The Guardian Post Newspaper

Head Office Yaounde-Cameroon Tel:(237) 22 14 64 69, email: guardianpnp@yahoo.com / guardianpostnews@gmail.com,
Publisher/Editor: Ngah Christian Mbipgo
Tel: (237) 75 50 52 47/79 55 50 42/ 94 86 74 96

Friday, March 22, 2013

Down score: Edokat promotes tribalism in UBa


When Edward Edocat Tafah was appointed pioneer vice chancellor (VC) of the University of Bamenda (UBa), many thought he was the right person to impartially pilot the affairs of the much-awaited citadel of learning. Far from it. No sooner did he come than he began fuelling the flames of ethnicity.
The presidential decree that created UBa in 2010 was clear on the fact that the seat of the university would be in Bambili, Tubah sub-division. However, being an avid promoter of tribalism, Edward Edocat wants the chancellery of the university as well as the chancellor’s residence to be constructed in Bamendankwe.
Besides, the elite of Bambili accuse the VC of openly and persistently manifesting hatred for the Tubah people and even their fons ever since he was appointed. They cite as example his rejection of the fons’ proposal to give him an official reception in honour of his appointment. Although the VC told the Tubah fons that he had a very congested program, he was on hand to be received some days later by fons of his Momo division origin who gave him a traditional title.
Edward Edocat Tafah is also blamed for recruiting mostly people from his Oshie village in Momo division as support staff of UBa.
All of which actuated placards-carrying Bambili villagers to rise up like one man and block the entrance into the UBa campus on Monday, January 21, 2013 for more than three hours, forcing the VC to trek for several kilometres to get to his office. On their placards could be read messeges such as “Edocat must go!”, “Edocat is acting against Biya’s directives”, “Edocat is promoting tribalism in Bambili!”, etc.
This is quite unfortunate for an intellectual of Edocat’s standing who should rather build love peace and unity around the university. The VC’s tribalism instincts undoubtedly reveal him as a perfect example of what a vice chancellor should not be. For this reason, we score him very low, in the joyful hope that he will change his attitude in the days ahead. 1/10.   

Gov’t intensifies crackdown on MRC militants


By   Chinje Hopeson in Yaounde
The Yaounde authorities have intensified their crackdown on the militants of the fast- growing opposition party, the Cameroon Renaissance Movement; better known by its French acronym the MRC. Not only militants of the party are being victimized, harassed, intimidated, arrested and tortured. Even the MRC national chairman, Maurice Kamto, who resigned from government in 2011 and created his own political party, is facing more or the same victimization.
Sotsinkou Jean-Marie seriously brutalised
 Just recently, Kamto was summoned by the delegate general for national security, Martin Mbarga Nguele and questioned for hours on comments he made about the September 30, 2013 polls. The move, political observers said, was intended to intimidate the MRC national chairman so he could remain silent on the injustices, intimidation, arrest and torture of his militants and sympathizers.
It should be mentioned that ever since Kamto created the MRC, scores of his mass followers have suffered victimization of various kinds. Take the case of the MRC die-hard militant called Sotsinkou Jean-Marie who militates in the Mimboman branch in Yaounde. The influential business man who joined the MRC in February 2013 also owns a printing press.
Ever since Sotsinkou joined the MRC, government institutions and top ruling party officials have not only stopped giving him printing jobs but are suspected to be behind the many anonymous death threats he has been receiving. Sotsinkou is viewed by CPDM partisans as being one of the key promoters of the MRC because as they say, he is using his printing press to print MRC literature for free.
Sotsinkou might have pushed his die-hard militancy for the opposition party so far when during activities marking this year’s 20th May celebrations in Yaounde, he led an intimidating MRC march-past in front of President Paul Biya and members of the diplomatic mission in Yaounde.
It came therefore as no surprise that unidentified men visited his home on the night of August 25 breaking 26, 2013 and seriously assaulted him, his wife and two children. The men who said they did not come to steal promised they would be coming back to inflict more injuries on Sotsinkou’s family if he continued to militate in the MRC.
Meanwhile Sotsinkou and wife who sustained injuries as a result of the attack were rushed to the hospital. While still on treatment, Sotsinkou was hinted that an arrest warrant had been issued for him on grounds that he had destroyed a CPDM banner. Sensing danger, the man has reportedly gone underground to avoid the wrath of President Biya’s repressive forces.
It should be mentioned that scores of MRC militants were after the September 30, 2013 twin polls arrested and are currently awaiting trial in prisons in Douala, Yaounde and Bafoussam. Sotsinkou’s family members who spoke to The Guardian Post on condition of anonymity because they fear for their dear lives said they very much fear for his safety if eventually, he is arrested.
 For his part, the MRC national chairman, Maurice Kamto who has already announced his intention to run for the next presidential election has issued a warning to the Yaounde authorities to stop victimizing his militants and sympathizers.

Ritual killings in Y’de linked to tussle for ministerial posts


By Douglas A. Achingale in Yaounde
News of an imminent government reshuffle has been making the rounds in the nation’s capital for quite some time now. This has not left many prospective appointees and sitting ministers indifferent as they have reportedly been machinating in the dark to either join the fold or maintain their positions. The recent ritual killings in Yaounde are said to be directly connected to their evil machinations.
Up to 12 young girls (even though official statistics put the number at seven) have been murdered in cold blood in the Yaounde Mimboman neighbourhood and their genital organs and other vital parts of their bodies chopped off and taken away. It is an open secret that such organs of the human body are used by practitioners of occultism to fortify their clients mystically.
The Guardian Post has been reliably informed that the perpetrators of the heinous crime are influential personalities and regime barons who send their agents to the field. The agents include marabouts, miscreants and unscrupulous security officials who earn colossal sums of money for their lethal acts.
To prove that the crime was committed with the blessing of senior state personalities, our sources said the killings had to go on for several weeks uninterrupted and government claimed to raise an eyebrow only after many victims had been recorded. “Where were government officials when the first and the second and the third girls were killed?” an informant questioned. “Many of them knew what was happening, that is why they stayed mute,” he said.
The arrest of seven (or is it 20?) persons in connection to the killings as revealed by communication minister and government spokesman, Issa Tchiroma, during a press briefing on January 23, 2013, is reported to be an attempt by the powers that be to blindfold the public. “They know those who are behind this hideous crime; in fact, many of them are involved but cannot own up for obvious reasons,” our informant, who fell short of calling names, insisted.
The mystical battles going on amongst aspiring and sitting ministers are very fierce, our informant further disclosed. The combatants are said to undergo serious spiritual injuries in the process. “If you see a director frowning in the morning for no apparent reason, or if you greet a minister and they do not reply, know that they are suffering or recovering from an injury sustained in a spiritual combat The different cases of malaise that you hear them suffer from time to time are not always natural. They are sometimes the outcome of spiritual blows and punches,” our informant concluded.

I did not insult Bakossi people - Mayor Rose Ngassa, Tombel council


Against my usually quiet attitude towards press reports I wish, albeit reluctantly, to react to a front page story in The Detective newspaper, Vol. 20, No.7, of March 8-26, 2013 in which I am maliciously alleged to have insulted the Bakossi people; as per the title “Wena Bakossi people be langa people, I be buy wena, I go buy wena again -towards the new mayor in Tombel”
In the same article, the author insinuates that my achievements at the helm of the Tombel council are pretty small and unacceptable for the Tombel people to hand me another mayoral mandate. Other virulent attacks on me by the Detective Newspaper and its publisher, Ndengu Francis, include my having usurped an indigene’s mayoral position, my conniving with the supervisory Authority, the SDO for Kupe-Muanenguba to rob the indigenes of their reserve, as well as his wish to see TACUDA designate potential mayors from a winning CPDM list in the wake of what he believes is “ an intrusion into an entirely Bakossi affair by a non native. “ The poor state of the Tombel - Loum and Tombel -Nyasoso roads also featured in Ndengu’s list of my unaccomplished projects which should constitute, without further thought, the basis of my leaving the Tombel mayorship.
 But for want of space and time, I would have gladly addressed Senior Journalist Ndengu’s personal worries as evident in his write up, on this page. Permit me in the next few lines dwell on the publisher’s very aching, inciting and divisive remark falsely attributed to my person and reportedly, spat out as comment, according to the report, by Barrister Mpacko Jacob Njume, presented in the story as one of the mayoral contender. That I said, in  an open council session, in my early days in office and in the presence of an SDO of Bakossi origin, Eboue Njoume and I quote, “Wena Bakossi Be Langa People, I Be Buy Wena, I go Buy Wena again, Towards the next Mayor of Tombel,” on the front page and page five of his last publication.

Disclaimer
Owing to the falsehood and fabricated lies spread around by the egocentric and slanderous journalism embodied by Mr. Ndengu Francis Epie and his Detective Tabloid, I, Rose Ngassa, mayor of the Tombel council and daughter of Tombel, do hereby disclaim as blackmail the statement of insult in the aforementioned newspaper. I, at the same time disassociate myself from such provocative pronouncements whose aim is to wreck havoc in a peaceful municipality like ours.
 I could not have rained insults on a people that have given me their “all” from birth, including, love, confidence, trust and parental care. I could not have insulted the Bakossi people, let alone, called them “Langa People” when my lineage and I enjoy the incessant benevolence and hospitality of our brothers and sisters of this tribe. I could not have paid the Bakossi man back with such venom when I know they came calling at my Douala base for me, their sister, to come and lend them my little support too, to weed out thorns and plant vegetables to develop our municipality, and consequently voting me massively thereafter. It could never have happened in an open Tombel council session with 35 firebrand councillors present who would have reacted violently to such.  No one can doubt the calibre of councillors we have in Tombel who will not take such insults lying down.
Perhaps, The Detective’s founder, a son of Nyasoso, should tender an apology to the Bakossi people he and his hirers are indirectly putting to ridicule for, I don’t have what it takes to buy over a determined and politically focused Bakossi people. I also lack the lies telling courage to voice such blatant lies anywhere else, let alone, in an open council session presided over by an SDO of Bakossi origin.
I strongly hold that, Learned Barrister Mpacko Jacob, quoted by Ndengu Francis Epie in his story, cannot for the sake of truth say this! If he did, then, it’s most regrettable because, Barrister Mpacko is one of those councillors the people in Tombel hold in high esteem and count on for the truth. In that respect and for the sake of same truth, I expect him to disassociate himself from this scam the Detective Newspaper and its publisher are pitifully dragging him into. My fervent wish is to read a disclaimer from him as well.
Ndengu did well to line up names of my possible successors at the helm of the Tombel council in the same write up, which ties with our democratic process.  But for him to wrap them up in  a blanket of blackmail, sabotage and character assassination against me even when elections are still to be announced, is to say the least,  too primitive and immature. Of course, elections are around the corner, we all look forward to our mature electorates of Tombel to appreciate each and every one of us through their votes based on our legacies and what we have in store for Tombel. Wanton mudslinging will not do the trick.
  As for the Tombel – Nyasoso and Tombel-Loum roads he accuses me of having abandoned, I presume Ndengu should know as much that, these are highways maintained by the state of Cameroon. One needs the express authorization of the minister of public works via the Governor, which may never come, to work on them. You see why we can’t get up one day and push our caterpillars out there to grade these roads.
Paradoxically, Mr. Editor, you are of the opinion that I should be given marching orders out of Tombel council due to my unacceptable performances, the same performances your newspaper Vol. 20, No. 6 of December 27, 2012 to January 8, 2013 hailed and displayed on her first and inner pages. What journalism! Though, I don’t seem to know much about journalism, I perceive this as a professional blunder from someone the young generation of pressmen should look up to for responsible journalism and the respect of its ethics.  Not surprising at all, you revisited the issue of the purchase of a Council Caterpillar, since sanctioned in a session. This, to whip up unnecessary sentiments and create uproar where there should be none. You are aware we are in need of a competent driver to handle the heavy duty machine not to be entrusted into the hands of misfits. As for the allusion to the purchase being done in shady circumstances, auditors can better do that job not you, sir. 
 While I hold Journalists in extremely high regard because of the very vital role they play in shaping our society, I cannot at the same time hesitate to condemn, without ruling out possibility of taking legal action against one whose pen power is to denigrate his own people under the guise of tribal sentiments. This is patent proof of journalism being dragged into mud. That freedom of expression has come to stay in Cameroon does not give journalists in the likes of the publisher of The Detective the latitude to use their organs to promote tribalism, selfishly try to incite a people against their daughter, unanimously called and elected to run their  council affairs.
It should be out of sheer primitive tendencies for a Journalist of your standing to be fanning tribal conflicts in a subdivision with a cosmopolitan configuration, imbued with peaceful coexistence of several tribes as the Cameroon laws advocate. Of course, we can agree that,  of the several Mayors in Douala, Yaounde, and other parts of our country, many are not indigenes yet, they all look up to the development of their respective municipalities. That should be the goal of Tombel people at this point not what tribe should not be voted as mayor.
Needless reminding Mr. Ndengu Francis of the legal consequences of propagating such reputation damaging news, intended to create a rift between the devoted, focused and the committed Bakossi brothers and sisters of Tombel municipality and Kupe-Muanenguba as a whole, against my humble self, their daughter.
Although the main thrust of his story is to breach the very cordial and fraternal relation with a people I have entertained a free flow of socio-cultural, political and above all, family ties for scores of years, may I tell him loud and clear that, the Tombel population is too knowledgeable to be taken in by his misleading, divisive and fallacious writings.

Conclusion
Although Ndengu shallowly preaches illusionary unity in Tombel with vain claims that he and his hirers, if any be, are not antagonizing those he calls, “strangers” in the closing paragraphs of his demonic epistle, shrewdly denying making mayors in Tombel too, it is very clear that, this story like many other personal opinions expressed in The Detective Newspaper are aimed at putting me at loggerheads with the devoted, collaborative and committed Bakossi brothers and sister who have stood by me all along.
Ndengu should feel free and side with whosoever he wants. That is politics, but he should not use me as bait.  I can assure him that, I won’t take this last outburst lying down. He should be bracing up to tell the courts more on this soon.   Or, if Ndengu and Co. are sensing electoral defeat already, the best thing to do is to further reinforce or back out honourably.
Be it what, we are all sons and daughters of Tombel and we owe that subdivision a duty to bring it out of its present state of underdevelopment, each person in his or her little sphere, no matter the tribal barriers we try to erect. I don’t have any other place I call home, Tombel remains that. So, I owe this town much. Your likes should not disrupt the vision I have for Tombel.
On a last note, Rose Ngassa as mayor of Tombel, holds strongly to her achievements in the last five years, maybe reasonable enough to challenge previous records in the same council. But, this to me falls below the dream I have for Tombel municipality. That’s why I remain the lone mayor who has shunned her social amenities like electricity and water bill allowances, ploughing them back into municipality development programmes. This is what other mayors sign out first, even in the wake of financial crisis.  Tombel people share a common vision with me, an emerging, prosperous and united Tombel in the next few years. If you have Tombel at heart, then you should join hands to achieve more together.  As for the other baseless attacks on me, the SDO for Kupe-Muanenguba, they are irrelevant and inconsequential.
 Lastly, I entreat The Detective to publish this rejoinder on its front page and inner pages in its next edition as per the law.
My sincere regards,
Rose Ngassa, Tombel council, mayor