That Landmark Speech by the President of Kuta Fons Union at Hon. Abe Michael’s Homecoming

The Member of Parliament for Ako/Misaje and Entourage

The Traditional/Religious authorities-Kuta

Leaders of political parties here present

The Municipal councilors of Kuta here present

Service heads

Internal and External elite

Dear Kuta Community, Ladies and Gentlemen,

HRH Fon Asenge Ignatius Ebah

It is a great pleasure for me to welcome all of you here in Mbande for this solemn occasion, which to the best of my knowledge is the first of its kind in this community. I know many of you have put aside so many other things that would have been of paramount importance to you in your individual homes and families but have sacrificed money and time, and have suffered some or all the traveling inconveniences to be here personally to give this occasion the grandeur it deserves. I say welcome and thank you. The Hon. MP you are welcome.

Dear MP, yesterday you were Mr. Abe Michael Ndra of Mbande village in Kuta Zone of Ako Sub Division. But today, you are no longer that person, but Hon. Member of Parliament for Ako/Misaje Special Constituency and your village today is Kuta as a whole.

Biblically, the scriptures according to the Book of Joshua 1:1-19 has all that the fons of Kuta have to tell you amongst others. We are told in this passage that when Moses died when he had not completed his journey from Egypt to the Promised Land with the Israelites, God called Joshua who was Moses’ helper and gave him powers and authority to continue with the journey as their leader until they crossed the River Jordan and entered the Promised Land. From here, Joshua started with the Israelites from where Moses ended. You should therefore remember that you have been Hon. Ntoi-your father’s helper in Yaounde for many things and for many years. Your call by God and people to serve the constituency therefore is not a mistake. You should therefore continue from where Hon. JKE Ntoi ended until we get to the Promised Land-which is the attainment of a considerable and appreciable level of development to measure up with communities by 2035 during the Cameroon’s economic emergence. In this passage, God enjoined Joshua to be determined, be confident and to be sure that he obeyed the whole law which his servant Moses gave them. We are therefore advising you, Honourable, that you should work with the fear of God Almighty and exercise justice so that God will not abandon you but you will be prosperous and successful. This because in the 19^th verse of that quotation, it says “Remember that I have commanded you to be determined and confident. Do not be afraid or discourage, for I, Lord your God, am with you wherever you go”. We are therefore advising here that you should not discriminate in your work. Political debates and campaigns came and passed and you have emerged victorious. It is your output during this five years mandate that will be enough campaign either for or against you at the end of the mandate. Therefore, now is time for work. In development, everybody is involved no matter your political inclination. Once you emerge victorious, you are for all. You are in Yaounde-the MP of the ruling CPDM party, but you have your brothers and sisters of Kuta who are municipal councilors in Ako Council of the SDF party. All of you are hunting dogs for the Kuta community during this five years mandate. Remember that there will be many things meant for Kuta to be recommended by the council following decentralization process currently going on in Cameroon and the council authority will want to do otherwise since the party performed very poorly in this zone and these are the people who will quickly signal you for the interest of the Kuta community. It should be noted that in the anal of political history of our time, Nelson Mandela once said in South Africa when Bill Clinton consulted him during the Monica Lewinsky scandal in the White House that “In African politics, we don’t distant ourselves from our political enemies or opponents, rather we bring them closer, get their views and resolve our differences amicably-therefore what personal problem is there between Clinton and Ghadafi my brother that sanctions imposed on Libya by the United Nations will never be off-lifted”. Here we are advising that now is time for reconciliation, unity, peace so that we shall carry on with our development.

The Hon. MP, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Permit me also remind ourselves why Kuta community almost unanimously voted for Hon. Abe Michael Ndra as our hunting dog and why God heard our cry.

1)      Kuta is the CPDM stronghold in Ako Sub Division but it is instead the most enclaved with the shortest distance from the Divisional Headquarters though it is the furthest from the sub Divisional headquarter by way of road infrastructure and the media-ie radio transmitters, television images, mobile telephone networks etc.

2)      Basic Education: acute shortage of teachers in all the schools and some are functioning even without a single teacher. Most of the classes do not have buildings and operate in very deplorable situations.

3)      Secondary Education: The story here is not different from above

4)      Health: following the health situation in our society today, health facilities are supposed to be at door-steps rather than patients covering several kilometers of distances through bushtracks to get to health post. There are virtually no equipment in the lone existing health centre with only one worker and one council worker. We wish that each village be given a health post.

Hon. MP; because of these acute and pertinent problems above, we saw in you the following qualities as on who will be able to remove us from bondage;

·         Your long stay in Yaounde and your openness which gave you the opportunity of having very powerful network and connections with almost all the ministries or sectors in Yaounde.

·         Your personal love and concern for your home and people being the reason why you frequently visit this land whenever need be.

My people, not to take much of your time, I wish everybody a very happy stay and celebration, the Almighty God who safely brought us together here should be the one to safely take us back to our various destinations.

Long Live Kuta Community

Long Live the Hon. Member of Parliament

Long Live the Republic of Cameroon

Speech by HRH Fon Asenge Ignatius Ebah

Fon of Mbande

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Hon. Abe Michael Catapulted at Homecoming

By Haruna Mohammadou

Hon. Abe Michael surrounded by traditional rulers giving thanks to God

There is a common saying that the cock may belong to a particular family but when it crows, it wakes up the entire village. This statement was recently contextualized with the home reception given to the MP of Ako/Misaje who was voted under the banners of the CPDM party; yet Hon. Abe Michael got the Father of all Civic Receptions as everyone found in him trust, love, peace and development. There was fanfare and trumpet blast at Mbande in Ako Sub Division of Donga Mantung in the North West Region of Cameroon as the hardworking dynamic people of Kuta Zone catapulted a son of theirs after being sworn-in in Yaounde as the Member of Parliament for Ako/Misaje Special Constituency. Hon. Abe was coming home for the first time as Parliamentarian. At about 11 am, on December 16, the drums and sound of elated voices echoed into the valleys signaling to everyone that the hero is backing home. People could be seen rushing to the ceremonial ground in order not to miss a glimpse of the arrival of Hon. Abe Michael Ndra who was elected on September 30, 2013. Organized by the Kuta Zone Fon’s Union in collaboration with the Mbande Sons and Daughters Development Association-MBASODDA to honour the newly elected MP, the event which was conceived as an in-house kind of civic reception finally turned out to be one of the unforgettable bringing together the entire people of Kuta and beyond. From Mbande to Ande, Akwenko, Abuenkpa and Jevi, no one was left home except the sick. It was as if it was Sunday that the hardworking farming population could not go to their farms, yet they had reserve the day as a memorable one to be living witnesses of the coming home of the people’s hunter-man, the man who everyone has been looking up to as a role model and trustworthy politician.

Hon. Abe Michael decorated by five fons of Kuta zone

The euphoria was total when Hon. Abe Michael showed up. He was greeted by thunderous applauses. Singing and dancing eslalidated. The mammoth crowd was trapped in joy and emotion as what could not be said in speeches was sang in songs.

Opening the floor for speeches, the President of Kuta Zone Fons Union, HRH Fon Asenge Ignatius Ebah who doubles as the fon of Mbande village(one of the six villages of Kuta Zone), expressed satisfaction to the six villages for their massive turn-out. He called on the population of Kuta to always support their MP so that he could bring Yaounde to the people of Ako/Misaje given that Hon. Abe Michael Ndra is a father of Twins (the Ako/Misaje Special Constituency). Before proceeding to the decoration of the MP, HRH Fon Asenge called on the MP to continue from where Hon. JK Ntoi ended. He assured the MP that all the people of Kuta zone are all behind him to enable him succeed in his laudable task. The fon of Mbande also used the occasion to hail Hon. Abe Michael for his brilliant election at the September 30, 2013 Polls that catapulted him to parliament. To HRH Fon Asenge Ignatius, it is not with the small micro grant of FCFA 8 million that he would disenclave Ako Municipality but through lobbying.

Earlier on, it was the President of MBACUDDA, who shower-praised the MP for his dynamism and contribution towards the development of people and mind-set, their surrounding and through innovative ideas. The President of MBACUDDA also used the opportunity to congratulate Hon. Abe Michael describing him as a development luminary. Hon. Abe Michael it should be noted before his brilliant election was the National Coordinator of MBACUDDA where he left an indelible mark of greatness as development leading light.

Taking the rostrum, Hon. Abe Michael Ndra said his greatest pleasure is the honours the people have given him and his entourage. This pleasure he added also couples with the unflicnhing brilliant victory that paved the way for the day’s celebrations. He thanked the Kuta Zone Fon’s Union and MBACUDDA for organizing the civic reception. 

Hon. Abe Michael flanked by the fons

Harping on the development problems of Ako sub Division, Abe Michael said that the construction of roads remains his number one priority, number two main concern and number three right of way. Accordingly, he reiterated that where the road passes development follows. Linking Ako to Misaje is of great necessity as well as linking Kuta to Ako is of paramount interest to ensure sustainable development. Opening of farms to market roads, he said is also another giant step that will eradicate post-harvest waste and provide farmers the opportunity to carry their products to the market. He described Ako as the breadbasket to Donga Mantung Division. The people’s hunter revealed that while in Yaounde during the swearing-in ceremony and the budgetary session, he had visited the Ministry of Public Works severally to discuss the issue of the road network in Ako. Health centres, schools and food production without roads is not sustainable he argued. To boost the efforts of the hard working dynamic people of Ako, it is hope that Hon. Abe Michael would carryout feasibility studies for the Mbembe Oil Palm Agropole which could be financed in billions of FCFA as is the case with the Oku Honey. With the coming of the CDC Oil Palm Expansion Porgramme to the fertile area, this would spur both quantitative and quality as well as increase revenue per farmer. Besides, Ako which is endowed with a lot of Non Forest Timber Products such as Njangsa, Bush Onion, Bush Pepper, etc should be given special attention to ensure its sustainable management. This according to the MP is one of the steps to ensure sustainable development. The Mbembe Forest Reserve also represents another opportunity where by communities could enjoy climate change fall-outs in carbon trade for taking care of the forest. With this openings and opportunities available, hopes are on the rise in Ako/Misaje Constituency as Hon. Abe Michael is expected to create wealth locally using the available potentials. To Keyi Dickson who traveled from Abafum to part of the celebration, Hon. Abe is not only a refined politician but a leader with character and conscience.

Those who took the pains to travel on the rough road to Kuta, discovered for themselves the hard working nature of the people and their commitments to development. It was the unique moment of communion, and an expedition that portrayed the rich culture of the Mbembe people.


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Bamenda I Council Moves from Bad to Worst

By Nwe-Mbimbip 

Politics they say make strange postmasters. This statement has not only been confirmed when judged from the cacophony that took place last week when councilors of the Bamenda I Council met to vote a moribund budget of about FCFA 332 million, but was contextualized that the Bamenda I Council was trusted to a very confused set of councilors. Those who took the pains to attend the first budgetary session of the Bamenda I Council went back home with this notion. The first thing is that Caroline Bongwa and her deputies even forgot their sashes at home yet they all appeared in “plain dresses” to preside over an official activity of the council. It was thanks to the intervention of the Senior Divisional Officer for Mezam, Nguele Nguele Philip that the mayor and her deputies requested for their sashes to be brought to them.

During deliberations, the councilors also transformed the session into a “Portuguese Parliament”.  It was strange that they behaved like nursery school children. Whether it was the lack of knowledge on council systems or their inabilities to behave, the outcome was that almost all of them could not even differentiate the variation between making a submission, and or raising or supporting a motion. In fact it was catastrophic that no councilors knew the disparity between motion or a deliberation. They were more interesting in signing and collecting their sitting allowances on the spot, as raised by one of them during the session. The fact that no councilor raised a finger to point out the interest of his or her quarter has not been protected in the 2014 budget is indicative that they are more concern about themselves than the people. One councilor whose name (I have just forgotten) was heard arguing with a lot of agility that this is also their own time to “chop” after all (we all know how the victory came about). It is however clear that the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization has a lot of work to do by empowering councilors to know their roles and responsibilities, a journalist remarked. The most pathetic thing is that the budget for recorded a drastic drop in income and expenditure. However, the mayor of Bamenda I, Caroline Bongwa Bih was of the opinion that she would be working with a more realistic budget. Notwithstanding, she however says she would rely on the fruitful collaboration of the Bamenda City Council to instill development. The embarrassing thing is that the Bamenda II Council which is headed by the hardworking quarrelsome Balick Awah Fidelis just voted an ambitious budget of 820 million FCFA. The Bamenda man sees the Bamenda II council to be more pragmatic and realistic than Bamenda I with it moribund budget. “It is better to aim high and shoot low than to aim low and go to the floor base”, John Chi, an inhabitant of Bamendakwe observed. It should be recalled that the Bamenda I Council is still operating in a borrowed premises at a point in time that 85% of the councils have constructed their council halls. 

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Hon. Awudu Mbaya, Esther Ngala Mock at UFO Politicians

from left to right: Do for Nkambe, SDO for D/M, Hon Awudu, Hon. Esther

The Members of Parliament for Donga Mantung Centre in the North West Region of Cameroon have all called on UFO elite politicians who before and during the last September 30, 2013 elections paraded villages with porch cars to  join them so that they could foster development efforts. The MPs made the clarion call while addressing a mammoth crowd at the Ndu and Nkambe grandstands during a groundbreaking civic reception on December 14, 2013. According to Hon. Awudu Mbaya Cyprian, Quaestor at the National Assembly, he will not go back to the obnoxious practices that transpired before, during and after the September Polls which finally ushered them into the National Assembly. Harping on the much talked about “development” which was subject matter before and during elections, Hon. Awudu Mbaya emphasized that “we saw all the manipulations but the game is over and now is the time for work”. Accordingly, he described politics as a very practical game to foster development efforts but lamented that politics has been transformed into a dirty game by overzealous the UFO political elite who think that it must be won by all cost. Hon. Awudu challenged all the elite(s) who stormed Donga Mantung Division with Prados and porch cars that they should all come back home to join them so that they can serve the people. “We have offered ourselves to serve the population of Ndu and Nkambe and if need be, we will die for you”, Hon. Awudu Mbaya reminded the population. Hon. Awudu vomited that “you massively voted to send us to the National Assembly and we have come back to say thank you. And as representatives of the population, we have gone beyond party consideration”. Politics he added is not to antagonize people. Being a Christian and a practical one for that matter, Hon. Awudu Mbaya after drawing his inspiration from the Father of African politics Nelson Mandela said that he has forgiven all those who wanted him out of

Hon. Awudu Mbaya

parliament by all cost and also begged for pardon from those on whose toes he stepped ignorantly before and during the campaigns. He also used the opportunity to announce some lofty projects which they have lobbied for the people of Ndu and Nkambe which range from construction of schools, health centres and even a sum of 47 million FCFA each for Ndu and Nkambe councils. To Hon. Awudu Mbaya, it is high time for all the four MPs of Donga Mantung Division to work as a team in order for the Division to emerge. As to the whether Ndu and Nkambe should be separated into two constituencies, Hon. Awudu Mbaya reminded the population that it is at the discretion of President Paul Biya given that after creating administrative units, President Biya also created political constituencies. “Luckily enough, President Biya thought it wise to unite the Mbum people under the Nkambe Centre Constituency” and at the same time,  Nwa he noted was carved as a Special Constituency. However, he said that he is not against Ndu and Nkambe separating but added that it was not by error President Paul Biya decided that the (wi) Mbum people of  Ndu and Nkambe should remind as a united force. “We are hoping that with the coming of the Savannah Region, Ndu, Nkambe, Ako, Misaje and Nwa will all be upgraded into full fledged Divisions and why Not Wat, Tabenken and Binka having their own councils.  He announced that while at the National Assembly he was again voted to the position of Questor and this time not Questor No 3 but was moved up to Questor No 2. It should be noted that Hon. Awudu Mbaya entered into record as the lone Anglophone MP who succeeded in going back into the glass house after being voted Questor. The first Questor of the SDF party was Hon. Akonteh, he was booted out at the primaries by Hon. Aaron Neba. The almighty Hon. Yoyo moved into his shoes and he was booted out by Hon. Njigum Musa. Two Anglophones were elected Questors, Hon. Awudu and Nji Fidelis. Hon. Nji Fidelis was flushed out by Ndong Larry Hills alias Wum Boy and Hon. Awudu break record by not only going back to the National Assembly but again and above all retaining his post of Questor. He concluded that as MP he was hoping to see all the other political parties yet the CPDM boycotted including their mayor. “I will not go back to what transpired but I think what happened obliges us to work together. God is witness that we have extended the hand”.Hon Awudu also used the opportunity to thank Mangoh Jones Tanko, former mayor of Nkambe for his trapping at the helm of the Nkambe council such as the construction of schools, the Nkambe Grandstand, the Council Chamber, the provision of potable water etc.

Hon. Esther Ngala

On her part, Hon. Esther Ngala Ntala commonly known as Donga Mantung political Queen thanked the population of Ndu and Nkambe for their massive turn-out. She expressed gratitude to the population for their sense of responsibility. Ma Esther Ngala, said it was in 2007 that she went to parliament and by then she was the lone female MP from the North West Region and the only one from the position. Today, Hon. Esther Ngala says she is proud that more women have joined the bandwagon. She also used the opportunity to request for a minute of silence in honour of the departed African Hero Nelson Mandela. She lamented the absence of two councilors of Ndu Council, noting with sadness the death of DK Nfor, former mayor of Ndu council. Hon. Esther in her usual charismatic manner told the population of Ndu and Nkambe that they might have observed that SDF MPs and some CPDM stormed out of the national assembly. This, she added was due to the fact that the Senate did not want to present how they would use their budget estimated at 15 billion FCFA. “This is a violation of the rights of Cameroonians because as representatives of the population, their role is to give feedbacks. It should be noted that Hon. Esther Ngala was also voted as chairperson of the cultural and social committee at the National Assembly. She is one of the two female MPs to head a committee.

Enter Bunyui Emmanuel, Mangoh Jones, Ngabah Eric and Mbeh Wilfred

Welcoming the MPs at the Ndu grandstand, the mayor of Ndu council Bunyui Emmanuel said the civic reception was a mark of the beginning of a new era in the life of Donga Mantung Centre Constituency. According to Bunyui Emmanuel, the political ingenuity of the two MPs have been a source of inspiration to the people of Donga Mantung Division. He described Hon. Esther as a female politician who has moved above the male artificial barriers marked by cultural beliefs and male chauvinism, thus stimulating female participation in politics at all spheres and giving birth to triplets with three female SDF MPs. On the other hand, he said Hon. Awudu steadfastness has made him a political icon and development luminary of all times. “It is thanks to your savoir-faire that the birth of Savannah Radio and Millennium Television” came to existence, he shower praises Hon. Awudu. 

He said politics is an intellectual game aw well as a game of numbers. However, politics he retreated is concerned with the management of people and resources and not meant to antagonize families and friends. He call on all the politicians to close ranks and forge with meaningful development given that there is no SDF road and nor CPDM water. He called on the politicians, elite and the clergy to put all heads under the same thinking caps and transform Donga Mantung into the land of Doctors and Masters. To the MPs he concluded by saying that they are “not only politicians but leaders because while politicians focus on the next election, leaders focus on the next generation”.

Mangoh Jones Tanko, former mayor of Nkambe on his part said abject poverty and misery has pushed the population into obnoxious acts. He said he saw hopelessness at the September 30 Polls whereby voters’ cards and vote casts were traded like loaves of bread. He lamented that politics has become a game for rituals and other obnoxious practices like corruption putting the case of Nkambe to lime-light. To Mangoh Jones Tanko, Cameroon can only emerge if government gives attention to the needs of the rural poor. He talked about the pathetic journey from Bamenda to Nkambe on the million pot-holes road known as the ring road, the lack of teachers, poor health services and even requested for the reform of the education system.

The SDF District Chairman for Ndu, Ngabah Eric on his part called on the clergy men and women to enter politics. He used the case of Desmond Tutu to illustrate his argument adding that he saw God’s intervention during the September Polls in spit of the corruption, rituals, and libations practiced by the UFO political elite and traditional rulers. “God did not permit them to go through. At Last when the so called elite saw that their rituals failed, the next morning they disappeared with their Prados”. He also decried the poor treatment of workers of CTE Ndu and suggested the government should revisit the contract. “The privatization has not only affected the workers but hit the population of Ndu who are farmers”.

In Nkambe, elatd Mbeh Wilfred Shey, the SDF District chairman on his part said that the SDF is waxing strong in Nkambe. He said the scientific vote rigging has not change the fact that the SDF is the majority party. He blamed those who want to use politics as a tool to destroy that history will judge them when the time shall come.

SDO, DOs Present But Mayor of Nkambe, Ngabir Paul Conspicuously Absent,

The Senior Divisional Officer for Donga Mantung Division, Ngone Ndodemesape Bernard and entourage also stole the show at the Nkambe grandstand as both MPs shower-praised them.  The Divisional Officer for Nkambe Central was also there to be part of the new way. At Ndu it was the no-nonsense Divisional Officer for Ndu who advised the population to shy away from politics of destruction.  Those who say that once somebody is elected into a public office, that person represents the interest of all left Nkambe asking rhetorical questions.  This is so because of the absence of mayor of Nkambe, Ngabir Paul at the civic reception of Hon. Awudu Mbaya and Hon. Esther Ngala. Yet sources linked to the SDF District secretariat hinted the mayor was informed and notified. However all attempts to get to Ngabir Paul to get his own side of the story were not fruitful. Allegations are rife at that a contractor who was assigned the job to construct culverts at Binju was asked to quit given that he is SDF. According to the hint, the said elite based in Yaounde whose name (I have just forgotten) is quoted to have told the contractor that he should wait when the SDF takes over the council he could apply for jobs. Yet, the contract which was to be executed by the delegation of Public works hasn’t any reference and not to talk of other impedes. However, a school of thought holds that the mayor of Nkambe boycotted by paying Awudu in his own coin since he too was conspicuously absent at his installation. But Awudu Mbaya, is also quoted to have said that h could not show up at the installation because at that particular moment, they were busy deliberating on the state budget. Dark clouds loom large as to whether the two elected officials will throw away their political jackets and work for the interest of the population. Allegations abound that Ngabir Paul was spotted dancing heads high at NKASOG at Millennium Night club. Implicitly it was a boycott and nothing else another school of thought holds. More so, it should be recalled that during his installation former Mayor of Nkambe Mangoh Jones Tanko was not even given a seat at the grandstand. Sources say it was thanks to the kindness of a clergyman that the former mayor had a seat reasons why Mangoh was spotted with clergymen on that day. It is even alleged that Ngabir Paul Bantar has refused to pay bills owe Mangoh on grounds that the later destroyed his shop some years back. Hail rising looms large as Sammy Mgbata formerly Treasurer of Nkambe now Mayor of Misaje council continue to play double rules in violation of the text at Nkambe council.

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