Confusion of Sashes Sparks Controversy at Misaje Mayor’s Installation

By Fai Cassian

In gold sash left Ngariwa Lawrence (1st Deputy mayor)

On December 4, 2013, during the installation of Sammy Mgbata Nforkemba into his new function as the mayor of Misaje Council, an unexpected incident happened that continue to be the talk of the town.  Whether it was by design or error, the truth is that “Gold Sash” that is tied on the Mayor’s waste at installation was instead tied on the waste of the first Deputy Mayor, Ngariwa Lawrence. There was total confusion when the former mayor, Nkenda Simon Sunde moved up to the scene to signal the error. Yet, it was too late for any rectification. Implicitly, if the wearing of sashes is synonymous to the enthronement of a traditional ruler, questions abound as to whether Mgbata is the true mayor of Misaje council?  

But since that is not our main concern for now, the most intriguing is that Sammy Mgbata’s detractors were already on tree tops describing the incident as bad omen while those of Ngariwa Lawrence say it serves him right given that he has been likened by some of his clan men as “Judas Iscariot of Mbessa” people. The Eye is aware that the Misaje council has been fractionalized. It is no more news that councilors are into two camps. Even though during the installation, supporters of the former mayor Nkenda Simon were present at the grandstand, they all boycotted “item 11” which took place at the newly installed mayor’s residence. Allegations are rife at that Nkenda’s loyalists may not even attain council sessions. Rumours abound that Sammy Mgbata’s detractors have already set up strategies to frustrate all his actions by providing lump-sum to Nkenda’s loyalists to boycott all council sessions. The amount according to what we gathered is three times more than the amount to be paid by the council as sitting allowances to councilors. It should be noted that prior to the installation, councilors loyal to Nkenda Simon boycotted the first meeting convened by Sammy Mgbata More so, it is also alleged the election of Ngariwa Lawrence has split the Mbessa people.  With the mayoral position moved to the Dumbu area per the “gentleman agreement” which stipulates that the mayoral position rotates among the clans of Misaje Sub Division, there is apparently hot air in Misaje council. Sources hinted that the stole of the mayor of Misaje is hot to the point that hid-hop prayers have been organized to cleanse the mess. Yet another also confirmed that ever since Sammy Mgbata was elected, officially son –in and installed, he is yet to step into the office of the mayor that he is. Another school of thought holds that the juju –like oath taking that allegedly took at Nkanchi before the election of mayor is another hidden but unknown threat.  Even so, some councilors we gathered are aghast that the CPDM party executive shared amongst themselves all the executive positions of the council. Sammy Mgbata who is section President of the CPDM party was catapulted to the position of Mayor; the YCPDM President Ngariwa Lawrence was tamed and trapped with the post of 1^st Deputy Mayor while the WCPDM President Madame Bolami Brigitte Cheka was compensated with the position of 2nd Deputy Mayor for voting against her blood during the senatorial election. 

Coming up Next:  The Bid for Mayorship, financial stakes and implications

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Ecstasy at Nkum as Suila Aruna Kidze is Installed Mayor

Fai Cassian Ndi

Suila Aruna

Speaking at the official installation of Suila Aruna Kidze as the new mayor of Nkum Council in Bui Division, the Senior Divisional Officer for Bui, Nzeki Theophile said that solemnity of such a magnified ceremony needs no demonstration given that it consecrates an oath that all the new personalities coming to the helm of the council must take. He told thousands that showed up at the installation ceremony that “time has come for real business” which starts with the new set of councilors. SDO Nzeki Theophile emphasized that the election of Nkum council executive did not only took place according to the rules and regulations governing councils in Cameroon but have been endorsed by the Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization. Before moving to those who were to be installed, Nzeki Theophile thanked the outgone mayor, Mayeni Kifon and his team for being result-oriented and at the same time ushered in the Suila Aruna and his team.

Nzeki Theophile challenged the incoming council executive as well as councilors to never lose sight of the importance of putting in place the basics that will enhance development with more maturity, and responsibility. He also called on the newly elected council executive to remove their political jackets and forge ahead with the development of Nkum council area, meaning that Suila Aruna though a militant of the

SDF is mayor of all citizens. Before performing the installation rite, he cautioned that the execution of projects should be done according to the norms laid down by law and that the huge resources devolved by the government as part of decentralization process should be utilized effectively with transparency.

It should be noted that Suila Aruna is an old hand in council management system given that he had served for several years as deputy mayor to Mayeni Kifon. Talking to journalists after the installation, Suila Aruna said the development of farms to market roads, health facilities, and construction of schools as well as provision of potable water will constitute his priorities.

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Babessi Council to Create Farmer's Bank, Mayor Choh Isah Says

By Haruna Mohammadou

Maize section of the show

Agriculture is the only reliable source of income to over 80% of the population of Babessi Council area in Ngoketunjia of the North West Region. Yet, access to loans and credits is the major handicap. In a bit to solve this perennial problem, the mayor of Babessi council has revealed that his council is determined to set up a farmer’s bank to sustain farming activities. To this, the Father/Initiator of Mini Agropastoral Shows in Cameroon, Choh Isah Buba made the revelation on December 5 at the council esplanade in Babessi during this year’s mini agropastoral and forestry show better known as farmers’ feast. The quality of prizes that were handed to farmers also clearly demonstrated that the mayor of Babessi is not a man to pigeon-hole with when it comes to the promotion of agriculture, forestry and handicraft activities. It was a farmer’s feast in its true sense.

Harping on the importance of a farmers Bank, Choh Isah said that it will lead to an increase in production as

Chairs made of bamboo exhibited at the show

well as bridge the gab between farmers and access to pre-financing which is the major problem in rural areas. According to the mayor, the putting in place of a farmer’s bank will ensure food security, improve the livelihood of the population and above all, contribute significantly to sustainable development.

The quality and quantity of farm products that were exhibited to the public confirmed the mayor’s description of Babessi council area as the breadbasket for the North West Region. In his speech, the mayor of Babessi, Choh Isah Buba was very categorical that for the second generation agricultural policy to make its mark in Cameroon, government need to embark on the construction of farms to market roads, make available improved seedlings, fertilizers and chemicals, train more extension workers to support farmers in modern techniques on how to increase yields to ensure food sufficiency. He thanked the ministry of agriculture and rural development for supporting the farmers’ show.

 Farm produce of various varieties were on display beginning with cereals such as rice both the

Kuela Valery SDO for Ngoketunjia

improved/traditional Ndop short grains , maize, groundnuts, beans(white, black, red, MIDENO, Meringue) coffee, and tubers such as ginger, cassava, Ibo-coco, white yams, collocasia, plantains, sugarcane and vegetables such as okra, dried cow-piece, huckleberry, cabbage, tomatoes, yellow pepper. Forest product such as bush pepper, honey, beewax and others were also displayed.

Yet, l Choh Isa Buba says if more impetus is injected into the sector it will curb rural exodus which in turn leads to the rampant banditry witnessed in the country. He says government can better fight or curb rural exodus and banditry in the country by investing more in the agricultural sector. To him low yields force many young people to seek greener pastures in cities where jobs are in short supply thereby forcing them to join gangs of armed robbers to make ends meet.

The visionary Mayor Choh Isah Buba has challenged the government to carry out reforms in the sector and witness the drastic change thereof.  On the part of the Babessi council, the cradle of mini agropastoral show in the country, is envisaging in the days ahead to source for funding and put in place a farmers’ bank to assist farmers with seasonal loans, in order to boost agriculture and most especially to encourage second generation agriculture in the municipality. According to Mayor Choh Isah Buba, farmers are in dire need of agricultural financing through inputs such as improved seeds, pesticides and fertilizers in order to meet today’s food need.

On his part the Senior Divisional Officer for Ngoketunjia applauded Babessi mayor for organizing the show

Choh Isah Buba, Initiator of Mini Agropastoral/Handicraft Show in Cameroon

for farmers and craft men and women to show-case their strength. According to Kuela Valery agriculture is the backbone of the economy and the action by the council is in line with government efforts to promote agro pastoral, forestry and handicraft production and perfection. 

It should be noted that Choh Isah and the former mayor of Bafut, Neba were the two individuals who initiated the notion of mini agropastoral show in the 1997 after the collapsed of the National Agropastoral show. Today, not only councils in the North West also organize mini agropastoral shows, but it has been imitated by all the 350 councils in Cameroon. With this new initiative of a farmer’s bank, it is hoped that in the nearest future, it shall be told as another success story. 

Rice (Ndop rice)

Beans

tomato/onion

Craft

white/yellow gari

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At Installation Ceremony Ako Mayor Says Council is Heavily Indebted

By Fai Cassian Ndi

Akio Augustine Abe

Akio Augustine, the mayor elect of Ako Council has been installed by the Senior Divisional Officer for Donga Mantung Division with firm instruction to ensure the territorial integrity of the border municipality. Officially married to four wives and a father of 20, Akio Augustine is on his second mandate given that he took over from an impeached mayor and was booted out of office barely two years later. However, since politicians are what they are, they fiddle with words and talk big out of nothing. Akio Augustine, who would have fitted well as a traditional ruler (with an extra-large family of ten wives-four officially recognized) upon taking over the mayoral position of Ako council is already on tree top telling everyone who cares to listen how he is inheriting debts estimated above 55 million FCFA as if when he was leaving the council some 12 years ago, the coffers of the council were loaded with money.

However installed Mayor Akio Augustine Abe told this reporter that he shall ensure that the agricultural sector is harnessed to the fullest to bring about the much needed development of the municipality.  And that if the agricultural sector is full developed, the Ako border market will which is still under construction have a ready market with neighboring Nigerians. Located in Donga Mantung Division of the North West, the municipality is very fertile but most of the people rely mostly on old palms planted by rats to earn a living. A new generation of youths have taken over this black oil (palm cultivation) as a challenge and iIt is however hoped that with the coming of the Cameroon Development Corporation-CDC in the palm sector, improved palm species would be planted so that hardworking farmers could improve their standards of living.

While commissioning the elected Mayor and his deputies in to office last November 30, SDO Ngone Ndodemesape Bernard warned that they should take the council management for a blank check to manage it any how and that as supervisory authority, he shall not hesitate to make use of every legal administrative measures to bring back any defaulter on track. The chief executive called on the elected officials to continue to show proof of maturity as demonstrated during election and strife to serve everybody irrespective of party leaning given that the council is not an organ of a political party. Ako municipality which is border town the SDO called on the Mayor to ensure that Cameroonians living in his council area have a sense of nationality. It has been noted that the use of the Nigerian currency (naira) right in Ako town is a common phenomenon. The development of Ako municipality should surpass all other interest thereby pitting the mayor and his team to harness every possible means to realize that goal. All revenue sources should be exploited with human face for the growth of the municipality.

Notwithstanding, a critical judgment analysis of this SDF run council indicates that there is no equitable sharing. The configuration of the council executive doesn’t take into consideration the sociological component of the municipality. This is so because the mayor and first deputy Chemo Alice come from the same village, Akwesse. Hon Ntoi Joseph out gone parliamentarian for Ako/Misaje who was present for the occasion believes very strongly that Ako council was supposed to be shared between SDF and the CPDM given the results of September 30 which did not give SDF party an absolute majority. Harping on the results SDF obtained, Hon. Noti said with 50.71 percent which was not an absolute majority the council would have been shared between SDF, CPDM and NUDP. He tagged ELECAM Council Head for Misaje for falsifying the results.

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