, to thank the Almighty God for sustaining us through all the various processes right to the victory against the CPDM in Ndu. If there was any secret, I will prefer that it remains a secret because the war is still on. We have only won a battle, and until the SDF takes over the entire country and rescues Cameroon, we will not jubilate yet. However, one of the aspects that worked to our advantage was that we have a track record of past realizations by the SDF MP and Council. We had a manifesto as our five year development program and the people bought that to. We worked as a team, committed to stop the devil from devouring the good works of the SDF.

Mr. Yembe, are you having any ambitions for mayorship?

Martin Fon Yembe:  I have ambitions for all that is good, true and just. I have ambitions to draw Ndu municipality towards the true meaning of life...being perfect peace, happniess, love for one another and social welfare for all and sundry. I have the ambitions to help our National Chairman accomplish his dreams of total change for good for all Cameroonians. I have the ambition to chase off darkness from Ndu and usher in Light and all that comes with Light. I have the ambition of utilitarianism, ie, the greatest good for the greatest majority. Some people feel that this earth was made only for them. I say no to that. Some feel that they must be the ruling clique, clan, tribe, family or group. I say no to that. I was a truck pusher in Ndu. I sold goat meat on the streets of Ndu for my school fees to be paid. I left University and never hurried to the Higher ENS like my peers, but went into the fight for the greatest good for the greatest majority. Today, many, striving to become Mayors here, MPs there are persons who have matricule numbers in Yaounde. My matricule number is the series A card which I procured in 1990. My ambition, sir, is to see many like me also taste of the national cake, whether they went to school or not; whether they have matricule numbers or not. If becoming mayor will address these issues, then I can humbly and seriously say, Yes, I have genuine ambitions to becoming Mayor for Ndu. I can only conclude like Abraham Lincoln that “Every man is said to have his peculiar ambition. Whether it be true or not, I can say for one that I have no other so great as that of being truly esteemed of my fellow men, by rendering myself worthy of their esteem.”

Your party the SDF has resorted to investing the Mayors, not councilors electing the Mayor. What is your take on that?

Martin Fon Yembe: The Social Democratic Front is a “front” and fighting all sorts of ills the best way possible. This is not the first time the SDF is resorting to the Investiture chosing mayors for certain areas. I say for certain areas!! Remember, in some areas, some candidates and personalities still have the CPDM mentality of buying people’s consciences. While the party was busy campaigning to win over votes, they were busy scheming how to buy councilors to vote for them to become mayors. This category of mayors have always disappointed the party, and caused the SDF to strain during campaigns. In the SDF, there is guided democracy, reason why the last National Convention decided that the National Investiture Committee will have a big say in the choice of mayors in some areas. I support order, control and discipline. I condemn any form of conscience buying. Money is a tool in the devil’s hands and when the devil uses money, the principality called mermaid goes loose and causes a lot of damage.

What is your relationship with the National Chairman ?

Martin Fon Yembe:  My relationship with him is that of a son and a father; a militamnt and his leader; a fighter and his mentor. He is my role model in Cameroon as far as freedom fighting is concerned. Did you have something else in mind?

Like whether he likes you or not?

Martin Fon Yembe:  I knew you had something like that in mind. Many of you do not know the man Ni John Fru Ndi. I did not know him too, untill I met him at Ebibi Bookshop in June of 1990 just after graduating from University. He was blunt to tell me that I had the looks of a fighter and commissioned me and Pa Jonathan Bunyui (late) to go and introduce the SDF in Donga Mantung. We did our job and we are proud he knows this. In 2002, he signed that I go to parliament in the place of Tansah Jones because he read ahead of time that Tansah was going to disappoint the SDF in Ndu. I bowed to the cries of Tansah and others and let him go to parliament for a second term, and he disgraced himself. Today, Madam Esther Ngala has proven that the National Chairman was right. He knows all of us very well. Very few of us know him. Today, I can tell you that Fru Ndi hates those who use the people for their personal gains; he hates those who lie and promise what they cannot provide; he likes those who love the people and can die for the people. If you hate the people, Fru Ndi will hate you. If you like the people, Fru Ndi will like you. I like the people, and so I am so certain that he likes me as such.

What will be your immediate concern if you become Mayor?

Martin Fon Yembe: I was once a Chairman of Councils’ Commission for NW and I worked out projects  with a committee that was headed by experts like Diyen Collin, Njong Evaristus ( present Regional Chairman for SDF, NW,) and others. We set a pace which led the SDF to winning over 28 councils in the NW in 2002. If it is my turn, you can only expect the best. I have experts in the council who are of the livestock, farmers, buyam sellams, etc. We have experts in project designing. We have elite who are waiting for the kick off. We will create a website for Ndu Council, and go global and start off running. We will not rest until we hit our mark...God being our Helper.

Do you envisage any mishaps or setbacks?

Martin Fon Yembe: Of course. We are aware that the Ndu Council is an SDF run council, and the CPDM regime in Yaounde that controls FEICOM will not be very friendly with us. We have put in place a mechanism to create funds for the council without depending entirely on FEICOM. We have the natural and human resources that can transform Ndu within two years. We will figt to take over Ndu Tea Estate from the predators presently holding the entire area hostage; we will put up a Council Vocational Institute to train our young people, even in riding bikes; we will put up a Soya Beans Oil Mill in the area; we will produce vegetable in very large scale; we will put in place a sales mechanism that will facilitate things for our farmers and livestock breeders etc etc. We know the CPDM will try to block us, but we also know how to outsmart them.

Ay last words?

Martin Fon Yembe: I can only thank the Almighty God for the formation of the SDF in Cameroon, without which so many making noises today would have been nowhere at all. I thank the youths and mothers of Ndu municipality who stood by us, and my person especially, given that my mother’s spirit can now rest in peace. I promise to wipe the tears of all, including even those of the CPDM militants who were in the dark and could hardly see the light SDF was carrying to Ndu. I forgive all those who stepped on my toes knowingly or unknowingly, as well as ask for forgiveness from those I hurt directly or indirectly. Let us look forward and see what Gopd will do through my humble self if given the chance. To God be the Glory.

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