The installation of Nguelemedouga as sub district officer of Nyanon

The ethnic mixture of Nyanon was synonymous to a gift to the electoral fraud strategists of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and also the ruling CPDM party and disaster to the opposition. Cappolytree was now sure to be gratified with a parliamentary seat by the government for supporting her during the 1992 presidential elections. Cappolytree will get the vital Eton votes in Nyanon during the 1997 municipal/legislative elections. And member of the electoral fraud think tank of the ruling party and those of the ministry of territorial administration were convinced. His victory which was certain even before the elections were called, will assure the ruling party at least a member of parliament from the Sanaga maritime division that most thought that, in spite the perfections in electoral frauds, envisaged and put in place by the ruling party and the ministry of territorial administration, the division was lost. While waiting for the electoral body to be called to the polls, the installation date of Nguelemedouga, the pioneer sub district officer of Nyanon was set. And on that day and date, a convoy of Japanese made air conditioned four wheel drives, carrying the divisional officer and other top local ruling party dignitaries as well as those from Yaoundé drove from Edea, divisional capital of the Sanaga maritime to Nyanon, headquarters of the newly created sub district that also bore the same name.

The delegation was accompanied by team of journalists from Douala, seat of the provincial service of the state owned Cameroon Radio Television Corporation (CRTV). According to records of such a motorcade kept by the oldest man in Nyanon called Bakot, the last time a similar motorcade drove into Nyanon was in 1958. That year, the motorcade was not civilian, but a military conveyor of French Forces in search of Ruben Um Nyobe, the leader of the Union of the Population of Cameroon, who was thought to be hiding in the area. The installation ceremony of Nguelemedouga as pioneer sub district officer of Nyanon took place on a hilly part of the town but was snubbed by the population. The only natives who turn up were a group of nationalist Bassa youths, who came to show their displeasure at the government’s continuous plans of partitioning Bassaland. They carried placards on which they wrote: we want the reunification of all Bassalands, while others wrote: we want the creation of a province that will be called: luminous province. It will be a province that will include the Nkam, Nyong and Kelle, parts of the Wouri divisions and parts of the South province, where there exist indigenous Bassas. The demonstrators also promised to drive away the Etons nationals or tribes from Nyanon.

elie-smithsstory: State grants, one of the causes of divorce amongst African immigrants(part 30)

elie-smithsstory: State grants, one of the causes of divorce amongst African immigrants(part 30)

The reasons why Nyanon sub district located in the Sanaga maritime division was created

In Nyanon, where Nguelemedouga was transferred to, because he supported the planned installation of Islamic rule in Couseri and Makari, the speaker of National assembly Honourable Abdulkadir was very happy. For he knew that, however brilliant Nguelemedouga was, Nyanon was where his career will be destroyed. All top government dignitaries in Yaoundé knew that, Bassaland in general was not an easy place to work in, but Nyanon was a largely difficult and slippery terrain to work in. Nyanon was a new sub district created by the government to help one of her Bassa sympathiser, who had spent lots of monies during the previous presidential elections, in order to permit the ruling Cameroon’s People Democratic Movement (CPDM) to win in the Sanaga Maritime division against one of the two candidates of the Union of the Population of Cameroon (UPC). The UPC was one of the many opposition parties of Cameroon. Nyanon’s creation was a kind of pay back time from an unpopular government who wanted one of his supporters to get a parliamentary seat.

The central committee of the ruling party had tried in vein to impose Cappolytree in other constituencies of the Sanaga Maritime division, but met resistance and threats that, if he was imposed, the constituency will vote for either one of the two factions of the UPC or for candidate of the nightmare of the ruling party, the opposition Social Democratic Front (SDF). Hence they resolved to elevate Nyanon, a village within the Ndom sub division into a sub district and also an electoral constituency. Nyanon was ideally situated on the map of the Sanaga maritime division. For it share a boundary with the centre province, precisely the Lekie division, which was populated by Eton nationals or natives. The Etons belong to the greater Beti Nation. This meant that, Nyanon was a majority Bassa district, but it had her own minority Betis population, who would vote during the parliamentary elections and will certainly overturn any tendency of the electorate to vote for the opposition.

elie-smithsstory: French strategy to divide & rule plus their fantasies about Africa(part 29)

elie-smithsstory: French strategy to divide & rule plus their fantasies about Africa(part 29)

The North West province of Cameroon: a province with her own codes of operation

The North West province of Cameroon, even though she is majority Christian of Protestant or Roman Catholic faiths, she has a minority Islamic population and a mild brand sharia law is applied via her Islamic courts. But, there are almost no inter religious confrontations. The only recurrent confrontations in the province are that of the farmers versus grazers. And the sources or causes are the ever reducing vegetations, whereas the population of livestock and people are growing. But, to add to the complexity of the province and her people, even though they are highly Westernised, Christianised and some Islamised, they have not abandoned their traditional beliefs. Above and beyond all the codes that civil servants needs to master before embarking into the province in order to work without any polemics, the North West province could easily be one of the best province for any civil servant in Cameroon to dream to work in.

But since most civil servants sent there are most often French-speaking Cameroonians, who are not very religious and who also snub their own traditional values and thus show little respect for the conservative way of life of the people of the province, confrontations always occur. The most hazardous thing for a civil servant in the province to do is to snub her Royals, Churches, Temples or Mosques. Any civil servant who doesn’t belief in God can work in the province, but if he/she tries to bring any libertine ideology or wants to destroy traditional values, he/she will meet the resistance of the people. However, civil servants posted to the North West and who have taken time to study the people and respect their own set out rules, do succeed and is also a benchmark and an assurance for promotion in Yaoundé. But if he/she fails in the North West, it might chime the toll bell of the end of his career promotion within the civil service.

elie-smithsstory: Africa : almost always poorly presented in France(part 27),

elie-smithsstory: Africa : almost always poorly presented in France(part 27),

The reasons why top French-speaking Cameroonian civil servants have problems in anglophone cameroon: the case of the North west province

But in the North West province like in the entire English-speaking region of Cameroon, individuals know their rights , how to preserve their rights and don’t entertain government officials who want to intrude into their private lives or want to curtail their freedoms and cultural identities. Another reason is that, the people of the North West province like the overwhelming majority of English-speaking Cameroonians do consider French-speaking Cameroonians, as dubious colonialists who are and were not able to respect the most elementary tenets of the unification agreement of October 1^st 1961. Hence there is constant friction with all top civil servants posted to the region, especially if he is not English-speaking and wants to impose laws without consulting the people. In the North West province, families become famous for their royal national/tribal links, the number of children who have been educated to PhD level and also the number of politicians they have produced. But the second seem to be the trend of the past, for these days, families become famous for the numbers of children killed during demonstrations by trigger happy Government Forces. It is a pride that some of their politicians and elites who are actors on both sides of the political and governmental/opposition platforms, use to give a messianic or doomsday touch to their political speeches and approach to events.

In order for any top civil servant posted to the North West province, in particular those of French-speaking Cameroonian ancestry, to succeed to win the hearts of the people of the province, he/she must first show that, he/she is a traditionalist, who gives respect to the local chiefs or Fon or Lamido. Traditional authorities in the North West province wield strong influence and commands more respect than the central government. Hence, any sign that; a top civil servant posted to province won’t or don’t want to respect traditional institutionalised rites, sparks confrontation immediately and even rumours that, the newly posted civil servants had disdain for traditional authorities in his previous post, could ignite a deluge of petition writing, that will certainly force the central government to appoint a new civil servant. Another stratagem to win the hearts of the people of the province by any top civil servant, who are either a Governor or Divisional or sub divisional officer, is upon taking his/her functions, he/she must make sure he attends regularly the various Christian religious meetings held in different parts of the province. And to coin it all, if the civil servant posted is Anglican, Roman Catholic, Protestant or Presbyterian, it will be highly appreciated even though it is not necessary. The North West province of Cameroon, even though she is majority Christian of Protestant or Roman Catholic faiths, it has a minority Islamic population and a mild brand sharia law is applied via Islamic courts but, there are almost no inter religious confrontations.

elie-smithsstory: My late grand mother advised my mother to get married to my father(part 26)

elie-smithsstory: My late grand mother advised my mother to get married to my father(part 26)

North West province: the other professional petition writing land of Cameroon

The only other region of Cameroon where top civil servants don’t like to be posted to is the North West province. The North West is one of the two English-speaking provinces of Cameroon, which makes up the Anglophone region of the country. The North West province is part of the grass land regions of Cameroon. But what differentiate the North West province with the Bassa regions, are not only the facts that, the first are English-speaking, while the second are in majority French-speaking. Their difference is also cultural. The people of the North West like their French-speaking “brothers” of the French-speaking Grass field province of the West are attached to their traditional cultures, even though highly westernised and Christianised. Furthermore, the people of the North West have a very organised and hierarchical society, wherein law and order is respected and also where, traditional chiefs known in the North West province as Fons or Lamidos (in parts with Muslim population) are considered as demigods. But In the Littoral (excluding Bassaland), Centre (excluding Bassaland) and South provinces, it is easy for civil servants to work. While in the four provinces of the Littoral, Centre, East and South provinces, civil servants do not encounter major difficulties to work, it is only within the Bassaland and for reasons already mentioned that they encounter problems.

The North West province is an atypical province, for it is difficult for civil servant to work in the entire province, especially if he/she is not from the English-speaking region or in extreme cases, not a national (native) of the province. But ordinarily, the people of the North West province are warmth, jovial and welcoming. But administratively, they are not docile, they are professional petition writers, who do not only satisfy themselves with writing petitions, they also know how to make their anger known to the authorities in largely peaceful demonstrations, that sadly, almost always ends up in bloodbath. There is a reason for the perpetual rebellious petition writing and demonstrations against civil servants who are posted to work in the North West province of Cameroon. The people of the North West province, like their real brothers of the South West province, have a fundamentally different cultural background with most administrators sent to work in their region. These administrators are almost always French-speaking Cameroonians, who know nothing but brutality and top down orders. For the have been trained according to the Napoleonic inquisitory and inhumane system of administration, as opposed to the much more humane and democratic adversarial system that English-speaking Cameroonians were raised in and are used to.

elie-smithsstory: Cameroon :Sympathy and admiration for what the UPC stood and fought for (part 25)

elie-smithsstory: Cameroon :Sympathy and admiration for what the UPC stood and fought for (part 25)

The Bassalands of Cameroon and their many chiefdoms

For in Bassaland, every stream crossed, any path walked across or swath of forest crossed, has her chief with a different tribal appellation. There are no superior chiefs in Bassaland to whom the other petty chiefs pay allegiance to. But in the Grass lands and also in the greater northern provinces of Cameroon, their society is well organised. They also have chiefs and different tribal appellation after every stream crossed, or baobab tress crossed, but they have a superior chief, who rules over or dominates lesser important chiefdoms, Fondoms or Lamidates. Furthermore, the Grass lands and Greater Northern provinces of Cameroon have strict traditional rules and rites. Those are some values that are absent in Bassaland and most of the forest and coastal regions of Cameroon. While the Grass lands and Greater Northern provinces have traditional heads called Lamidos or Fons, in Bassaland, their traditional heads are called Mbombocks. In order to claim the title of an Mbombock, the aspirant must be a direct descendant of a former Mbombock, who was able to trace his ancestry to the first Jews who migrated down south and settled in an area with a mythical rock known in the Bassa language as Ngog-lituba or the White Rock. For the Bassas in their diverse nationalities believe that they are Jews or the lost tribe of Israel.

Bassas: the ethnic Jews of Cameroon

But nowadays, it very difficult to prove that and main reason is because, the Bassa don’t have written proves and all what is claimed have been transmitted via oral history. However, the other parts of the Bassa nationality who also claim and could justify their claim to Jewish ancestry are the Bassa-Badem, for they at least have native names such as Noah, Laban, Salomon or Daniel, without being Christians. How the Badems and the Bassa-Badem did to start having names related to Jews without being Christians has remain a mystery and might be an indication that, they are truly Jews, who may have lost links with Judaism, perhaps because of the early death of their ancestors and leaders. Besides that, it is very difficult to work in Bassaland. One reason often given that makes working in Bassaland difficult is their lack of hierarchical order, in their society. The Bassaland is the exact opposite of the Grass lands or the Greater Northern provinces of Cameroon, which is well organised with chiefs who are well respected. In spite their disorganised set up, the Bassas are an independent minded people who hate orders to be given them. Hence, it is difficult for modern authority to install law or any form of order in the region.

elie-smithsstory: First arrest of my father in East Cameroon(part 24)

elie-smithsstory: First arrest of my father in East Cameroon(part 24)

Bassaland: one of the bastions of petition writings in Cameroon

Offices given to civil servants sent to Bassaland and who have been victims of petition letters, thus brought back to their bases in Yaoundé, are always poorly arranged and their desks are like those of sinners waiting to be questioned on their ways to either heaven or hell. Furthermore, during dry seasons, those offices have temperatures at par with that of the ovens of backers. Civil servants posted to Bassaland and who have lost their posts because of petition letters, start cursing the day they were posted to the region, when dry season comes. For it is the best period when their administrative punishments of sitting idle in their respective offices, ignored by their colleagues and also without electric fans or air conditioners are most felt. Another thing often referred to as the lottery of Bassaland, by all top civil servants who have worked there is that, you could either get promoted or demoted within the civil service. But the first comes only the on condition that, during your stay in the region, the combined number of petitions written against or in support of you and that reaches the ministry of Territorial administration, the Prime ministry and the presidency of the Republic doesn’t exceed 2000. Sadly, the combined figures of 2000 petitions are the monthly figures of petitions coming from Bassaland against and on rare occasions, in support of any posted civil servant to the region.

Hence, any civil servant who has worked in Bassaland, know that, his chances of being elevated from where he was before posting, are slim. What causes the binge of petition writings in Bassaland are most often trivial things. Some of them are sparked by the following: in case a divisional, sub divisional, district or sub district officer or the school principal, chief medical officer or commandant of a military post, refuses to visit a local supper star, who hold an obscure responsibility in one obscure ministry in Yaoundé or fails to salute the many traditional chiefs, who at times are competing for legitimacy amongst the people. Those are some of the reasons that might flicker the anger of one native in search or in need for gratifications, to get his pen and paper and write a long graphic report on the behaviours of posted resident civil servants. Bassaland has chiefs and chiefdoms, but unlike the grass lands and greater Northern provinces of Cameroon, traditional chiefs in Bassaland in particular and most of the forest and coastal lands of Cameroon wield very little power. Bassaland doesn’t have an organised set up, as it is the case in the Grass lands or the semi desertic greater Northern provinces of Cameroon. It may partly explain the reasons why, there are many traditional chiefs in Bassaland and it is always difficult for top state civil servants who are not nationals/natives of Bassaland to seek or know their appropriate interlocutors, without risking creating animosity or jealousy amongst those who have not been contacted.

elie-smithsstory: Name change and reasons why(part 23)

elie-smithsstory: Name change and reasons why(part 23)

The Bassas of Cameroon

Most are either Protestants or Presbyterians. Some are also Roman Catholics, while a growing number are Jehovah’s Witnesses or have joined other Evangelical Christian groups. It is claimed that, it is because Bassas are rebellious, proud and adventurous; hence they joined massively the war for the independence of French-speaking Cameroon, which began in 1958 and ended only in 1970. The Bassas paid the ultimate prize, even more than the Bamilekes, who were other nationals or natives of French-speaking Cameroon who joined the war for independence in East Cameroon, led by the Union of the Population of Cameroon (UPC). The Bamilekes were equally massively massacred by the French installed government of late Ahmadou Ahidjo, especially in the late 60s and early 70s. By some estimates, the Bamilekes lost not less than 3 hundred thousand people. But since they were better organised and also knew how to compromise, they were able stop the massacre of their population. But the Bassas stood their grounds or were motivated by attributes earlier mentioned; hence the so-called pacification of the Bassaland was a phenomenal atrocity. But there are no records or estimate of figures or the number of Bassas massacred by France and the regime of Ahmadou Ahidjo, as it is the case with the Bamilekes.

It was in a bid to break the back of the UPC led rebellion in Bassaland, French Forces using their French-speaking West African soldiers, generally referred as Senegalese or Tireraillieur Senegalais, decided to use petrol bombs on villages in Bassaland. The method of counter insurgency used in Bassaland by the French and their locally backed regime of Ahmadou Ahidjo, caused a massacre that most people even native or ethnic Bassas, don’t want to recall, for it was atrocious. And it explains why, today, in most parts of Bassaland, there are still large swath of land now transformed into forest, complete with names, but uninhabited. In spite the price that they paid under French colonial period and also under the regime of Ahmadou Ahidjo that was installed by France, Bassas have remained recalcitrant nationals/natives. Even though their population figure was depopulated during the war of independence of French East Cameroon, most Bassas have managed to be well educated and some have become top civil servants. It may partly also explain the reasons why most civil savants sent to work in Bassaland end up either promoted or are sent back to their respective ministries in Yaoundé, to occupy vacant offices, with no real responsibilities.

elie-smithsstory: In search of a true identity(part 22)

elie-smithsstory: In search of a true identity(part 22)

Nguelemedouga in Nyanon, Sanaga Maritime division, Cameroon

But Nguelemedouga was victim of a rule that gave teaches and the school administration too much power. And because; he inadvertently denied Boakov a date with perhaps the most beautiful girl ENAM has ever known, it was why Nguelemedouga, as I have already told you, found himself in Couseri, a supposed barren land that, he transformed into a place flowing with milk and honey. Nyanon the new post of Nguelemedouga was a newly created sub district located in the Sanaga maritime division of the Littoral province. This village/town was located in the heart of Sanaga Maritime division and administratively attached to the Ndom sub division, whose sub divisional headquarters was Ngambe. The Sanaga maritime division, and in particular and the Bassaland in general, was a difficult region to work in, for any civil servant: Governors, Divisional, Sub Divisional, and District and Sub district officers. Why? Simply because, the nationals or natives (tribe) of the Bassaland had an extraordinary affection for petition writings, they were almost always ready to complain for the least mistake or conducts judged humiliating or not deserving to be practised within Bassaland. Another reason was that, since Bassaland had a large number of intellectuals, who held top government functions, there was constantly a fight to mutually snip each other.

The Bassalands of Cameroon

This was to make sure that, the specific sections considered as their fiefs within the region, was operating in their favour and also that of the government or the party they were serving. The Bassaland of Cameroon is made up of the Nkam (littoral province), Nyong and Kelle (centre province), Sanaga Maritime, parts of the Wouri divisions both in the Littoral province and also parts of the Ocean division of the South province. Bassas are also found in the English-speaking provinces of the South west in particular in the Fako and Meme divisions and also in the North West province. They are different from those of French-speaking Cameroonians regions earlier mentioned, because they are English-speaking and are attached to values and cultures of English-speaking Cameroon. Bassas are generally considered in Cameroon to be rebellious and are never impressed or afraid of anything or any one. They have insatiable cravings for adventure and are revengeful and proud. Religiously, Bassas are one of the highly Christianised and Westernised nationals of both Cameroons. They are practising Christians, even though some patches of traditional beliefs and its practises do still subsist in rural parts. Most are either Protestants or Presbyterians. Some are Roman Catholics while a growing number are Jehovah’s Witnesses or have joined other Evangelical groups.

elie-smithsstory: National/ethnic classifications of the Mettas in Cameroon & Questions(part 21)

elie-smithsstory: National/ethnic classifications of the Mettas in Cameroon & Questions(part 21)

Boakov in Buea, Cameroon

Meanwhile, Boakov finally travelled with Jeanne to Buea, provincial capital of the South west and former capital of Anglophone Cameroon. They spent the weekend at the prestigious parliamentarian Flat Hotel. During their sojourn, Boakov thought that, after showing signs of a gentleman by hiring separate rooms for him and Jeanne, it will make his plans of going to bed with her sail through easily. Then during the final day of the weekend in Buea, at the Bar of the Hotel, Boakov made an open ended question which was coated with a proposition. But to his great surprise, Jeanne, while smiling, told him that, she was not willing to date him. But Boakov is not the type of man who gives up easily. He considered the game of dating girls the same ways predatory animals operates. The first attack might not work out, but it doesn’t mean that, a patient predator as he calls himself, won’t get his prey. Boakov asked Jeanne: “now that you have rejected my proposal, may I ask you this question: who are currently dating?” Jeanne responded: “I am dating Nguelemedouga”. “Do mean little Lenin?” Boakov despairingly asked. “Yes!” Jeanne responded. In reality, Jeanne was not dating Nguelemedouga. And more, Nguelemedouga who was only planning to date Jeanne and never knew that she was also his secret lover, who only waiting for Nguelemedouga to make the advances.

Boakov was very angry and felt humiliated that, a little boy who was above all his student and also younger than his son, was preventing him from dating a girl that he loves. He made his resolve as he and other have already done, to punish Nguelemedouga. How? That is what I am about to tell you and it seems I had already started. The Ecole Normale Superieur de D’Administration et de la Magistrature (ENAM) is as I have earlier explained to you, the school that prepares French-speaking Cameroonian to post positions with the civil service and since the unification of October 1^st 1961, English-speaking Cameroonians who must have to study in French in the school, must through if they do equally desire top government jobs. The most brilliant students at the end of studies at ENAM are posted to strategic posts in strategic towns or cities, while the average students are posted to less important functions. But the administration of ENAM may decide to post the worst students to strategic posts and the brilliant ones to less strategic functions. Such change of rules happens when the average or academically poor students are children of powerful government officials while the brilliant students are children of people with little or no political or financial powers.

But Nguelemedouga was victim of a rule that gave teaches and the school administration too much power. And because; he inadvertently denied Boakov a date with perhaps the most beautiful girl ENAM has ever known, it was why Nguelemedouga, as I have already told you, found himself in Couseri a supposed barren land that, he transformed into a place flowing with milk and honey.

elie-smithsstory: Trajectory (part 20)

elie-smithsstory: Trajectory (part 20)

The transfer of Nguelemedouga from Couseri to Nyanon in the Sanaga maritime division of Cameroon

Immediately Roger Abono dropped his phone. Lawson took up his and rang Abdulkadir, but he instead got Yesman Feh and Yesman indicated to Abdulkadir that he had a phone call from the prime minister. Abdulkadir who is from the northern Cameroon which is French-speaking is strangely more fluent in English than French as most elites of the North of Cameroon are. And because he was more fluent in English than in French, some politicians of the ruling party which he is also member have accused or suspected Abudulkadir of being a Nigerian who have benefited from the porous borders of the north and strange family web to claim Cameroonian nationality. But the ruling party could not afford to ask for an investigation because such risk ruining their prospects of electoral victory in the Far North. Lawson and Abdulkadir had to first change civilities before Abdulkadir could ask Lawson: “what can I do for you Sir?” “Nothing really”, replied the prime minister. But the prime minister quickly added: “I just called to inform you that, we want to change the sub district officer of Couseri.” And Abdulkadir replied: “what can I do about that Sir?” Lawson answered: “well, I thought you had a name to propose, hence I had first to inform you”.

Abdulkadir laughed and said: “my brother, No! I do not have any name to propose. I am only too happy because, Nguelemedouga like many others before him, sent to our regions are thorns to our political flesh. You can’t imagine what that idiot who is now called Ali has done”. And Lawson asked Abdulkadir: “so you knew that, Nguelemedouga had agreed with religious dignitaries of the sub district and adjacent towns to introduce Sharia law and you could not even inform me?” Abdulkadir replied: “No! Sir, you are just delivering me breaking news and if what you have just told me is correct, you can please order for the transfer of Nguelemedouga to the Nyong and Kelle division or to the Sanaga Maritime division. There he will learn how to behave and it might also chime the bell of the end of his career, alright!” Lawson responded and bade Abdulkadir good bye and dropped his phone and picked up a different one and rang the minister of territorial administration Mr Jibril. Mr Lawson informed him that, Nguelemedouga should be removed from the post of sub district officer of Couseri. And that was how during the during the 1PM French language radio newscast of CRTV Radio, Nguelemedouga aka Ali Lenin was transferred from Couseri to Nyanon, a newly created sub district situated in the Sanaga Maritime division of the littoral province. Nyanon was the heart of Bassaland and Bassa activisms.

elie-smithsstory: Royal West African Frontier Force(part 19)

elie-smithsstory: Royal West African Frontier Force(part 19)

Conversation amongst government ministers after the September 11th attacks in Cameroon

“Why?” Nyolo asked. And Nyolo continued: “those people simply want to serve all mighty Allah honestly”. “Have you also now become a Muslim?” Roger responded to Nyolo’s expensive joke and dropped his phone. Abono immediately rang Mr Juan Pedro Lawson, who was the prime minister. Juan Pedro Lawson was not only an Anglophone; he was also a practising Protestant Christian. When he lifted his phone, he discovered that, the speaker on the line was Roger Abono, the secretary general at the presidency of the republic. Mr Pedro first thought, since elections were looming, perhaps the secretary general who in Cameroon operate like the vice president and mouth piece of the president, wanted to inform him that, he has been sacked. But to his greatest surprise, he heard an almost crying Abono on the line and who was pleading: “Pedro, Pedro, please, try and do something, Makari and Couseri are now sharia zones”. And he continued: “Nguelemedouga has gone mad. You also know that, elections are around the corner” the Prime minister was overwhelmed by the declaration and appeals which followed. But he asked Roger Abono: “what is really wrong Sir?” And Abono responded: “don’t you know what sharia is all about? Makari and Couseri have been declared Sharia zones and like an octopus it will spread her tentacles throughout the three Northern provinces”. Mr Lawson paused and said: “Oh now, I can understand your anguish. But you know that, I must first inform the Speaker of National assembly Honourable Abdulkadir”.

And the prime minister went thus: “After which, I will ask the Minister of Territorial administration Mr Aminu Jibril, to remove Nguelemedouga instantly from the post of sub district officer of Couseri and seek for his replacement with some one susceptible of bring law and order in both affected towns”. The prime minister went ahead: you see, Roger, I will have to get all this steps through, which might be long , but that is how the administration operates and also because, since I am an Anglophone, I don’t want that, when things go wrong somewhere, Anglophones should be considered whipping boys. Furthermore, as you know, elections are around, perhaps Honourable Abdulkadir likes what is going on in his province, region and electoral constituency. Roger listened to the speech of the prime minister which was becoming too long and was glad when his boss ended. Then he told Mr Lawson: “alright, if you are not going to act, here at the presidency of the republic, we are going to do something and fast”. Calm down, Lawson retorted to Roger. And Roger replied: “I am calm; I just wanted to inform you, because normally, I would have acted without informing you or even the president of the Republic. However, I choose to contact you because, I don’t like the way things do operate in this country, as far as your post and responsibilities are concern. I also decided to call and inform you because; you are my direct boss in the absence of the president of the republic. But you do not want to act, so thank you, and have a nice day”.

elie-smithsstory: Contributions of none native black Africans to African nations(part 17)

elie-smithsstory: Contributions of none native black Africans to African nations(part 17)

How senior staff uses dire situations for career advancement in Cameroon

One staff of the monitoring intelligence service, by name Mbomka said: “I had always suspected that, Mr Mbong, even though a seemingly practising Christian did not love this regime”. He continued: “If not, can any one tell me, why he did not react to the news that has happened in Makari?” Then another one called Kenny asked: “what region is Mr Mbong from?” A third by name Manny responded: “May be he is an Anglophone”. And a fourth called Lusala said: “well, if he is an Anglophone, then we have an enemy within”. Mbomka came on again: “look, if Mbong thinks that, those Muslims will help Anglophones have their own Republic, then, he is deceiving himself”. And a fifth by name Nkonseka replied: “Mbong may be an Anglophone or a francophone or a Christian. But what you all fail to understand is that, he is a politician and none of them are loyal to Cameroon or Biya. I am here to look for bread and butter for myself and my family. I don’t care about details”. Mbomka, Manny and Lusala, all replied in unison: “Hey, he has just made his coming out, so, you are equally not patriotic”? Nkonseka retorted: “if you people think that, I will be intimidated, you have failed.” And he went on: “Look! I am not patriotic and if your own benchmark of patriotism is to support this government or pretend to support her, I can now expose you all and you will discover that, when you use your finger to point at any one, three fingers of your own hands are pointing at yourself”.

Whether Nkonseka’s reaction was a threat or not, it bore an immediate positive result, for fear gripped his colleagues who feared that, Nkonseka might truly expose them. Lusala said: “let us forget about our futile arguments, and let not Mbong’s action destroy us. We have been working together for too long and we now a family and our mutual brother’s keepers”. As the staff of the monitoring service were walking toward their office and arguing, Mr Mbong stood up after his prayers and rang Reka Nyolo, who was secretary general at the presidency of the Republic and when Nyolo lifted his phone, Mbong broke the news to him. The secretary general at the presidency was very happy, for he knew that, the regime had something to capitalise on and which will be used as an offer to the US government in exchanged for their support to the government of Paul Biya. But while Mr Nyolo was happy and he rang his own boss to break the news, his joy was dampened by the reaction of his boss whose name was Roger Abono. Mr Abono told him: “the news you have just given me is another blow to this government.”

elie-smithsstory: My ancestry: paternal (part 16)

elie-smithsstory: My ancestry: paternal (part 16)

Senior staff uses a dire situation for the career advancement

But Nyolo replied: “look, no body will accept that. On the contrary, it will make the world to understand what they have been rooting for and it might give them a boost that, they have personally denied themselves for close to 15 years now. Look here! Your idea, however brilliant it seems, has been rejected and please allow the SCNC to keep on shooting their own legs and you and your colleagues should fetch me something else the president could present to the US government. It is the survival of this regime that is now at stake”. Bella Mbong and Nyolo knew that, this was the opportune time to show their utility to the president of the republic; hence he went back into his office and met his colleagues who were monitoring international and world news. And they decided to tune to the 4 PM Hausa News on Voice of Nigeria (VON) and they were shocked to hear the newscaster announced that: Muslim dignitaries in the town of Makari in Northern Cameroon have after a meeting with the state representative of the locality, agreed to install Islamic rule in the town and in another town called Couseri.

The government’s news monitors took the recorded tape immediately to the desk of their service head that was no other person than Mr Bella Mbong and asked him to listen to the news reported by Voice of Nigeria. Mr Mbong listened to the tape quietly and to the consternation of the staff of monitoring service of the presidency of the Republic, their service head showed no signs of particular excitement or nervousness. Bong told them: “thank you for a job well done”. And he asked them to leave his office with an equanimity that shocked his subordinates. And as they left, Mbong closed his doors and went down on his knees and prayed to God. He said: “father God, thank you very much for this golden opportunity that, you have offered me to use and win a promotion in my career. I know you are a God who makes impossibilities because possible and thank you for giving the Muslims of the north of Cameroon, the courage to frighten this wicked and corrupt government that, I am working for”. “In the name of your son Jesus Christ, I hope that, the news from the Hausa service of Voice of Nigeria is correct. If it is not, we are going to make it look correct through your son Jesus Christ, Amen!” While he was praying, his subordinates who had left his office were walking and discussing the reaction of their service head on the flights of stairs leading to their office situated on their third floor underground the office of the presidency of the Republic.

elie-smithsstory: Variance in some languages spoken in the Cameroons & reasons why (part 15)

elie-smithsstory: Variance in some languages spoken in the Cameroons & reasons why (part 15)

How African governments benefited from the September 11th 2001: the case of Cameroon

While Paul Biya and his government officials wanted to reap benefits from the Twin Tower attacks of September 11^th 2001, they never knew how to position themselves or what to offer or appear indispensable in the eyes of the US administration. For since the cold war ended in 1989, with the Western world led by the United States, defeating the Communist USSR and their East and central European satellites, most African governments were no longer of interest to Westerners. This meant that, some countries and their governments such as Cameroon were no more receiving huge financial help, which the ruling class transferred immediately into their private bank accounts in the Caribbean, UK, France and Switzerland. The only African countries that attracted interest were South Africa, Nigeria, Algeria, Nigeria and Egypt. These countries attracted interest because of their vast minerals, Oil and Gas potentials and also because they were the largest African economies and natural regional leaders. In short, they were of geo-strategic importance. But there also existed other African countries that, in spite their inferior mineral and industrial or regional potentials, were still of importance to Western countries and the US in particular. These African countries were some on continental East Africa and also some maritime African Indian Ocean Island countries such as: Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, and Seychelles.

As for the Reunion and Mayote Islands, even though they are African countries or Island countries, they are controlled by France that is an ally of the United States. But on the East African main land, countries such as: Djibouti, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia were and are still of strategic importance to the US and her allies, especially in the fight against Islamic terrorism. But Cameroon offered little in term of strategic importance to the US administration, especially that, she was isolated diplomatically even within the minuscule regional body called CEMAC. In Yaoundé, Biya was aware of the handicaps of his country; hence he and his advisers were working hard, but they could not truly see an appropriate bait to offer to the US administration, in order to show them that, they were also vulnerable to Islamic attacks and at such, shared the same pains and fears of the US government. One of Biya’s brilliant minister by name Reka Nyolo ordered members of the presidential team who monitors world and national news on Radio, Television and also on the World Wide Web, to open their eyes and ear wide, in order to get something in the national or world news, that, they could capitalise on. Immediately, one monitor by name Bella Mbong brought some briefings about the Anglophone nationalist movement, the Southern Cameroon’s National Council (SCNC) and he said to Mr Nyolo: “we could present the SCNC as a terrorist group”.

elie-smithsstory: My ancestry: maternal (part 14)

elie-smithsstory: My ancestry: maternal (part 14)

How the news of the Twin towers attacks was received in Couseri, Cameroon (part 3)

And since the Imam had put on the loud speaker of his phone, in order to permit the other Islamic court judges who had come to visit him to listen to the conversation that, he was having with the sub district officer, the responses and the last question of the representative of the government in Couseri made the Islamic court judges in the living room of Imam Mustapha to go numb. Embarrassed, the Imam responded: “Look, Ali, something will be done to your case and exceptionally on that, of Fatima. But you also have to bear in mind that, if Fatima is not punished by one way other the other, we won’t be able to compete in terms of adherence to the precepts of the holy Koran, as our brothers in Northern Nigeria are now doing and not to be mentioned our brothers in Afghanistan, that, I do hold in great esteem”. Imam Mustapha continued: “Look at Zamfara state in Nigeria, there, almighty Allah is helping his honest and humble servant Governor Ahmed Yerima to establish law and order plus moral values”. The alternative, the Imam added: “concerning your preoccupations, Fatima will be given 100 lashes in publicly. If you are not happy with this final proposition, know that, she will be killed by stoning and after which, your own file will be opened”.

“For we want to make you both examples of how determined we are to make the three provinces of the greater north of Cameroon to become an Islamic region. And as the saying goes: the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step; Couseri and Makari are places to show our determination of transforming not only the northern parts of Cameroon into an Islamic region, but the entire country”. The hard posture put on during the phone conversation between the Imam and Nguelemedouga ignited heaps of Allah is great in the background. For the Islamic judges were afraid that, their spiritual leader had capitulated to the tactics put forward by Nguelemedouga to evade the holy justice. But then, the Imam sensed that, Nguelemedouga’s silence on the phone might be a sign of dejection, hence he also paused in his long monologue, before adding: “Ali, are you still there?” Ali responded: “of course, I am still on the line”. The Imam went on: “Ali, I know you have great ideas to defend our faith. But know that, as from now henceforth, No application of Islamic rules in Couseri, no Fatima”. Before Ali could react, the Imam had dropped the phone. Immediately, the authorities in Yaoundé were informed about the Twin Tower attack, the president of the Republic was excited. For he knew that, the American government will certainly react and it was time for the president of Cameroon Paul Biya and his government to benefit from the calamity that has just befallen on the American people.

elie-smithsstory: The case of Africa (part 13)

elie-smithsstory: The case of Africa (part 13)

How the news of the Twin towers attacks was received in Couseri, Cameroon (part 2)

Imam Mustapha after some procrastinations, decided to ring the sub district officer Ali Lenin Nguelemedouga, for he was not only the representative of the government in the area, he was above all, the most educated male Muslim. His opinion mattered. He decided to ring Ali Lenin Nguelemedouga, in the presence of other religious dignitaries. And when he broke the news to Ali Lenin Nguelemedouga, the sub district officer (SDO) of Couseri, Far North province of Cameroon, he pretended as though he was not aware of the news. However, Nguelemedouga told the Imam of Couseri that: “we must try all we can and this in our possible means, to show to others that, our religion is not what those terrorists have just done”. And he added: “it is necessary to start making things clear now, because, our brothers in the south of the country, who are Christians, and whom late Ahmadou Ahidjo instead of transforming them into Muslims, kept playing with them. They will now start laughing at us”. While the Imam appreciated the suggestions made by Nguelemedouga, he (Imam Mustapha) nevertheless, reminded him (Ali Lenin Nguelemedouga) by saying: “southerners are not our brothers as long as they not Muslims”.

He continued: “Our brothers are in Kano, Sokoto( both cities are located in Northern Nigeria), N’djamena ( Republic of Chad), and Zinder ( Republic of Niger), Greater Northern provinces of Cameroon and pockets of regions in the North West, west and south west provinces of Cameroon who are Muslims and in other Islamic countries”. Imam Mustapha added: “your suggestion that we should do everything not to let people tarnish the image of our religion and in particular, that of his prophet Mohamed is brilliant.” Imam Mustapha questioned Nguelemedouga aka Ali: “But what do you really think we should do, before the infidels of greater south Cameroon, that, you are calling our brothers could start insulting our religion?” Remember! The Imam insisted: “your name is Ali and Ali was the nephew of our prophet. He was a defended of pure Islam and you need to follow his footsteps.” Ali Nguelemedouga responded: “we have a problem here and it is that of Fatima and me. It seems our wise brothers of the holy court are studying it. As you know, I have promised to get married to Fatima. But how can I get married to a person who will soon be killed by stoning, according to the sharia law?”

elie-smithsstory: Why the European Union quest for Super power status won’t stand (part 12)

elie-smithsstory: Why the European Union quest for Super power status won’t stand (part 12)

How the Twin tower attacks were received in Couseri, Cameroon

The Hausa service of Voice of Nigeria was the first broadcaster to make the Hausa world to know what had just stroked the great Satan as the US is identify by some Muslims. Then, the BBC Hausa service also began broadcasting detailed news about the attack. It was one of the beneficiaries of the transistor Radio that Nguelemedouga had given his guests as sign of appreciation during his conversion who first heard the news. His name was Idriss.

And as he heard the news, he shouted “thank you, Mr Sub district officer. Without you, we would have taken weeks to know this, because those infidels in Yaoundé have never thought of putting a relay station here to permit us receive signals of Radio Cameroon or their Television station”. Idriss hurried to the Sharia court and met at the entrance a member of the oulema who had just left the deliberations of the Sharia court to honour a natural call. He murmured to him: “our brothers have done some thing that; I don’t know whether it is noble or it is calamitous”. And the Mullah by name Njang Ibrahim answered: “be very clear”. Idriss said: “Mullah Ibrahim, our Muslim brothers are alleged by Voice of Nigeria and the BBC to have attacked the great Satan with two aeroplanes”. And Mullah Ibrahim retorted: “from which language service did you get such horrible news?” Idriss responded: the Hausa services of both VON and the BBC”. “Then it must be true”. Mullah Ibrahim replied and went into the court room where the other oulemas were deliberating on Nguelemedouga’s and Fatima’s fates. He lifted his right hand up and immediately the presiding judge told him: “speak!” Mullah Ibrahim said: “I beg to ask the court in the name of almighty Allah to lift the deliberation of it present sitting. Why? Because, Idriss has just told me a very bad news that, will change for ever the perception that, the infidels have toward our religion”.

One Mullah by name Buhari interjected: “well, the infidels have never liked us. What is new or it is just a calculated attempt to deny Allah’s decisions to be applied on his servants Ali and the stupid Fatima?” Ibrahim said: “far from that, as you know, any decision taken here, I will be the first to apply it, especially if it is stoning.” “Ok! Tell us what the bad news is all about”. One Mullah grumbled. “As I was saying, our brothers have attacked the great Satan in her eyes in New York city with two aeroplanes”. “This can not be true, I am happy and may their souls go straight to Paradise”. Mullah Abdulsalam cried from behind. It was in chaos that, the Sharia court holding in Makari ended and all the Mullahs rushed to their homes and tune on the Radio sets, which were gifts from the one whom they were deliberating on at the Islamic court on the appropriate punishments to inflict on him and his interpreter, who had become pregnant. As they rushed to their homes, after getting the news on the Hausa Voice of Nigeria (VON) or the BBC Hausa service, they decided in the evening to meet at the home of the Imam of Couseri. The name of the Imam was Mustapha Mohamed Sayed. Before the consternated religious dignitaries could reach the home of the Imam, he had also received a phone call from the Imam Sokoto in Nigeria and he told him what has happened in the United States. Imam Mustapha after some procrastinations, decided to ring the sub district officer Ali Lenin Nguelemedouga, for he was not only the representative of the government in the area, he was above all, the most educated male Muslim. His opinion mattered.

elie-smithsstory: Responsibility of all those formerly oppressed(part 11)

elie-smithsstory: Responsibility of all those formerly oppressed(part 11)

How Nguelemedouga, the sub district officer of Couseri became known as Ali

A date for the conversion of Nguelemedouga from a Roman Catholic Christian to a Sunni Muslim was retained. During the conversion, Nguelemedouga was proposed a list with three Muslim names to choose from. He decided he will be called Ali. Ali who is today, considered as one of the heads of the Shiite branch of Islam, was the nephew of the founder of Islam: Prophet Mohamed. The locals were very happy, to a point that, they gave the sub district officer whose real names were Nguelemedouga Ntangan more gifts in cash than he had anticipated. They recalled fully well that Nguelemedouga never liked gifts that were not in cash. In return, Nguelemedouga gave to his visitors and to all those who came to see his conversion, transistor radio sets that he had ordered from a Nigerian manufacturer based in the city of Aba, in Abia state, Eastern Nigeria. He had instructed the Nigerian transistor Radio set manufacturer to make it possible that, the radio sets that he was to give as gifts, to his guests should receive two stations: the Hausa service of Voice of Nigeria (VON) and the Hausa service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The locals were blissful. Although Nguelemedouga was now an Islamic convert, he did not visit the mosque regularly. In fact, since his conversion, he went to the Mosque to pray only once.

An attitude that prompted some locals to start questioning his sincerity especially that, since he told the public that, he was going to get married to Fatima, he had not done the prerequisite for marriage and Fatima was closer to give birth. Tired of waiting for the sub district officer whose Muslim name was now Ali, the Sharia court of the town of Makari and whose jurisdiction covered that of Couseri, received the complain of the Imam of Couseri and decided to convene a meeting to deliberate on the case of Nguelemedouga aka Ali. And since Nguelemedouga was now a Muslim, he could not absolve himself from any Islamic laws. Fortunately for both Fatima and Nguelemedouga aka Ali Lenin, while the Sharia court seating in Makari was deliberating on their case, the World Trade Centre towers in New York, US was being attacked by Islamic terrorists, who were in majority from the holy land of Islam, Saudi Arabia. The Hausa service of Voice of Nigeria was the first broadcaster to make the Hausa world to know what had just stroked the great Satan as the US is identify by some Muslims. Then, the BBC Hausa service also began broadcasting detailed news about the attack. It was one of the beneficiaries of the transistor Radio that Nguelemedouga had given his guests as sign of appreciation during his conversion who first heard the news. He shouted “thank you, Mr Sub district officer. Without you, we would have taken weeks to know this, because those infidels in Yaoundé have never thought of putting a relay station here to permit us receive signals of Radio Cameroon or their Television”.

European Monarchs and Explorers(part 10)

Natives or nationals from areas where European Monarchs and explorers, decided to take their scientific achievements and religious values to, have great respect for earlier period Europeans. Furthermore, they have also developed strong attachments to religious values that Europeans brought along side their progress. But it can be also argued, which is true, that, the export of European scientific achievements and religious values, which were in most cases done with the nobles of intentions, also caused enormous lost of lives to the recipients. The negative aspects of the meeting could be referred to as collateral damages. And it must also be pointed out that, no human being has ever ruled another honestly. It is not a matter of pigmentation, but it is human nature, for only God can rule us with honesty. But it is always the negative aspects of ancient Europeans, especially in their encounters with natives of other parts of the globe and Africa in particular, which are often mentioned. Seldom is it mention, the positive contributions that Europeans also brought with them. I am therefore of the opinion that, it is a monumental bad faith that must be either discarded or corrected. If not, Africans risk toeing the same path of selectivity in history, which has characterised modern Europe. I am also of the opinion that, all parts of our history, our positive as well as our negative points, should be made known without shame. This should start by accepting that, Europeans also contributed positively in Africa and elsewhere, for to deny that Europeans never help or are still helping to change and improve lives in Africa and elsewhere, will be a colossal lie.

Victims & a new troubling trend

Those who suffered most in the hands of Europeans were the Andeans of North and South America and those of the Caribbeans, the aboriginals of the Pacific islands and the Oceania regions (Australia and New Zealand) and black Africans. Black Africans suffered and are still suffering and perhaps worst, in particular, those who are in the Arab and Islamic worlds. But while Arabs are still mistreating blacks and other minorities in their sphere, today, a new troubling trend is developing in some Western European countries and in particular, in one country, which has self declared herself, as the centre of human rights defence, promotion and protection. This new trend is that which, some Europeans, do no want black Africans and other victims of their past bestialities, to think or even talk/write about their past sufferings. That trend is not only beyond comprehension, it must be fought, for it is an infringement to human rights and to all basic tenets of democracy, as often expressed by the very Europeans. It must also be recalled that, most famous Europeans, whose names and statues populate most European streets and public squares and who also do make some Europeans/ countries proud, (some of them), were in reality, people who got their fame by oppressing black Africans and other indigenous people around the globe. But above and beyond any polemics, the greatest thing that Europeans brought to black Africans and to people of African ancestries and other indigenous people around the globe was and is still Christianity.

How Nguelemedouga, the sub district officer of Couseri converted from a Christian to a Muslim

Remember, he (Nguelemedouga) had cast a look at the entire sub district of Couseri in search of an interpreter and the only one he deemed fit was a girl called Fatima. Fatima was well educated, she spoke standard Arabic, English and French. But the natives of Couseri never wanted to recognise her prowess. Why? Simply because she was a woman. Individually, but secretly, men appreciated Fatima, not just because she was very beautiful, more because she was well educated. But they made a pledge never to let her or the public know their feelings, for fear they that, it might make her to think that, she was superior to them and also encourage other girls in the sub district to demand to be educated as Fatima was. And when Nguelemedouga was posted to Couseri, he decided to choose Fatima as his interpreter and that action infuriated the local business and religious dignitaries. Now the second cause of anger was that, Fatima was not only maintained as official interpreter, she became pregnant. The local barons were angered and send another delegation to Yaoundé. But Nguelemedouga, a very intelligent tactician surprised everybody in Couseri. One Friday, he went to the public square after prayers.

At the sighting of him, the natives spate collectively on the ground. It was their own manifestation of the level of disdain they had toward the representative of the government in their locality. But Nguelemedouga, who had learned Arabic and spoke it fluently, reached for a loud speaker that was in his 4 Wheel drive Toyota land cruiser, and called for the attention of the public. He told them: salaam alee kum. No one responded, for they were flabbergasted that, the man has not only started speaking Arabic, he came to the public square on a Friday to address them. Some thought he wanted to provoke them. But an old imam, watching the reaction of the public asked them to listen for to what the infidel wanted to say. Then Nguelemedouga told the crowd: since I was posted here, you have welcomed me with open heart. Hence, I want to solemnly tell you today, before God and his entire creature on earth, that, I want to abandon my childhood religion which is Roman Catholic, to become a Muslim. And the crowd went: Allah wakba, Allah wakba. And he added: I have decided to get married to Fatima. And all the nefarious plans that, the local were planning against Nguelemedouga were dropped. What they were now planning was the occasion to formalise the conversion of Nguelemedouga from a Christian to Muslim.

elie-smithsstory: Resisting the spectre of depravity (part 9)

elie-smithsstory: Resisting the spectre of depravity (part 9)

Boakov's victory in the love triangle battle

He stood up and motioned with his right wide arm, toward the direction of the door and Miss Nkong, surprised and intimidated at the same time, reached for the door with the speed of light and she opened the door and went out without saying good bye . Out of the office of Boakov, she had the reaction of an antelope who had just freed herself from the claws of a Lion. She ran off and never told anybody; even her friends were not informed about the propositions made to her by Boakov. She wanted to know the town of Buea, which were formerly the capital of German Cameroon and also the capital of British southern Cameroon’s. And today, she is merely the provincial capital of the South West province. Buea had besides her picturesque Mount Cameroon, which is also known as the chariots of god, her famous Otto Von Bismarck fountain and her majestic Prime Minister Lodge. She also has a number of baroque and colonial European buildings, which are left to decay. They are all vestiges of the German and British presence in Cameroon. The Prime Minister’s Lodge used to serve as official resident of the prime minister of British Southern Cameroon’s and also his office. But the Cameroonian nations are the creation of the Germans and not those currently known as Cameroonians. This so because, before the advent of the Germans, what is in the present day is called Cameroon, was formerly an assemblage of many nationalities that were ignoring each other.

Boakov succeeded in taking Miss Nkong to Buea, but Nguelemedouga did not give up. He was still interested in her. Since he (Nguelemedouga) was acting like a predator, however some times, things happen that, a prey slips off the claws of a predator. But sadly, Nguelemedouga graduated without seeing the pants of Miss Nkong. But it did avoid or prevent Boakov to develop a mix feeling toward him. Boakov loved and respected Nguelemedouga at the same time. He love and respected Nguelemedouga because he was a brilliant student and also because, he had the same age of his son. But he also considered the fact that Nguelemedouga was interested in dating the same girls that they of teaching corps dated or wanted to date, as a manifestation of insolence, which deserved to be punished. Nguelemedouga aka Lenin who had graduated without seeing the pants of the beautiful Jeanne Marie Nkong had an exciting career. Even though he was posted to a part of the country considered as barren land, because of reasons you all now know, he nevertheless made a feat, by succeeding transform an aspired barren land into a biblical land, flowing with milk and honey. He was a brilliant administrator and loyal representative of the central government but who nevertheless continued to annoy the natives of the locality he was commanding. The latest anger that he caused the natives of Couseri and Couseri sub division emanated from the source of the first.

elie-smithsstory: The importance of parental respect (part 8)

elie-smithsstory: The importance of parental respect (part 8)

Love triangle: the battle to win a heart, the case of Boakov ( part 2 & final part)

But suddenly he discovered that Nkong was no longer uninterestingly simply flipping through his photo albums, she had on stopped on page and was showing some interest in one picture. It was like deliverance to Boakov, he was happy. He walked like a cat toward her and said: “Oh, that picture was taken during Empire day celebrations in West Cameroon.” Then, he told Miss Nkong: “I did not invite you into my office to show you my photo albums nor talk about politics. My daughter, as you can see, those photos are the past and the past is the past, but we don’t have to forget. We have to think about a great future, that we all expect will be better than the past and the present.” He continued: “I must nonetheless tell you that, West Cameroon was not like this place (unified and majority French-speaking Cameroon), but our leaders in West Cameroon thought otherwise and here we are today. But look, we don’t have to eternally keep on accusing late Dr John Ngu Foncha MP or late Solomon T. Muna MP, because they brought us here. I am of the opinion that, the British government then, I don’t know whether in power were the Tories or Labours and the United Nations, both never wanted us to be independent”.

Suspecting that, Miss Nkong was uncomfortable, he paused and said: “Well, don’t you dare think, my friend that, I am just an ordinary nationalist Anglophone, who sees no good in unification. Think for yourself, how come that, we were given only two options during the referendum of 1961 (unification with Cameroon or integration with Nigeria)?” He concluded. Sensing now that, he was focusing too much on politics and it might frighten off Miss Nkong, Boakov told her: “I am no longer a young man as your classmates are, therefore, I will go straight to the point on why you are here in my office. I am inviting you to visit Buea, our former capital, which is today, a simple provincial capital. Guinness Cameroon, as you know, do organise and sponsor the Mount Cameroon Race, hence I want you to come along with me.” Miss Nkong was surprised, but was already expecting the sort of advances from him. Why? Simply, because since she came into his office, they have not discussed anything academical. But clever Boakov, never leaves a cat go. As soon as Miss Nkong wanted to murmur out some words, Boakov interrupted her and told her that: “that was all what I wanted to tell you. If you like the idea, tell me before the end of the day.”

Love triangle: the battle to win a heart, the case of Boakov

As Boakov was plotting in his mind, when and how he will see Miss Nkong and tell her what he wants, or in clear terms, that he wanted to date her, he accidentally met her in one of the lobbies of the administrative building of the school. Was it a telepathic coincidence? Boakov asked himself. Since he was very superstitious, he said to himself, it was now or never. He had to tell Miss Nkong now, the affection that he has for her and possibly book a day for a date. Boakov was not romantic, he was brutal. He authoritatively asked Jeanne Marie Nkong to come see him in his office. And because Boakov was the type of man who besides his academic and administrative functions, commanded respect from students and his colleagues alike, for he was a solidly built man. He was intimidating naturally, he measured 2.5 metre tall and weight about 150 kilograms. He was truly a beast you don’t joke with or you risked being mangled. In his youth, he was an accomplished sports man. He was a wrestler, who had defeated all wrestlers in West Cameroon and Eastern Nigeria. But his aspired career in sports, as he likes to say himself, was to become a heavy weight boxer in the mould of Hogan Bassey. But all that were botched because of the reunification between West Cameroon and French-speaking East Cameroon. The invitation that he (Boakov) offered to Jeanne Marie in his office frightened the poor girl.

She really never knew what to expect. For she thought that, perhaps she had had very poor exam results and was to be dismissed from school or were not to get any posting at the end of her studies. It was an expected bad news. And for a student of the School of Administration and Magistracy of Cameroon, whose parents or family members might have indebted themselves to raise the lump sum of CFA Franc 1 million to bribe the school’s administration in order to get admission of their son or daughter, into a school that graduates are assured of a job at the end, a spectre of dismal because of poor results or no postings upon graduation is synonymous to disaster. She began shivering like a hen that has been beaten by a torrential tropical rain and her knees began knocking each other. She could not stand by self any more and decided to seat on bench that was in the lobby, and leading to the office of Boakov. Why? In order to gather some strength and courage and also speculate on the fate that awaited her. And when she had come back to herself, she decided to meander into the office of Boakov and knocked on his door and a roaring voice indicated: “come in.” she pushed the door and went in. And to her greatest surprise, the man who seldom smiles was now smiling from ear to ear. Boakov’s smiles exhibited his clean white teeth attached to his reddish/purple-like gums. He asked her to seat in one of his armed chairs and gave her some of his photo albums to look at. Then as he discovered that, Miss Nkong who was flipping through the photo albums in an uninterested manner, he thought his plans have failed. He started thinking to improvise a new scheme on how best to placate the girl.

How Nguelemedouga, the sub district officer of Couseri became known as Lenin

Boakov wanted to teach his students a special course on the political history of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). He was convinced that, none of his students knew the full and real names of Lenin or that of any other Soviet leader. But to his greatest surprise and also to that of students, when Mr Boakov asked to know the real names of Lenin, Nguelemedouga raised his right hand up, and Boakov told him: “yes, you can try?” And shocking, Nguelemedouga gave the correct answer. He said: the full names of the head of a section of the Working Class party of Russia or USSR, known as the Bolsheviks, is or was: Lenin Vladimir IIyich Ulyanov. And he added that, he became head of the Working Class Party during the congress of the party’s majority Bolshevik wing, held in London in 1903. And he continued: the suggestions/proposals of Lenin Vladimir IIyich Ulyanov made during the 1903 congress were rejected by the minority Conservative Bourgeois Class, within the Working Class Party, known as the Mensheviks. Mr Boakov was joyful and impressed, and the classmates of Nguelemedouga gave him a standing ovation and since then, he earned the nickname: Lenin. But Nguelemedouga was not like Lenin, who lived and died for a course. Nguelemedouga may have been charismatic and perhaps shrewd as Lenin was but he (Nguelemedouga) was no Marxist.

Nguelemedouga believed in three things: his career, money and his family. Politically no one can really tell whether he was a Socialo-Marxist or a Liberal or Conservative. He was just an opportunist and this last trade mark, might be the only one, which was akin to that of his namesake. However, since he became known as Lenin, because of his capacity of reading too much and being ahead of his mates, he became famous in the campus and fame, is exactly what some girls wanted and admires in some boys or men. Jeanne Marie Nkong immediately fell to the charm of Nguelemedouga. But Nguelemedouga aka Lenin, who also had the capacity of transforming delicate cases into easy ones and expected easy cases, into difficult ones, had already sighted Miss Nkong and was like a feline waiting just for the opportune time to strike. But while Nguelemedouga was still calculating, his teacher who was also the Dean of studies had already gone an extra mile in his intention to date Miss Jeanne Marie Nkong. And as the schooling year was approaching to it end, Boakov became in the mind of Nguelemedouga as a rival. And it was Nguelemedouga’s rival who was preparing for the appropriate moment to meet Miss Nkong.

elie-smithsstory: Are children of Jehovah’s witnesses different?(part 5)

elie-smithsstory: Are children of Jehovah’s witnesses different?(part 5)

the final year of Nguelemedouga at the School of Administration and Magistracy, Yaoundé, Cameroon

During the final year of Nguelemedouga at the School of Administration and Magistracy, their batch had only three girl students’ against 47 male students. And all lecturers and males students had their eyes on those three girls. They all wanted to date them. Nguelemedouga was not left behind, for it is part of him. Women were his drug. He was addicted to women. And whenever Nguelemedouga wanted to date any girl, he employed the tactics of a predatory feline. He waited for the opportune time to attack and he attacked like a cheetah. Hence, he was not carried away in the brouhaha of his friends and lecturers. He was just watching and spending his time throwing fixating regards on those poor three girls, This, only whenever the opportunity showed up. In fact, he behaved as though he was uninterested. For he had a clear cut strategy, his eyes caught just one of three girls. The girl that Nguelemedouga fell for was called Marie Jeanne Nkong. And like a Cheetah, Nguelemedouga did everything to hide his real ambitions from Miss Nkong, while also multiplying procedure to win her admiration.

It was the same Miss Nkong whom, Mr Boakov, the Director studies of the School of Administration and Magistracy was also interested or planning to date. And brawl ensued but not a face to face fist fight. It was a long distant battle, to win the attention of Miss Nkong. It was fought between Boakov and Nguelemedouga, the director of studies. But Boakov had a commanding lead. Why? Simply because, Boakov had the knife and the yam, for he was a lecturer and the director of studies and also had monies, whereas Nguelemedouga had nothing. Nguelemedouga had only himself and his intellectual brilliance. What Nguelemedouga had as advantage compared to Boakov, weight very little. Especially that when one was competing or wanted to compete to win the heart of a girl, who was attending the School of Administration and Magistracy, money and influence were great determinants. But one day, and during a lesson on international relations, a course taught by Boakov, he (Boakov) asked the class to give him the real names of the Russian Revolutionary leader, popularly known as Lenin.

elie-smithsstory: My family & my views (part 4)

elie-smithsstory: My family & my views (part 4)

The reasons why Nguelemedouga was posted to Couseri as sub district officer(part 2)

Hence, he took the decision that, when Nguelemedouga graduates, he will do everything in his power, to see him posted to the Sahara. And Boakov respected his pledge and contributed in making Nguelemedouga to be posted to a supposed barren land, that he(Nguelemedouga) eventually turn in to a land flowing with the biblical milk and honey. Although while Nguelemedouga was still a student at the School of Administration and Magistracy, he was already married to Noako, the mother of Risdoh, he was the type of man, who could not stand in place, at the sight of the skirt of any girl. Nguelemedouga was a pathological womaniser. But he made it point of duty to respect his wife and tried to satisfy her financially and also sexually. Nguelemedouga was a lady’s man, a brilliant student and a caring father. He was handsome and soft spoken. The way he spoke to women, almost always disarmed them. His daughter Risdoh was claimed by neighbours, to be the carbon copy of her father, in term of beauty and academic excellence. People also claimed that, the only resemblance that, Risdoh had with her mother, was her height. For Noako was a tall elegant and very beautiful woman. She would have qualified to be a super top model, if she was born in any western European country. But in Cameroon, models are not given due consideration as in some Western countries.

Those same people also claimed that, if Risdoh were to remain focused on her studies, she would be as intelligent as her father and because she is as beautiful as her father is handsome, she would make an atypical model. Well, that is, if she decides to sell herself that cheap to become a model. As I was saying, it was woman’s palaver that made Nguelemedouga to find himself posted to Couseri as the pioneer sub district officer. There are many respected towns or cities in the greater northern province of Cameroon. Some of them are: Maroua, Garoua or Ngaoundere, but Couseri was a Congo. A Congo is a Cameroonian parlance or euphuism for bottom or useless place. Couseri was the last and least developed place in the Far north province of Cameroon. But, ironically, the government claims the province is the most populated in the country. What is not known was how the Far North province won or got her status or classification as the most populated province of Cameroon. Was it in term of the rapport between here geographic area and the population therein or was it via proportionality, that she (Far North) was classified as the most populated? Can it truly be that the Far North was the most populated province in Cameroon? But what is true though is that, Couseri is at the tail end of the Greater north province of Cameroon.

elie-smithsstory: My family & my views (part 3)

elie-smithsstory: My family & my views (part 3)