“CAMYOSFOP is focused on educating Youth and Public on moral and Traditional Values” -Eugin Ngalim Nyuydin CEO

Eugin Ngalim Nyuydin is the Chair Person for the Peace and Security Cluster of the Economic Social and Cultural Council of the African Union. It is a people centered organ of the African Union. It is where the civil society sits and it is an organ just like other organs in the AU with the commission in Adis Ababa. It is an organ like the Heads of State’s Assembly, the Pan African Parliament among others. It provides advisory opinions to the work of the Union. Eugin Ngalim sits in that organ as the Cameroon representative. There are two people per country that sit in this organ. He is equally at the helm of CAMYOSFOP, Cameroon Youth and Student’s Forum for Peace. He spoke to EDEV Web News’ Francis Ekongang Nzante Lenjo on Thursday October, 29 at the Holiday Inn Resort in Limbe during a Feed Back Workshop on the National Youth Network on the Boys To Boys Strategy on violence against women and girls (NAYONEB) and strengthening their capacity on engaging Cameroonians against HIV/AIDS, an initiative supported by UN Women, a United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. Among other things, Eugene Ngalim discloses that CAMYOSFOP carries out its activities through the education of youths and Public on moral and traditional values.

What was this Workshop all about?
It was a feedback Workshop of a network known as Boys To Boys on violence against women and girls in Cameroon. This network was the first of its kind in Cameroon and Central Africa as a whole and as far as West Africa because we know that this type of initiative exists in East Africa known as the Men To Men strategy against women and girls particularly in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The network like I said is aimed at working on ending all sorts of violence against boys and girls.

Eugene Ngalim Nyuydin

What do you expect from the participants of this workshop after this?   
Well there is an action plan that has been revealed and adopted. What we expect is an implementation of some of the aspects of the action plan. There are some of the aspects that do not need finances. They just need commitment and they could be implemented. Giving visibility or raising awareness about violence where ever you are doesn’t really involve money. We have the global campaign on He For She gender equality which simply involves going to the website of the campaign and signing in on the website. It is about scaling up the network by getting more Cameroonians involved.
You are talking about violence against women but women were completely absent here today.    
Many of the strategies that have been put in place involving women to fight violence against women have failed. Most of strategies that are being put in place involve women’s groups or men and women but this strategy of bringing just men is because they are the perpetrators of violence and most of these men have been neglected in most of the strategies. But again, there are certain things that men just within themselves will say that they will not be able to say when they are with women. We don’t know whether it may be inferiority complex or just trying to project themselves as a superior beings to the women but when they sit together there are quite a number of things they will say within themselves and take real commitments and so that’s why we are having this strategy where the network is just men. The work is however focused on engaging both women and men on ending violence.
CAMYOSFOP has been there for a while and considering its aspirations, how far do you think they have been attained?
The network has existed just for one year but there are quite a number of things the network has realised on ending violence against women based on our experience on the ground. In 2012 we were able to organise a climb on Mount Febe known as the Mount Febe Climb on Violence against women. This brought together about three thousand participants. We were barely replicating a continental event that took place in Tanzania known as the Mount Kilimanjaro Climb aimed at ending violence against women. Immediately after that, we engaged in an advocacy to launch a global campaign in Cameroon known as the African Unite Campaign on violence against women. This was UN Secretary General campaign that was being executed all over the world. We succeeded in this advocacy and at the end of the day, the Government of Cameroon accepted to officially launch this campaign in Cameroon in December 2012.
What can the public know about CAMYOSFOP which has been the main organizer of the event here today?
Cameroon Youth and Students Forum for Peace is a youth organisation created in 1999 with official legalization by the Government of Cameroon in 2001. So you can bear with me that the organisation has been on the ground for more than 15 years. It was created as a result of our decaying values and so it is focused on educating youths and the public in general on their moral and traditional values. This is done through Human Rights Education, Peace Building and Youth Policy. So far that’s what we do. Our programme focuses on Peace Education which includes Human Rights and Moral and Peace Education. On issues of Youth Policy we develop Policy Papers in favour of the youths. We have actually developed three of such policy papers. The first was on employment and migration, the second on Agriculture and Vocational Training as a gateway to youth employment and a third one was on the Education Sector Reforms for Youth Employment. We also work in campaigns against violent films and the illicit proliferation of light arms in Cameroon. This particular programme gave us an Award in 2005; The King Mohammed and The UN Continental Award on youth led initiatives in relation to the indigenes. I just wish to recall that last year we won another award from The Guardian Post Newspaper in Cameroon as the best NGO that has been involved in the campaign against the illicit proliferation of small and light weapons in Cameroon and Africa. We also do exchange programmes and we’ve been able to bring American youths to Cameroon and vice versa. Exchange programmes are important because through it people realise that their perspectives sometimes are different from the perspective of others. We work on promoting National Figures and one of those figures we’ve been working on is the late Doctor Benard Fonlon. We are presently working on publishing a Manual on the legacy of Fonlon. The manual will include testimonies from his contemporaries. This we have already done and the project has been going on for about ten years. That’s why many of the people from whom testimonies were collected are dead. We have testimonies of people like V.T. Lenjo, E.T.Egbe, Victor Anuma Ngu, Arch Bishop Paul Vedzekov, Sankey Maimo and a few others so this testimonies are now being edited. We are also trying to get one of the last publications that Fonlon was trying to come out with but never published which of course is a manuscript. It is known as the Path Finder. This manuscript is lying at the Major Seminary in Bambui. It is going to be a manual on the legacy of Fonlon.
One of the main aims of this initiative is that in a year each Region in Cameroon should have about a hundred members in the network. How many members do you have so far and what do you intended to do with these members?
At the moment we already have about 50 members and the campaign is about awareness raising. When you do this and you get the numbers then you make the campaign more popular. That’s why we are also calling on journalists to join us in this campaign.             

LIMBE PARAMOUNT THRONE TUSSLE YET TO BE RESOLVED?

Prince Jerry Manga Williams withdraws support for decision to crown John Manga William  as Paramount Chief.
-Accuses him of Home Terrorism

      Prince Jerry Manga Williams of Limbe has in an unexpected twist of events disassociated himself from the decision to make Prince Elufa John Manga Williams the Paramount Ruler of Limbe. This revelation was made in a disclaimer dated October   27, 2015 in which the prince states “I am here disassociating myself from the solemn espousal to select John Manga Williams as the choice of the Manga Williams to the office of Paramount chiefdom in Limbe.”

Prince Jerry Manga Williams

The Prince further hints on many criminal court suits procured by Johnny Manga Williams against him, and also talks of what he refers to as “the conspiracy to prevent the defence of inheritance and the perpetration of home terrorism, things he is intended to put to order in the abode. Until such a volte-face is practiced by him within a fortnight, I shall pray and be in motion the house… to consider a new-fangled choice to the helm of the Limbe Paramount Chiefship.”

Prince John Elufa Manga Williams

It is as such clear that if the situation that Prince Jerry Manga William decries is not looked into by Johnny Manga Williams in a fortnight then a motion shall be placed to consider a new choice to the helm of the Paramount throne. The Prince however states that “this disclaimer is not intended to serve the purpose of attracting inferences to any suspicion that the Manga Williams Family is not the ruling House of Limbe. The article on the Law of Chieftaincy stipulates succession warranting the evidence of bloodline and death certificate of the wisher’s father for ascertainment. It is also not intended to dissuade stakeholders and other aspirants from the common wealth and auxilliarization with the Manga Williams Family Paramount Chiefship.”
Apart from the foregoing justification of his decision, Prince Manga Williams further explains his decision in the disclaimer. He puts forth the following reasons amongst others. He states that there has been “ recent and recurring actions perpetrated which are steadfastly cracking the foundation walls of family union and cohesion and the object of the bloodline and territoriality of the nuclear relationship.”  He further mentions the persecuting and litigation perpetrated against his person in many forms of procurement including third parties in the midst of the renewed family cooperation.  He further makes mention of frequent of the belligerence, detachment to family issues and the wanting of altruism. “Considering the refusal to attend many family meetings called to resolve the preoccupations- Considering my plethora of appealing for the consideration of the prayers to reinforce the solid foundation and stop the stationary apprenticeship of decampment, partisanship and vindictiveness.”
It should be recalled that the Paramount stool of Limbe has been vacant for many years. During this time, many aspirants claimed their right to it and a lot has been said about the history of Royalty in Victoria now Limbe. The Manga Williams family has however always been on the throne and this has given them the strongest claim to the throne among the three families referred to as the Ruling families in Limbe (Victoria). With the news that the ruling Manga Williams family had finally decided to chose John Manga William as Paramount Chief many heaved a sigh of relief that at last the saga of the Limbe Paramount Chieftaincy tussle had come to a close. It seemingly was not yet time for a close to the saga. While attempts to meet John Manga William had not succeeded at press time, we will certainly catch up with him in subsequent publications.

Images of Rural Women's Day Celebrations in Mondoni, Tiko.

D.O. Tiko Delivering speech.

Chief Kombe Richard Ndike Delivers Speech as Host.

Gift presented by the Rural Women of Mondoni to D.O. of Tiko

Women's Groups gave a special pump to the occasion.

Chief Kombe Richard Ndike looks on

Enthusiastic March Pass by Women

President of Tiko Women's Associations leads March Pass.

Royal Couple in the heart of event.

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Access of finances to the Rural Woman yet to be a reality

HRH Chief Kombe Richard Ndike delivering Keynote address

The 22^nd edition of the International Rural Women’s Day celebrated under the theme “Rural Women: Access to Financial Resources in the Food and Agricultural Sector” was used by many stake holders in the sector to highlight the quasi absence of finances to the rural woman involved in agricultural activities. In the Tiko Municipality in Fako Division, every road led to Mondoni and the host His Royal Highness Chief Kombe Richard Ndike equally declared that the access of finances to the rural woman was yet to be a reality.

The Royal Couple of Mondoni hosted The 22nd Edition of the Rural Women's Day.

He said this decision to empower the rural woman taken by the United Nations came in the wake of the sufferings that the average rural woman was noted to be undergoing. “It is a wonderful idea that the Cameroonian Government realised the necessity to follow suite and went on to acknowledge this Day as a worthy one to be celebrated. This shows that the Government is taking note of the problems of the rural woman.”

Out of this occasion, he said he’d been doing his best to assist the rural women because they were his responsibility. In this line he said he had been listening to their demands and giving them directives on how they could go close to Agricultural authorities like the Divisional and Sub Divisional Delegates to ensure that help was brought to them and  workshops organised to make them better understand what it takes.

D.O.Tiko Delivers speech at Mondoni Field while Hon. Efite looks on.

The problems of the women he said have been continuously channeled to hierarchy. “One of their greatest problems is the very poor state of roads linking Mondoni and the main road running between Douala and Tiko, the closest possible markets. You saw the poor state of roads yourself when you were coming here today. The local authorities are aware of all these problems and we are not comfortable with the problems being faced by the rural populations. There is no pipe borne water and no health center here. My duty is to transmit their worries to local authorities and that I have done. So far we are not comfortable with the response of hierarchy.”

On the access of the rural woman to finances he said Micro Finance Organisations that are settling in Mondoni were proposing ways forward if the local populations could provide collaterals for them to have access to finances. “But as at now, the accessibility of the rural woman to finances is not yet a reality. I am working with the local population and I want to be sure that something is working before I assure the local population”, he said.

He pleaded with the Administration to give the Rural Women financial and agricultural resources and inputs to enable them improve in their food production and preservation.

While acknowledging the important place held by the rural woman in Cameroon’s Agricultural Sector with some 2.2 million farms under their controle across the National triangle, the Divisional Officer for Tiko Ngwashi Patrick Che the government was increasingly becoming aware of the necessity to step in with finances and other infrastructural inputs for the rural woman to forge ahead.

The occasion was further graced by the presence of the Sub Divisional Delegate for Agriculture, Honourable Fritz Etoke, Sub Delegate for Women’s Empowerment, traditional leaders from neighbouring villages and women’s groups from different communities within the Tiko Municipality.

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Fako IV : Self interest dictating pace in race for positions in CPDM re-organisation excercise!

 With the collapse of moves towards establishing consensus lists in Fako as the best way to approach the re-organisation exercise that has been launched in the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement CPDM, the proliferation of ambitious candidates has been described by some aspirants as protection of self interest that might lead to the undoing of the party itself. This is the view of Chief Kombe Richard Ndike - Mayiba Ma Njako of Mondoni.

 He explained that the lack of readiness to accept a consensus in Fako IV was partly explained by the over confidence of some ambitious individuals who are poised to pursue their personal ambitions to the very end.

  This set up has lead to an extreme dichotomy in CPDM politics in Fako IV. While some people think that a consensus is the best way to put a strong team which can withstand the challenges, others are poised to pursue their interests. Chief Kombe Richard Ndike, himself an aspirant to the post of Section President for Fako IV in a press chat recently explained that some want to become mayor, others want to become President among many other things. He however stated that "if there is consensus, no matter the situation after re-organisation, if the population find you competent for the post of Mayor, they will support you. But we have discovered that some people only want to hold to the strength of the Section so that they can implant themselves in these positions when the time comes. They don’t want to go into consensus. Each individual wants to implant himself in the party and into specific positions for very selfish reasons. If the Section gives me an opportunity to become the President I will give the council to the one I feel is the most competent person to represent this community. Among ourselves we know those who are competent and those who aren’t. I am already in the consensus list of Dr. Tchana and we are working together as a team. It is a strong team with very competent people and if they give me the confidence then I still remain the Head of our list."

The idea behind consensus he said was to protect the image of the Fako man and to guarantee a real representation of the party here in Fako IV. "But as stubborn as some people can be , they decided not to obey the instructions of elites. There is however a local saying that the shoulders can never go above the head. They should be careful." 

Chief Kombe Richard Ndike explained that with the party in Fako IV almost in a dead end due to poor management of the previous executive, there was every need for people to work in joint ranks. "This behaviour caused us to lose the council. The other party manning it is presently putting a strong grip on this community and we should be very careful with what we are doing and the way we do it. Something needs to be done to ensure that we regain the grip on our community. It is not an easy task for whoever will be the Section President."

Harping on the effect of division he said it made the CPDM to lose elections last time and condemned the fact that the same division was being instituted again. "Selfishness will take the party no where."

This reporter also caught up with Ekema Mwambo Martin another member of the CPDM Party in Fako IV. Someone who started with the party in the Youth wing as the Branch Secretary when there was just one section representing the whole of Fako. From there he moved on to Fako IV after the CPDM Division and became the Sub Section Secretary of one of the Sub-Sections in Mutengene called Buenga North. He later on moved up to the Section where he is presently the Vice Secretary of  Fako IV Section.

This aspirant to the post of President of President for Fako IV intentions in the following manner; "if elected President of Fako IV I will bring the party back to the status it occupied in the 1980s and mid 1990s before multi party politics. During this period there was some sort of discipline in the party. There were no adventurers and the CPDM followed a particular trend. You don’t need to come in when you have not climbed the ladder. With the beginning of multi party politics there was disarray in the party and that’s when adventurers came in not only in the CPDM but in all political parties."

The only way to bring the party back to its feet he explained is to stick to its constitution and by-laws which states in part that each Sub-Section must have Sub-Section Conferences which were lacking all this while. The Sections he said are also supposed to have Section Conferences. "All of these were not implemented within the last 12 or 15 years during the reign of Kumbe and Eteki. Those political programmes were absent so I will like that if I am elected President I will institute those committees and programmes that are in the constitution of the party."

  On how this could help the CPDM to bounce back in Fako IV he said "If you do this,you will draw the data base of the party. Every month, you will know that either one or two extra members have joined the party. So the executives of the Sub-sections, the Branches and the cells will all follow suite. As such at each and every minute you will know what activity they are carrying out. That’s how we plan to build up the party."

On the existence of too many lists and on the tendency for it to divide the party, he fired back stating that "it’s not a division but rather helps to bring in a more democratic atmosphere within the party. The lists cannot divide the party. There is the issue of eligibility and that is what counts. If there are a hundred of them and they are not legible it cannot go through."

     While insisting that consensus was not the solution to the problems in Fako IV he went ahead to explain that Jean Kuete’s circular was simply intended to flush out adventurers from the party. "This is because you find people who came into the party and ascended to the position of parliamentarians when they have never been the member of any basic organ. If you have never been the member of any basic organ I cannot see how you can just parachute yourself and become a Section President or a Parliamentarian. By doing this, you defy the policies of the party and if you stand for elections you should be charged for deceit."

Cameroonians, Nigerians called to place more confidence in leaders as they struggle to eradicate Boko Haram

 Nigerians and Cameroonians have been called upon to place more confidence in their respective Heads of State as they look for ways to completely eradicate the Islamic Terrorist Group Boko Haram. This call was made during the occasion of the celebration of the 55th anniversary of the Independence of  the Federal Republic of Nigeria by the Nigerian Community in Tiko, Cameroon. This call was made on Sunday October 11,  by Eze Onyengubo Jonathan Thomas, the Cultural Head of the Cameroon chapter of the All World Igbo Community, traditionally referred to as Gburu Gburu 1 of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Cameroon. 

 

Eze Onyengubo Jonathan Thomas Gburu Gburu 1 delivering speech during occasion

 

President of Nigerian Community in Tiko- Chief Esimone and spouse

 In guise of an Independence Day message he called on Nigerians to heed to President Buhari's call to  remain resolute and determined in the face of all challenges. He called on the Nigerian Community to be law abiding in Cameroon so as to permit them achieve their objecti

Commenting on the Certificate of Merite received at the hands of  the representative of the Consul General in Buea, he said "Its not a surprise to me because last time on the Nigerian Independence Day I received an Award given to me as an Ambassador of Peace. This time the award recognised me as the most generous patron. I know that the reward of good work is a direct measure of success. I thank the authorities who deemed it pertinent to give me this certificate of merit. We will continue doing our best to enhance the development and growth of the Nigerian Community in Cameroon.

The President of the Nigerian Community in Tiko Community, Chief Benedict Esimone in his Keynote address touched on the history of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He equally went into the figures stating that the Nigerian Community of Tiko is made up of 9 sub groupings representing 9 Nigerian States. These states as he revealed are Anambra, Akwa- ibia, Enugu, Imo, River, Western, Bayelsa and Ebonyi. Chief Esimone further revealed that the resident population of Nigerians in Tiko stood at 2500 persons and that most of them were engaged in activities ranging from business, education, farming, fishing, construction, transport, religious missions to cultural exchange promotion in music and film industries.

Revisiting the recent elections in Nigeria and the existence of new leadership, he congratulated President Buhari and thanked him for chosing Cameroon as one of his first countries to visit thus giving them the opportunity to be among the first Nigerians in the Diaspora to receive him as President. 

The President of the Nigerian Community in Tiko further paid special homage to the Nigerian Consul General and the Consulate Staff for the guidance and leadership provided to him and his executive in the task of leading the Nigerian Community in Tiko.

The occasion which saw the installation of the female executive committee of the Nigerian Community in Tiko was rendered more colourful by beautiful traditional dance groups and also saw the presence of the representative of the Consul General, representative of Cameroonian authorities, traditional rulers from Cameroon among others.