National Communication Council Chairman in Court

By Ndi Mac-Bright

Bishop Befe Ateba

The chairman of the National Communication Council-NCC, an outfit created by government to check media excesses in Cameroon may appear in the Mfoundi Court of First Instance on January 21, 2014. Classified sources at the Mfoundi Court of First Instance in Yaounde have hinted that NCC President Bishop Befe Ateba is expected to appear in Court. This is so because a counter-petition from Bishop Befe Ateba praying on the court to its incompetence into a case file submitted by the lawyers of the Publisher of Quest Littoral has been thrown out. It should be recalled that Quest Littoral and its Publisher Benjamin Zebaze were slammed a three (3) months suspension alongside The Guardian Post and its Publisher, Ngah Christian Mbipgo.

It should be noted that the lawyers of  Quest Littoral had submitted a case file to the Mfoundi Court requesting redress for what the considered as “unfair and unjust” three (3) months suspension of their client. The suspension of December 21, 2013 on The Publisher and his media organ has had diverse interpretations. Yet Benjamin Zebaz has been vocal on the decision describing it as a kangaroo trial given that he was slammed a suspension without haven been heard. To him, it was an ill intention to frustrate his media organ and business given that newspaper publishing is a business. Sources say when Bishop Befe Ateba got the court summon, he also filed a counter-petition praying on the court to declare it incompetence in handling the matter. He also prayed the court to refer the matter to the administrative court but the Mfoundi court rejected the matter. Waked whispers in the media have interpreted the Mfoundi Court’s decision as the first victory against NCC.

It should be noted that Benjamin Zebaze was the first Publisher who took courage to put into the market daily newspaper in Cameroon when he was publishing Le Quotidien. Besides, he had a chain of newspapers like Challenge Hedbo, Challenge Nouveau, but latter sold Challenge Hebdo to Fadil. Benjamin Zebaze also owns a Printing Press. 

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa

Cameroon Baptist Convention in Crisis as Pastor Resigns

 By Fai Cassian Ndi

An air of questionability looms large at the CBC Church Menda Mile 3 Nkwen. This is so following severe crisis blistering from the so-called soaring headedness of the Pastor and the church elders (Deacons), an atmosphere which allegedly escalidated into backstabbing, slandering and corrupt practices. The Menda Mile 3 CBC church we gathered was suddenly transformed into a sinkhole whereby the Deacons and pastors traded in insults, accusations and counter-accusations. The issue of too much democracy in the CBC resurfaced with Pastor Nformi Lawrence being crucified and tagged names. This led to his resignation on December 2013. What is actually tearing the church apart we gathered steams from the fact that the same church was burgled and some valuable equipment were stolen. The laptop and the CPU belonging to the church was taken away by the people of the underworld. It is aired that the Christian body had petition their pastor to the Field Pastor on December 16, 2013 requesting that a solution should be reached to the crisis. The Christian body allegedly recommended that the send-off party planned for the resigned pastor should not hold as planned yet this was waved aside. The send-off recorded the presence of the General Secretary with the hope to reconcile the differences. Sources hinted that the Menda Mile 3 CBC church had also written to the General Secretary in a letter titled : some problems of the Menda Baptist Church presented to the CBC General Secretary by Members of the Men Wing in which they accused Rev. Pastor Nformi Lawrence having manipulated the Mens’ wing to the point that they do not have an executive yet could not demonstrated how he manipulated the later. A school of thought holds that whenever members of a Christian body meet someone who can never be easily manipulated, they usually gang up to challenge that person given that with the CBC every church has the right to recruit and even dismiss a pastor at will. Could this be the reason that is tearing the CBC Menda Mile 3 Church apart? (More on the Controversy up next)

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa

Tradition Clashes with the Church over Queen’s Corpse in Wum

By Ndi Cherrylane

The incident is headline in all the beer parlours and drinking spots in Wum, Divisional capital of Menchum Division. It was on January 14, 2014 that the corpse of late Ma Susana Nsi, inherited wife of Fon Bahmbi III of Aghem clan was to be buried at the fon’s palace. According to the funeral programme, a funeral mass was to hold at the St. Martins De Porres Church but traditional authorities had an entirely different burial programme. When the corpse of Ma Susan arrived Wum, after the laying in state at her compound, church elders were taken aback when the programme was altered. Instead of taking the corpse to the church as planned, grave diggers took the corpse away to Naikom for burial whereas Christians have been waiting since 9 am for the funeral mass. Informed about this, Father Janvier and some church leaders stormed the palace and disrupted the traditional rites. They seized the corpse from the traditional authorities and drove it to the church for a funeral mass. Addressing mourners, the Priest said that only prayers can ensure the entry of the departed Christian’s soul into heaven and not tradition. This view sharply contradicts those of the Aghem people who believe that the spirit of the dead go to join the ancestors and not the Angels and Saints in Heaven. This explains why traditional rites were still performed when the corpse was brought back for burial. While Christians hailed the Reverend father for upholding the teaching of the Bible and for his courage for defying the traditional authorities, his critics see a mercenary motive in his action. Many say the church was ignited by the money they make during funeral masses are conducted given that funds are needed by the church and another way is by organizing funeral masses many say.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa

Boko Haram Scare Heats in Menchum Valley

The population of Benakuma council area in Menchum Division of the North West Region is living in fears and panic following the influx of cattle grazers from the neigbouring Nigeria. It is feared that during this transhumance period whereby grazers move at will into the municipality, carrying along with them heavy arms may lead to the infiltration of the Boko Haram sect. Num Elias Ihimbru tolf journalists a forthnight ago in Bamenda there are over 300 cattle that move into Benakuma from Wum, Zhoa and Nigeria. He expressed fear that the real problem is not the cattle but the fact that some herdsmen of Nigerian nationalities come along with heavy arms that has ignited fear in the population. He said some of the grazers’ loot farms and destroy crops making lives difficult in the municipality. He said some grazers have gone as far as raping women in the farms and creating an atmosphere of uncertainty. The Eye also gathered that some traditional rulers are accomplices to the invasion given that they are bribe with whisky and money to allocate grazing land to grazers in violation of the text in force. The mayor further revealed that the administration has been alerted on the looming insecurity in his municipality. Yet uncertainty looms large as to whether the traditional rulers who have chopped money would not be targeted whenever a commission goes down to the field. The mayor also regretted that all the wetlands are destroyed by cattle leaving untold damages of forest and the ecosystem. The Wetlands he said need government attention especally the Ministry of Environment, Nature Protection and Sustainable Development.

 

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa

Ben Muna Gets Top Job with UN

By Cassimania

Reports say APF National chairman; Barrister Ben Muna was on January 17, 2014 appointed by the Secretary General of the United Nations as a member of the panel of experts to investigate the violation of Human Rights in the Central African Republic. It is also aired that Barrister Ben Muna will also chair the panel of experts. It should be recalled that in 1997, Barrister Ben Muna was the deputy Prosecutor for the international criminal court for Rwanda. He left that position in 2001. Since 2001 that he left Rwanda, Ben Muna again has been asked to serve the UN in Central African Republic. 

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa