"2022 Is the Year to bring all Crisis to an End"

-CEO, Farmer’s House

 By Francis Ekongang Nzante

Mr Peter Ngufor, CEO of Farmers' House has declared that 2022 is the year to bring all Crisis in Cameroon to an end. He was speaking recently while presenting New Year Wishes to the Bafanji Community in Bamenda. This annual event took place at Foncha Street and assembled the huge Bafanji Family that is known to reside in Bamenda.

Pah Ngufor Peter in Brown attire and Musi Vincent

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Speaking to the battery of journalists who turned out for the event, Pah Peter Ngufor said it was part of his annual programme to assemble the Bafanjis in Bamenda at his family residence. “This year is a repeat of what we had last year. The only difference this year is that there were some additional ingredients. For example the music that you have in the background was not so good. This year it has been perfected. As a result I am very happy and as you can see the villagers themselves are very happy because they needed this type of occasion to relax. With all the difficulties that they have been going through, if they can find a day in which they can enjoy and relax like they have been doing here then I think it’s a wonderful idea.”

He said the dance group animating the occasion was called the Samba and that he had the same version of a dance group back in the village. He supports this dance group and takes care of its upkeep back in Bafanji. However, when he suggested that he wanted to bring the Samba Dance group from the village to Bamenda for the occasion the Bafanji youths  in town told him not to worry insisting that they could do it. From every indication they did not fail him. “I am happy with what they have done. My message is that people should be happy once in a while. It should not be sorrow all the time.”

This Northwest elite lamented that development initiatives in the village had been stalled by the Anglophone Crisis and the COVID-19 Pandemic. He said he wished that all these problems should have been solved by the end of the year 2022 so that they could once more focus on development issues in the village. The Anglophone Crisis he said had gone on for long and many atrocities had been committed. He opined that it was time for every Cameroonian to be focused on  bringing all the crisis in the country to an end. “2022 should be the year to bring all crisis to an end.”

In a parting shot, Pah Peter Ngufor praised the performance of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon at the ongoing African Cup of Nation AFCON 2021. “Now that they've sailed past the first stage, my  wish is that they should continue like that and get to the finals and if they take the cup I promise something better for them.”

He called on the Bafanji people not to be discouraged but to make the best of what ever situation they found themselves in.

Mr Music Vincent, President of the Fanji Development and Cultural Association FADCA said they had turned out to thank God for keeping them alive through out the year despite the difficult times they passed through. He said as it was traditional, they decided to meet at the Residence of their patron Pah Ngufor Peter on such an occasion.

He urged the Bafanji Family in Bamenda to always stick together as each other’s keeper and equally called on them to be very careful in the face of the ravaging COVID-19 Pandemic.

The North West Regional President of FADCA said during the year they met in Limbe and put in place a National structure as well as a National Youth structure. He said they also created the women’s wing and that all these structures were meant to work together in the realisation of Development Projects in Bafanji.

The event was rendered colourful by traditional dances made available by the Samba Dance group in Bamenda. Also present were beautiful traditional musical presentations that were reminiscent of the annual cultural festival that used to take place in Bafanji during the more peaceful days.

 

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Yaounde V Mayor Breaking New Grounds Through Decentralized Cooperation

By Francis Ekongang Nzante

 

Mr Augustin Bala, Mayor of the Yaounde V Municipality alongside his Consultant for Cooperation with American NGOs Nfinyoh T. Mabu have in a fruitful trip  to the United States of America successfully crafted partnerships with Non Governmental Organisations and international associations geared towards accelerating the realisation of Development Projects in the Yaounde V Municipality.

The Mayor arrived Atlanta in the United States on the 19^th of December 2021.The aim of the visit was to meet with American partners in line with what is referred to as Decentralized Cooperation in the Yaounde V Municipality.

The first step in his visit  was a meeting with the NGO Medshare on Monday, December 21. Medshare is specialized in medical assistance and support in medical equipment.

The Mayor visited all the facilities of Medshare in Atlanta. At the end of this fruitful visit, this NGO, which operates in 100 countries in the world, decided to help the Yaounde V Municipality from January 2022 in its project to create a Center for Medical Imagery and Care for Mothers and Children.

Next was a meeting with the NGO MAP International which enabled this NGO to appreciate the vision of Mayor Augustin Bala in supplying its destitute populations with medicines. At the end of this meeting, MAP International decided that from January 2022  it would support the project by the Mayor  which is geared towards providing the municipality with a Municipal pharmacy where the hospitals of Yaounde V would henceforth refer cases of medical prescriptions.

A Donor Conference that the Mayor of Yaounde V is scheduled to chair with a mini exhibition of the municipality is planned to  take place in the city of Atlanta between April and May 2022 with the aim of constructing a Municipal Hospital with several specialties.

On Wednesday, December 22, 2021, the Mayor accompanied by his Consultant for Cooperation with American NGOs Mr. Nfinyo T. Mabu, had two important meetings:

The first was with a certain Mr. Glen Reed, an International Lawyer and multi-billionaire committed to humanitarian causes in several countries around the world and a member of the Board of Directors of MAP International.

The main highlight of the meeting was the presentation by Augustin Bala of his Humanitarian Vision aimed at improving upon the quality of lives of the poor people and families in the Yaounde V Municipality. This constituted the spring board for the launching of a Central Municipal Pharmacy for the free distribution of medicines.

 This original idea, attracted the attention of the Americans. This guaranteed their adhesion and the immediate commitment of Glen Reed to support this great municipal project with a high social impact.

 The Second meeting was with a young Cameroonian couple who are entrepreneurs.

Mr Tata Gabsaga and Mrs Tata Pascale. Mr Gabsaga, who is an Electrical Engineer and Consultant with several American companies, proposed to digitalize Municipal Tax Payments in order to facilitate the task of taxpayers who will be able to pay remotely and electronically and simultaneously  securing Municipal Tax Money.

The Mayor of Yaounde V invited them to Cameroon to lay the foundation stone of this all important project.

Another high light Augustine Bala's visit to the United States of America was his meeting with

Madame Vanessa R. Willams, Executive Director of the Association of Black Mayors of the United States (602 Mayors) who also doubles as Secretary General of the Association of Black Mayors of the World (approximately 4000 Mayors). It was on behalf of these two associations that she received Augustin Bala Mayor of Yaounde V who for this purpose received a decoration for the recognition of his daily commitment to the underprivileged.

He was also appointed as focal point of the two associations in Cameroon. For this purpose, he was invited to participate in the next summit of the two associations to be held in Arusha, Tanzania in July 2022. In return, the Mayor on behalf of his populations, deeply thanked Mrs. Vanessa R. Williams for this mark of recognition towards his modest person and his Municipality.

It should be noted that the two groups of Mayors support member municipalities in numerous development projects.

 

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Anglophone Elite Caught in The Web of Crisis in Cameroon

-Killings on the Rise

The Anglophone Crisis that is presently raging in the two English Speaking Regions of Cameroon have put outspoken English Speaking elite and those who constitute the academia in a very precarious situation. They are caught up in a deadly war that has practically narrowed down to targeted killings.

Victims have so  far included University lecturers, Members of Parliament, Senators, Social activists, the clergy, traditional leaders, Secondary school teachers and school children.

While the Yaounde Regime has stepped up it’s security measures in a bid to clamp down on Separatists fighters, ideas that are considered as subversive have become completely unacceptable. Many Cameroonians are as such becoming unacceptable in their own country both by the regime and the Separatists because of the way they think and act.

Many who fall in this category of unwanted people unfortunately included people who have sincerely looked for concrete ways to solve the Anglophone Crisis. Sometimes their proposals are considered unacceptable by the Yaounde Regime because they recommend that the root cause of the Anglophone Crisis be addressed. Their proposals are also sometimes considered unacceptable by the Amazonian Separatists they sometimes table proposals that suggest that the warring factions should look for middle ground solutions in order to bring an end to the bloodshed. Diehard Separatists who want nothing short of an Independent Republic of Ambazonia find such suggestions repugnant and would do anything to eliminate proponents of such proposals.

As the crisis rages on the vulnerable populations are constantly subjected to indiscriminate killings, tortures, rapes, arsons, maiming both from the military and the separatists fighters.

Many advocates of justice and peace like Dr. Kennedy Nyongbela,   Professor at the University of Buea amongst others who are noted for their outspokenness  have been targeted unsuccessfully.  Dr. Nyongbela reportedly joined the Union of Higher Education Teachers on November 21, 2016, and participated in the protests against what they called the government’s continuous undermining of the Anglo-Saxon system of Education and the English-Common Law. When the Yaounde Regime cracked down on them many Lawyers like Barrister Mbutong Bobga Harmony and Journalist like John Mbah Akuro amongst many others took refuge abroad. Many of them however remained home.

Moderates like Dr. Nyongbela to begin advocating for justice and peace for English Speaking Cameroonians constantly referred to in some quarters as Southern Cameroonians.

 The Anglophone Crisis has been described in the media as the “little-reported genocidal war”. In a recent communique, Mr. Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic of Cameroon, ordered the Minister of Higher Education to provide the names and phone contacts of University lecturers of the Universities of Buea and Bamenda. This move which according to some quarters is a simple security move is considered as threatening by that outspoken and unwanted class of lecturers like Dr Nyongbela who were vocal everytime atrocities like  the shooting of the innocent 5-year  Caroline Ndiale in Buea and  little Tataw Brenda in Bamenda.

It should be noted that Dr. Nyongbela who was awarded the US government Fulbright Fellowship in 2019, is currently in the US as a IIE-SRF Scholar at risk Fellow.

As the war rages on, the military has been more trigger happy towards young Anglophone boys whom they tag as separatists fighters because most of the fighters are reportedly of that age group.

On the other hand separatists have tagged everyone not confirming with their complete separation orientation approach as a collaborator of the Yaounde and as an enabler. There is practically no hiding place.

This situation has become unbearable especially to Anglophone scholars who speak out against the assimilation and other injustices. A case in point is the recent murder of Barrister, Senator Kemede, a SDF fire brand member of the Upper House of Parliament, who was shot to death by unidentified gunmen. These wantom killings and arrests explain why many English-speaking scholars are at large and seeking refuge in foreign  countries.

The end of the conflict is no where in sight as on Ground Zero the Scotch-Earth Policy is on course with increased fighting in urban areas.

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Thousands Bid Farewell as Mama Magdalene Yaremla is laid to Rest

Mama Yaremla Magdalene was laid to rest on the 29^th of December, 2021 at Presbyterian Church PC Upstation in Bamenda in a funeral ceremony that assembled thousands of mourners to bid her farewell. The final respects paid to her were a reflection of the person that she was while she lived. She was full of love not only for her immediate family members but for everyone she came in contact with. Reason why the moments she passed with people remained crafted in their memories like indelible marks.

As last respects were paid to Mama Magdalene by the throngs of people that turned out for the occasion, this reporter attempted to talk to a couple of people who’d come in contact with her while she lived. Quintessentially all of them had a story to tell about her warm, open and welcoming nature. They always felt like revisiting her over and over again.

Small wonder why thousands thronged the Banquet Plaza of the Blue Pearl Hotel in Bamenda to bid her farewell. The dirges which were dominantly traditional songs and dance depicted the beauty of the Nso Culture and was the most appropriate way to say goodbye to “a mother with a large soul.”

 She was born in 1930 in Tatum, Nkum Sub Division, to the family of Pa Tani and Yaah Nyaah Elizabeth, both of blessed memory. She was the second child in a family of four which was made up of two males and two females, all of blessed memory.

 Her siblings: Mami Ghaila and Pa Ngayong Inousa were all Moslems while she and Pa Fai Johnson Banadzem were Christians of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon. All of them were raised in Nseh by their mother who later moved with them to Tatum and settled at Wip (Vifurm) compound.

Schools were very far from their settlement and at the time the privilege of going to school was reserved for the boys. As a result, Mami Magdalene stayed at home and assisted her mother with house chores and Corn Beer Business, which was their source of income.

She grew up and got married to Pa Ngando Solomon from Run compound, and they settled in C.D.C Ndu.  Mama Magdalene went through the pain of seeing her first four fruits of the womb passing away at very tender ages. She kept the faith despite all and God proved His worth by blessing her with five children (four boys and a girl) who are living till date. These children are Baninla Elizabeth, Njifon Oliver, Peter Ndzewiyi, Julius Bongkiyoiy, and Johnson Banadzem respectively.

Mama Magdalene was a faithful and devoted Basel Mission Christian who was baptized and confirmed. She used to trek very long distances from Ndu to Tatum only to attend church services and meetings of the Christian Women Fellowship (C.W.F)

She was a full time Housewife and dedicated her time to take care of her children, her farm work and selling of Corn Beer in the morning to plantation workers of the Cameroon Development Corporation CDC.

In early 2008, her health started failing. She started experiencing breathe related crisis and was  referred to the Cardiac Center at Shisong where she became a regular patient. She was eventually moved to Bamenda to meet her children for proper medical attention. Despite the care that was showered by her children on her she gave up on the 14th of December 2021.

On that day she got up not feeling well but when they tried to take her to the hospital she said "I don't want to be transferred from the hospital bed to the morgue". She further said "Shey Peter and wife will take me directly from the house to the morgue." As if aware that her time was up, she also indicated where her church contribution cards were and reprimanded the  church elders for their lateness in giving her the Holy Communion on Sunday. She made sure she sent all her children on errands before peacefully passing onto Glory.

She died at the age of 91, leaving behind her loving husband of about 100years ,five children, twenty-one grandchildren, twenty great grandchildren and a host of family members and friends to mourn her.

By Francis Ekongang Nzante

 

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LIMONA FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL

 

Reaching Out to The Needy Amidst Challenging Circumstances

By Francis Ekongang Nzante

Against a backdrop of raging wars in the Far North Region with the Boko Haram Insurgency, the Anglophone Crisis and the unprecedented blood spilling in the Northwest and Southwest Regions and the resultant hike in the number of Internally Displaced Persons in the country coupled with National stagnancy, frustrations and blame game that presently holds Cameroon hostage, some Cameroonians have decided to brave the odds and work towards taking care of the needy and simply contributing towards the building of their nation.

This reporter caught up with Mr Nfinyo T Mabu, Co Founder and Country Director of LIMONA Foundation International and he gave a broad picture of activities so far carried out by the Foundation in Cameroon.

Mr Nfinyo T Mabu intimated that the Foundation firstly played the role of facilitating the donation of about 200 Power Energy Transportation (PET) Carts for the Fondation Roi Njoya   which was distributed to about 200 physically impaired persons by the King of the Bamouns, late Sultan Senator Ibrahim Mbombo Njoya.

Next, they were seen facilitating the donation of a huge consignment of medicines and medical supplies to the five Military Hospitals in Cameroon. These supplies were distributed in all the ten Regions of the country to victims of the Boko Haram Insurgency in the Far North Region, refugees from the Central African Republic in the East Region, Internally Displaced Persons in the North West and South West Regions, victims of conflicts and vulnerable persons  especially women and children around the country.

 

Mr Nfinyo T Mabu further explained that LIMONA Foundation International also played a facilitating role in the donation of medical supplies and medical equipment from U.S based Cameroonian Healthcare Professionals to the North West Regional Assembly (NWRA). This he said was distributed to 23 Medical Establishments in the seven divisions of the North West Region. These donations he said were very timely considering the devastating effects of the  “socio-political” crisis and the COVID 19 Pandemic on medical establishments and the population. “I think this makes the NWRA the first Regional Assembly or Regional Council in Cameroon to be seen doing concrete people-driven development work” he said.

After these strides, the attention of LIMONA Foundation International turned to the Yaounde 5 Council  with an intention of enhancing its vision to impact lives through community and Healthcare actions.

He described Mr Bala Augustin as a “multi award-winning and people-driven Mayor.”

He said he admired Mr. Bala Augustin’s humility, simplicity, pragmatism and indefatigable passion to transform Yaounde 5.

The Mayor on his part said he'd asked to meet Mr Nfinyo Mabu, because he had seen  the things he'd been doing. “I want you to do same for my people, can we work together to help those who are needy and suffering in my council area?”

It was at this request from Mayor Bala Augustin that Mr Nfinyo T Mabu ones more girded his loins in preparation for yet another herculean task that will certainly impact positively on the lives of denizens of the Yaounde V Municipality.

Nfinyo T Mabu said they come to Yaounde V Council with the mind of a solution provider in yet challenging circumstances. He did not fail to mention the invaluable contributions made by his Cameroon born American partner Mr Roger Mforneh in the realisation of these initiatives in Cameroon. “We got tears to wipe, we got lives to touch, we got a nation to build” he said.

 

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