Stalemate over land to host HTTTC Kumba continues.

More than four months after the Vice Chancellor of the University of Buea, Nalova Lyonga matriculated the Batches of Peace and Reunification at the Higher Technical Teacher Training College, HTTTC Kumba, dust is yet to settle as to who owns the land that is to host the campus of the much awaited Higher institution of learning. The land given to host the institution located within the Kumba III Municipality has proven to be surrounded by very controversial circumstances.

According to elites of the Balung clan, one of the tribes that make up the Kumba City Council Area, they gave land for the hosting of HTTTC Kumba. This land according to HRH Chief Doctor Samuel Ebanja, Paramount Chief of the Balungs given to host this institution is undoubtedly Mokonje land and in no way subjected to any doubtful ownership. Documents testifying the boundaries of the clan dating far back have always been available and there has never been any room for such an eventuality the chief explained in an earlier interview.

Erstwhile Chairman and co where among those present at the deliberations

The volatile nature of the situation was again showcased on Monday June 5, 2016 at the Meme SDO’s Office. In order to get an inside story of the discussions that took place between elites of the Balungs specifically from Mokonje and the Bafaw Clan, this reporter caught up with Ekoke Simon Nkongo erstwhile Chairman of the Mokonje Traditional Council, elder Mukete Salle Kolo and Mongo Samuel former SG of the Traditional Council, some of those who accompanied His Royal Highness Chief Dr. Samuel Ebanja Traditional ruler of the Balungs and Otto Alexander, Chairman of the Mokonje Traditional Council among others to the office of the SDO for Meme.

Explaining the reason which took them to the SDO’s Office, Ekoke Simon Nkongo said “the issue in question is that the Bafaws are claiming that the land which has been given by us to host the Higher Technical Teacher Training College HTTTC is theirs which is not the case. In that respect we had the clarification using our GPS-Global Positioning System that gave the real location of the land in question.”

Ekoke Simon Nkongo further explained that this meeting which took place at the SDO’s Office was summoned by the Bafaws, the tribe that occupies a dominant part of the Kumba municipality with   HRH Senator Nfon V.E. Mukete as Paramount Chief. He explained that ccording to the summons by Nfon V.E. Mukete, the land in question is Bafaw land.

He posited that while at the SDO’s Office, the situation developed into a new twist and Nkongo Simon put it in the following words; “before now we never had any dispute with that land. So when we went into the field to asses and see what the problem was, our GPS proved us right.”

The bone of contention it has been noted is that both clans want to be identified as the ones who provided land for the Kumba Campus of the University of Buea; HTTTC considering the fact that it is going to have kick back effects or fall outs with regards to the accompanying socio-economic advantages that will accompany the installation of the infrastructures of HTTTC Kumba. Proving this view point right, Nkongo Simon said “it is very important that Mokonje gives this land for the university. HTTTC is not only for the Balungs nor is it only for the Bafaws. It is for all Cameroonians and its coming here will be of great value to Kumba as a whole. Since all land belong to the state and we are only custodians, the government should simply put that land in use for the HTTTC.”

Following talks that took place with the 2^nd Assistant SDO Nyankuma Nelson, a report was compiled and a final decision was to be arrived at in the days ahead. According to these individuals, the present state of things is clear. The land from their viewpoint belongs to the Balungs and not the Bafaws. The paramount chief of the Bafaws Senator Nfon V.E. Mukete sees the land in question as Bafaw land, reason for which the two parties had to go to the SDO’s office in the first place.

In an earlier chat with both the Chairman of the Mokonje Traditional Council, Otto Alexander and the Paramount Chief of the Balungs with Palace at Mokonje, HRH Chief Doctor Ebanja Samuel, this reporter was told that there was absolutely no room for a land dispute problem between them because there is no boundary between the two.