Cameroon – Nigeria rapprochement

Nigerian Business Magnate pays for the release of 22 inmates at Buea Central Prison

In an unprecedented gesture, a Nigerian Business magnate and Head of the All World Igbo Community in Cameroon, His Royal Highness Thomas Jonathan Onyengubo has paid the sum of 2.500.000 FCFA for the release of some 22 inmates from the Buea Central Prison. This event took place on Thursday April 28, 2016 on the premises of the prison.

This cultural flag bearer of the All World Igbo Community in Cameroon known in the Igbo Language as Ohanaeze Ndiigbo Cameroon is also bearer of the venerated title of Gburu Gburu 1 which literally translates as the overall head. This explains why he is respectfully referred to as Eze Gburu Gburu 1 of Ohanaeze Ndiigbo Cameroon. 

Group Picture with the released prisoners brandishing certificates testifying their release from Prison

Among the 22 inmates released from the Buea Central Prison, only two of them come from his native Nigeria. While one of the inmates comes from Chad, one also comes from Mali and the remaining 18 from the Republic of Cameroon. All of them still had varying lengths of time to stay in prison but due to the benevolent gesture of Eze Thomas Jonathan Onyengubo, Gburu Gburu 1 of Ohanaeze Ndiigbo Cameroon, they were all summarily released.

The Procureur General of the High Court in Buea in a brush with the press said “this is an act that we highly appreciate and that’s why we are here. We are here because many of our compatriots are here in prison due to the nonpayment of certain dues that were supposed to be paid. When a well wisher like this one today does what he has done, it touches everyone; justice, the population and everyone. All of you are here because it is an event that concerns you. We have come to give our appreciations to the benevolence of one among us. We thank the person and his good gesture and we will present this wonderful act to hierarchy. Our presence here is an encouragement to others so that this initiative can be followed by other people of good will.

For the prisoners who are going, they should make good use of the freedom they’ve just regained and do everything to get themselves reinserted into mainstream society. They should make sure they don’t return to this place which I think is not agreeable. We want to call on other Cameroonians and other Africans who can follow this step to come and help us solve this problem because as somebody said, the over-crowding of prisons is a problem.”

In a speech by HRH Thomas Jonathan Onyengubo, the business magnate and cultural flag bearer,s hinted on the fact that his was a gesture geared towards emphasising the needed collaboration between Cameroon and Nigeria especially in the domains of development. He said his intention was to give these inmates a new lease to life and called on them to seize this new opportunity to once more become free men. Hear him: “this is my own way of paying tithes. My idea of paying tithes is not giving it to a church or to a Pastor. I believe anyone has his own way to pay his tithes and this is my own way of paying my tithes to God. I want to see them leaving this place and living a better life. Like Mandela they should change and contribute towards transforming their societies. These people have families and their embassies are also here and I believe they will be taken care of. My sole responsibility is to get them out of this prison yard. By God’s grace, this could turn into an annual event. Every year Gburu Gburu 1 will come here to contribute his tithes by releasing some prisoners.”

This occasion saw the participation of State Counsels and other members of the judiciary from Muyuka, Limbe, Tiko and Buea, towns from which the prisoners came. Apart from the strong presence of personnel of the penitentiary there was also a cross section of administrators and their representatives. Noticeable amongst these was the Divisional Officer of Tiko, Ngwashi Patrick Che amongst others.

The occasion was equally graced by colourful traditional dancing and a show of musical talents all packaged by inmates of the Buea Central Prison.      

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Arrival of Bishop Agabitus Nfon sets stage for stronger Church in nascent Kumba Diocese.

The aura surrounding the arrival of Bishop Agabitus Nfon, the maiden Bishop of the newly created Kumba Diocese sent across the message that the Roman Catholic Church in Kumba was entering an era which will see a loving shepherd uniting his sheep in a stronger church bound together by love which doesn’t fall short of that propagated by Jesus Christ and His earliest Apostle to the gentiles; Saint Paul. The joy in the air and the love emanating from the prelate for those who had turned out to welcome him were palpable.

 

Bishop receives a bouquet of flower from little girl on arrival at Barombi Kang

At about 2 PM on Monday April 26, 2016, the Bishop’s impressive convoy was received at Mile 40 somewhere around Banga Bakundu in the Mbongue Sub-Division as you drive towards Kumba. The crowd that thronged the street to receive the Bishop was unprecedented and it kept growing as he approached the city of Kumba. Stopping at Bombe Bakundu, Mbalangi, Barombi Kang Check Point and at Saint John of Padua Parish at Buea Road in Kumba, the prelate stepped out of his jeep and blessed the crowds that turned out to meet him.

In the heart of Kumba at the Common Wealth Avenue entrance, His Eminence Bishop Agabitus Nfon did not resist the urge to get out of his jeep and walk with the waiting and expectant population. After embracing the population, the prelate regained the comfort of his jeep and was driven as was his convoy to the Sacred Heart Parish Fiango which is now known as the Sacred Heart Cathedral. 

Bishop's Convoy en route to Kumba

Just before Benediction, which took place on arrival at the Cathedral, a brief word was said in guise of a welcome to all who had braved it to the Cathedral and to the Bishop. 

The brief speech acknowledged the fact that the Bishop of Kumba had finally arrived and that it was a breathtaking event. The events of the day were described as unprecedented in the history of Kumba. The long awaited baby had finally been born and the occasion was seized to thank the prelate for challenging such a challenging task of heading the newly created Kumba Diocese.

 The brief speech equally expressed appreciation that Fiango had been privileged to be the seat of the new Diocese. The events of the day, the welcoming priest said were proof of the fact that the people of Kumba were set to work with the Bishop and together he said, they would build a vibrant church. Equally present during the Benediction Service were Bishop Nkea Andrew of the Mamfe Diocese and Bishop Nkwo of the Kumbo Diocese accompanied by a college of priests. 

Sacred Heart Cathedral Fiango, Kumba in festive mood

While the adoration services that characterized the Benediction went on, a festive mood was going on outside the cathedral amongst those who couldn’t make it into the church which was packed full. Dance groups from a cross section of tribes from the Northwest and Southwest that had turned up to grace the occasion were vibrantly giving the occasion colour.

The installation proper of the new Bishop of the Diocese of Kumba which geographically is made up of Meme, Ndian, and parts of Kupe Manenguba Divisions will take place on May 7,2016 at the Sacred Heart Cathedral at Fiango in Kumba.  

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Tiko Land Crises Saga: 352 Applicants on state land in Tiko still await Minister’s authorisation!

While waiting on the approval of the Minister of Lands to give an authorisation permitting some 352 Cameroonians who applied for state land to go ahead with the establishment of certificates which will permit them finally occupy their plots, a lot of water seems to be passing under the bridge with same land being confiscated by local chiefs in collaboration with local Government Officials.

According to an Affidavit of Representation number HCF/221/AF/B dated January 21, 2013 empowering the Cameroon Real Estate Corporation as Legal Representatives to follow up with Land Certificate for applicants on the Private Property of the State in Tiko Sub Division compiled by Barrister Nteamah George Fonju of the Fonju Law Firm in Tiko, 352 applicants were involved. In the same vein, the Chairman of the Cameroon Real Estate Corporation, George Fonbah has in a telephone conversation confirmed such a commitment and has called on applicants on State Land in Tiko Sub Division to wait for the Minister’s authorisation to enable them comply with Decree of allocation since he can only follow up with their land certificates only after the approval of the Ministry of State Property, Surveys and Land Tenure.

George Fonbah further intimates that the Prime Minister’s Office in a letter dated June 19, 2013 had already asked the Minister in charge of Lands to make the approval. He states categorically that until everyone complies with strict respect of the provisions of decree No. 76-167 of 27^th April 1976 to establish terms and conditions of management of the Private Property of the State, any occupation of plots on the various layouts will be infringing on state land and will attract legal action. Emphasising his point, the Executive Chairman of the Cameroon Real Estate referred to the initiative of the Ministerial decision No. 3650/Y.2.6/MINUH/D210 of September 1,1988.

George Fonbah is of the view point that citizens, such as these waiting for ministerial approval to go ahead with the occupation of their land are being “exploited through acts of deceit, false pretense, theft by Government officials, the Tiko Council and their agents who are now responsible for the deplorable acts on the private property of the state in the Tiko Sub Division.” 

The first pages of a lengthy affidavit of representation showing the beginning of a lengthy list of applicants for state land in the Layouts in Tiko.

The Chairman of CREC states that while Cameroonians are waiting for the Minister of Lands to authorize about 352 Cameroonians to go ahead with the establishment of documents that will permit them occupy plots for which they applied, traditional chiefs in collaboration with some local authorities in Fako Division and specifically in Tiko Sub Division are in contradiction with certain decrees and statutory procedures already interfering in these same plots.

The Layouts directly involved in this land saga are the Likomba Commercial Layout with 187 applicants of State land, Likomba Residential Layout with 27 applicants, Long Street Layout/ Extension Layout with 23 applicants, Holtforth Layout Water tank with 20 applicants, Mutengene Layout Buea Road with 85 applicants, Mutengene Layout Limbe Road with 10 applicants. 

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Tiko Land Crisis Saga: Chairman of Cameroon Real Estate Breaks Silence from hideout abroad!

-Names corrupt land sellers who are protected by corrupt officials 

After a long period of silence following a jail term in connection with the Tiko Land Crisis, George Fonbah, Chairman of the Cameroon Real Estate Corporation reported be have escaped from the country has finally broken the spell. 

George Fonbah

Among other things, he has declared in a lengthy international telephone conversation that the Fako Administration can never empower Traditional Chiefs to manage the private property of the State on approved Council layouts in Tiko Sub Division. The court Judgment from the Court of First Instance in Tiko he further says can never replace the decree concerning the management of the private property of the State. He equally refuses that he sells plots within National or State land in the Tiko Sub-Division adding that since 1962, CDC owned no land or crops in the approved council layouts in Tiko Sub- Division.

He insists that it is the Cameroon Real Estate Corporation CREC that has spent FCFA 100 million to finance the creation and development of all the approved council layouts in Tiko Sub Division and that its only the Minister of State Property, Surveys and Land Tenure that can manage the plots on the approved council layouts in Tiko Sub Division.

Land matters in Tiko he said are caused by the Cameroon Development Corporation CDC and Traditional Chiefs. CDC in 1962 surrendered parts of farms 4 and 5 of the Likomba Estate in a Deed of Surrender registered with the Lands Department on August 29, 1962 to the State and since then they have owned no land or crops within the surrendered areas that became the private property of the state. He further states that CDC illegally planted crops on the surrendered areas and are presently illegally selling crops and unjustly enriching the corporation.

Concerning the traditional chiefs whom he says claim that CDC had surrendered land to their villages, he said these chiefs have no rights to manage and sell plots on the private property of the state. “I want the public to know that CDC has no land within any of the approved council layouts in Tiko Sub-Division to surrender and sell land to Likomba and Tiko Chiefs.” He said for reasons of Public Security and to help protect public interest, this continuous exploitation of citizens (through acts of deceit, false pretence, theft by agents of chiefs and the abuse of judicial and administrative processes involved in land management) should stop. “I have seen corrupt practices on the sale of plots by Chief Joke Johannes Vako at Likomba Residential Layout and by Chief Nango Yome at the Holtforth Layout, Water tank and Long Street Extension Layout.”  

George Fonbah intimated that he investigated and found out that CDC in a report dated February 4,2013 signed by the General Manager and addressed to the Senior Divisional Officer for Fako surrendered in principle 30 hectares of land at Likomba-Dibanda Estate to the Likomba Village and 12 hectares at Sonne Rubber Estate to the Tiko Traditional Council. Legally he said, before any allocation of these parcels of land, there must be a Deed of Surrender duly signed between the Minister of Lands and the CDC Board Chairman concerning these areas.

George Fonbah pointed at certain facts which don’t fall in place. For instance; the Likomba Residential Layout, Holtforth Layout, Water tank and Long Street Extension Layout are covered by the Deed of Surrender of 1962 and managed by decree of allocation of private property of the State and at the same time, Chief Joke Johannes and Chief Nango Yome have claimed that the Fako Administration have empowered them to manage the above mentioned layouts as National land and they have land certificates.

George Fonbah said his concern was on the approved council layouts that the State already holds its land certificate stating that any third party wanting to buy land from there had to buy it from the state. He further explained that the above mentioned chiefs have abandoned the land CDC surrendered to their village in principle and obtained misleading land certificates to claim approved layouts.

He explained that the issue of managing layouts created on the surrendered lands had been directed by a letter from the Prime Minister’s Office dated June 19, 2013 addressed to him and a letter from the Ministry of State Property, Surveys and Land Tenure dated August 14, 2015 addressed to the Cameroon Real Estate Corporation. In this light he said, only those who have bought plots from the state can occupy plots on these layouts and “any chief who uses court judgment to support such sales cannot work without obtaining a genuine land certificate. I have heard the public say I do sell land. Well this bad news is not true. There exists no sale document indicating that I have sold any land to any person. No court or administration has any exhibit that I have sold land. There is a mix up in professional fees I have received for documentation for the acquisition of land certificates, building permits among other things on behalf of Cameroon Real Estate Corporation and that cannot be styled as receipt for sales of land by George Fonbah.” He said those selling lands with exhibits to be prosecuted by the state have decided to promote allegations that he sells land. These people he said have gone ahead to corrupt law enforcement officers to take illegal actions against him. “I am an international legal person who deal with the presidency, the Prime Minister’s Office, CONAC and the Minister in charge of land on matters concerning the management of state land in Cameroon” he said.

Attempts to reach the General Manager of the Cameroon Development Corporation at press time failed but this reporter will certainly reach other parties mentioned here as the story unfolds. 

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