Conversation with the witchdoctor of Ndom

As the forces of good and evil were fighting in his conscience (witchdoctor of Ndom), the image of the White French expatriate, who took away his beautiful wife resurfaced. He immediately told the headmaster: “that is how those well educated people: black or white, especially, those who have political or any power, do act. Look here! I had a similar problem not long ago. It was with a French White man, who came here to teach us agriculture, as though, since our ancestors came from Israel, we had been waiting for a white Frenchman to come and teach us how to grow crops to feed ourselves. I don’t believe in the bible, but, the attitude of that, Whiteman, was akin to those of black people who like him, and had a little bit of influence or power. It was that White man’s attitude that made me to believe that, the bible was the inspiration of God. Well, I prefer only one verse in the bible. It is that of Acts 10:35, which say: “God is not partial.” “Well, I don’t want to call God’s name, for it might spoil my business. Coming back to the White French big man, he came here, as he claimed, to teach us agriculture as if we do not know anything. But that wasn’t my problem because since the French gave political power to the Muslims in French-speaking Cameroon in 1960 and the Muslim decided to give that power to our former slaves, who are the Betis, I must remind you that, I don’t care about whatever that happens or takes place in this country. My only problem is that, no member of the illegal regime in this country should touch a log of my hair or that of any member of my family”. The witchdoctor of Ndom continued: “But the arrogant White man did exactly what I and my ancestors won’t tolerate. For instead of focusing on teaching his agricultural lessons, he abandoned his agriculture and began organising sporting activities here and there”. He quipped: “Was that his mission here?” He responded to his question himself: “I don’t think so.” And he continued: “Don’t we have sports professionals here?”

Ndom, Cameroons: the dilemma of a Bassa witchdoctor

“For what I am going to do will return and affect you, if ever, it turns out that, you were just speculating or was just out right lying. I will therefore advice you to go back and examine the facts and also talk things out with your wife. She is your wife and you can win her back”. The witchdoctor told the headmaster and concluded his presentation. But it seems the last speech or explanations from the witchdoctor, ignited inspiration within the headmaster and he replied to the witchdoctor: “my wife doesn’t even allow me talk to her any more, since she started going out with Nguelemedouga. And now, you are asking me to go and talk with her”. “How will I start?” The primary school headmaster asked the witchdoctor. “Whom are you really talking about?” The witchdoctor asked and he continued: “Is it the Sub District Officer of Nyanon that, I know and who is causing you all this anguish and pains?” The witchdoctor asked the headmaster in utter surprised. For the witchdoctor knew Nguelemedouga very well, because, he had for a short while officiated as one of the Nguelemedouga’s many witchdoctors.

Nguelemedouga has the habit of consulting many witchdoctors and spirit mediums in his search of mystical powers. But he never knew and could never I margined that Nguelemedouga who seem to love and admired his wife and do pummelled him throughout his many passages for demonic spiritual powers, with stories of his family and God, would get into an extra marital affair that may cause his life. Nguelemedouga besides his obsession for magical powers, seem an ideal husband. He always spoke about his wife and his children in particular about Risdoh. The witchdoctor of Ndom, whose father was also a witchdoctor, claimed to have prepared the amulets that helped Um Nyobe Ruben, the political and military leader of the Union of the People of Cameroon or UPC to elude the French and late President Ahamadou Ahidjo’s military campaigns, until he was betrayed by late Bishop Mongo, was now in a dilemma. What will he do to Nguelemedouga who was his former client, should the headmaster of Nyanon, his current client, asks him to kill him (Nguelemedouga)?

How an adulterous proud French expatriate ended his life in Cameroon

But the proud French expatriate, who had been forewarned by the witch doctor to steer-clear from his wife, did not enjoy his conquest. For the day that, he took his car, in which, there was the wife of the witch doctor, it was the beginning of his brutal end. He took the wife of the witch doctor for a romantic weekend trip to the coastal holyday resort town of Kribi, and on the way, the French expatriate had a fatal accident along the Edea– Kribi section of the highway. But mysteriously, the wife of the witch doctor, who was the mistress of the White French expatriate, was extracted from the mangled car alive. The accident was the handy work of the witch doctor. And this happened because, in Bassaland, you can do anything or everything, but you don’t play with a married woman. When the headmaster of the primary school of Nyanon explained his ordeal to the witch doctor, they all understood the pains, the frustration and above all, the humiliations that happened to any man whose wife had left him for another man or a man who had a wife who was boldly cheating on him with another man. But the witch doctor asked the headmaster: “are you sure that what you are telling me is not just the fruit of jealousy or speculations, that is caused by jealousy?” “Yes, I am sure of what I am telling you”. The headmaster replied. “And what do you want me to do, to the man who is causing you pains?” The witch doctor asked. And he continued: “I am asking you this question because, I am working with the devil. And all what I do ask him; positive of negative, he does deliver. He is not like the God of Christians”. The witch doctor added. The headmaster was startled and was out of words. He paused and lifted his head up vaguely, as though he wanted to count the number of stars in the sky. As the headmaster was still thinking what to offer the witch doctor as response, the witch doctor added: “the devil is like God, he doesn’t entertain lie telling”.

The revenge of the Primary school head master

What happened to Nguelemedouga at the party organised by Cappolytree to celebrate his parliamentary victory was a warning that he ignored. He kept going out with the wife of the headmaster of the primary school of Nyanon. The cheated headmaster could not do anything to stop his wife from continuing her amorous affair with Nguelemedouga. And the headmaster decided that, the ultimate solution to end the humiliation was to kill Nguelemedouga, the insolent representative of the state. But how will the headmaster carry out his revenge? Will he use his machete or will he use his hunting gun to gun down Nguelemedouga in broad daylight like a game? Or will he employ mystical means? If yes, will it work on Nguelemedouga, a man who had many amulets and who also consulted regularly a number of juju priests and witch doctors? The headmaster had made up his mind and he decided to go and consult a witch doctor who was residing at Ndom. He and the witch doctor had the same problem. The witch doctor had a very beautiful wife, who was loved and admired by several top ranking civil servants posted to work in Ndom. But his wife left him for white French agricultural technician posted to the Sanaga maritime division and had a stint in Ndom and the only thing he could take away as souvenir was the wife of the witch doctor.

Reactions after Nguelemedouga was poisoned and survived

Cappolytree was in tears . He told Nguelemedouga: “you know Sir, that, I owe this position of Member of Parliament through you and at such, I can’t be suspected of desiring to harm you. Please accept my apologies. I will find and punish he/she who wanted to harm you and in the process, attempt to spoil my name and that of my family”. Nguelemedouga had an Olympian calm. He replied to Mr Cappolytree: “ he whispered, don’t worry” and then ,he shouted to the crowd: “the party must go on”. Then, the Divisional Officer came close to Nguelemedouga and said: “Congratulations, you are strongman. But remember Mr Nguelemedouga, this is Bassaland”. He went a step away, rotated and came back, tapped Nguelemedouga on his shoulder, and added: “Between us, haven’t you taken the wife of somebody here in Nyanon, who really wants you dead in retaliation?” Nguelemedouga replied: “No! I haven’t taken any man’s wife.” And to that question posed by his immediate boss, he asked: “why should I, when I have my wife and children in Yaoundé?” And the Divisional Officer replied: “it is simply because, your wife is not with you that, you might have been tempted to trek into an area where devils don’t dare”. Mr Winenba knew full well that, Nguelemedouga was lying, for he knew based on his four years experience in Sanaga maritime and eight years in Bassa land in general and added to reports that had reached him, that, what has happened to Nguelemedouga was the fruits of the anger and jealousy from a man, whose wife was cheating on him, and the cheated and anger man was determined to punish the man who was humiliating him.

Nguelemedouga: the magical practiser

As a magical practiser, he may have sensed that, things were not very clear, but in a demonstration of defiance, he wanted to confront his fate. Perhaps the poisoned was poured into the bottle of wine, that would be served to Nguelemedouga, by a waiter, who was certainly, the friend of the Head master of the primary school of Nyanon, whose wife, Nguelemedouga had an affair with . The second source of the poison might have come from the many enemies that, Nguelemedouga had cultivated. When the glass of wine was handed to Nguelemedouga in the presence of : Cappolytree, who was the new MP for Nyanon, Diamond Winenba, the Divisional Officer of Sanaga Maritime division and other cream de la cream of the division and the Littoral province and some guests from Yaoundé. As soon as the poisoned glass of wine rested within the hand of Nguelemedouga, the glass cracked. It cracked as though the glass had come into contact with metallic object. But the cracked only occurred after Nguelemedouga had lifted his glass for a toast. In the process of lifting his glass, Nguelemedouga mindful of the enemies he had created, recited inwardly some mythical incantations. Those incantations were given to him by a witch doctor, when he was the Sub District Officer of Couseri. The incantation was given to Nguelemedouga by the witch doctor of Couseri, in a bid to protect him from what has just happened to him in Nyanon. As the glass cracked and red liquid spread, everyone in the reception hall was shocked and the music that was playing stopped. Individual and collective suspicions invaded the hall and spoiled the victory party of Mr Cappolytree Logbang MP .

Nguelemedouga: the womaniser did not die, but was poisoned in Nyanon: this is how it happened

Nguelemedouga is a lucky man. He did not die. And now, the debate on the lips of the villagers of Puma and other passersby was: which of his many amulets saved him? Anyway, in spite the accident and how he puzzlingly escaped from the mangled car, unhurt, Nguelemedouga went ahead and attended the planned meeting. He did it to show how bold he was. He went ahead and attended the meeting called for by Mr Diamond Winenba, the Divisional Officer of the Sanaga Maritime division. The meeting took place in Edea, the Divisional capital of the Sanaga maritime division. And on Sunday, immediately after the meeting, Nguelemedouga travelled to Nyanon in order to attend a victory party organised by Mr Cappolytree, to celebrate his accession to parliament. At that party, Nguelemedouga was given a well prepared glass of wine. Well prepared here is a euphuism to say: the glass of wine given to Nguelemedouga was a poisoned wine. Nguelemedouga as a womaniser, he had many enemies. Everybody wanted to see his back. Nguelemedouga’s problem was that, he did not prefer single girls. His obsession were married women. And in the Bassaland of Cameroon, a man who flirts with married women, is said to be a man, whose days on earth are numbered. The intriguing thing was that, no one knew for sure, who prepared the poison that was poured into the glass of wine given to Nguelemedouga. But the accident in which he escaped unhurt was a forewarning of the calamitous things that laid waiting to happen to him.

Nguelemedouga: a womaniser and a mysterious civil servant

Nguelemedouga was not aware of all the manoeuvrings that was taking place behind him. He was also not aware of the hopes and fears that, he represented in the psyche of the elite of some regions in Cameroon. But when he finished his meetings at at the ministry of Territorial administration, he went back home to meet his family and delivered the good news to his wife: Noako. He told his wife: “this time around, we shall all go together to my new posting.” Everyone in the family was happy. Risdoh who had not been seeing much of her father was the most happy. And on Thursday of the month of November, Nguelemedouga decided to take his car to drive back to Nyanon. But before he could leave, he made sure he left his family with enough money. He never wanted them to lack anything. Even though Nguelemedouga was a womaniser, he loved his wife and children. He had a lot of respect for his wife, for he recalls that, when he was still a student, it was his wife who took care of him and his children financially. But that Thursday chosen by Nguelemedouga to go back to his work place, was not accepted by Noako, for she never understood why her husband instead of choosing a Friday to leave Yaoundé, wanted to do so on a Thursday.

However, Nguelemedouga convinced her that, it was necessary because, he had to attend the meeting of all sub district, district and sub divisional officers, that would be held on Saturday in Edea, the divisional capital of the Sanaga Maritime division. The meeting will be presided over by the local “president” or Divisional Officer of the Sanaga Maritime, who is also the direct boss of Nguelemedouga. His wife was convinced and lifted her opposition that she had introduced and Nguelemedouga took his car and left Yaoundé for Nyanon. On his way, around Puma. Puma is a small town that has grown along the highway linking Douala, the economic capital of Cameroon to Yaoundé, political capital, Nguelemedouga had an accident. Mysteriously, he came out of the mangled car, unscathed and took a commercial bus to Edea. Some people claim that, he was bewitched by some of his jealous colleagues at the Ministry of Territorial Administration in Yaoundé, while others claimed that, because he was a womaniser, he may have had the accident because, he was distracted by a beautiful woman who was on the sidewalk of the high way.

One of Cameroon's unwritten laws

Since multiparty democracy was re-introduced in Cameroon in the 90s, the ruling party (CPDM), through vote rigging, were almost always certain to be the dominant party in parliament. They were or are always assured that, they will produce the Prime minister. However, in Cameroon’s hybrid political system, where there is a mixture of presidential and parliamentary systems at play, the leading party in parliament produces the Prime minister, a post that is prestigious but albeit very ceremonial. In Cameroon again, there are some unwritten laws. One of those unwritten laws has it that, the post of speaker of parliament, is drafted to the people of the Greater Northern province, whereas, the post of Prime minister, has to go to the Anglophone region. But it was not certain, which parts or sections of the Anglophone region, the prime minister will come from or has to go to. This uncertainty made that, electoral results in Anglophone Cameroon, became the only adjudicator to determine where the president will make his appointment for the post of Prime minister. On face value, it sounded good. But it was an occasion, during every national election, for massive electoral frauds.

And in order to bend the results to their advantage, elite of Anglophone Cameroon in the divide within the region, formed caucuses, who rigged elections to their advantage. All in a bid to keep the ceremonial post of Prime minister. But in this exercise, those who fared better were Anglophones from the coastal part or South west province. This was so because; the coastal part never had a serious opposition party as was the case in the northern part of the Anglophone region otherwise known as the North West province. As a consequence, the northern region of Anglophone Cameroon could not pretend to have the post of prime minister. Meanwhile in Yaoundé, Paul Biya unlike his predecessor Ahmadou Ahidjo, who preferred or favoured elite of North West for prestigious ceremonial posts in Cameroon, he (Biya) waited for electoral results before deciding from which parts of Anglophone Cameroon he will appoint a prime minister. Ahmadou Ahidjo never wanted to give any prestigious posts to elite of the South west, because one of their elite, precisely late Dr E. M.L Endely was not a supporter of unification with French-speaking Republic of Cameroon in 1961. As far as Biya was concern, he seems not to care about pre 1960 politics of unification. He also never cared how the results of his party were achieved, as long as they were in favour of his party (CPDM). The transfer of Nguelemedouga to Mezam division of the North West province was celebrated by elites of the province because; they thought that, with Nguelemedouga, they will start hoping to come at the forefront of Cameroonian pro-government politics.

Electoral fraud in Cameroon: one of the many reasons

While elites of the South west province, who are members of the ruling Cameroon’s People Democratic Movement (CPDM), celebrated because Nguelemedouga has been transferred or posted to the North West province, it was not the same joy for elites of the Greater Northern Province. They also, wanted the post of Prime minister, which they lost in 1983. However, the prime ministerial post, was occupied albeit briefly, in the early 90s via one of their elite (Greater North) by name Sardou Hayatou. Elites of the Greater North of Cameroon, were furious and disappointment, even though, they had the influential post of Speaker of Parliament. In the opinion of the elites of the Greater North, although the post of Speaker of National Assembly has real powers; it does not have the appeal and the exposure that the post of Prime minister has or offers. Hence the attractiveness of the post of prime minister and the competitions it has orchestrated amongst elites of various regions of Cameroon. It is this kind of competitions amongst elites, who hold responsibilities within the government and who are most often, de facto militants of the ruling party, which amplifies and encourages electoral malpractices in the country. For every elites wants to garner as many votes as possible and in the process, all stratagems are employed.

One of the many reasons why some elites from various provinces or regions of Cameroon do take active part in electoral fraud is because; your elevation within the system is directly proportional to your loyalty toward the party. But since it is difficult to know ones loyalty, electoral malpractices is considered as one of the many possible gauges. The more votes that elite generates for the party or the president of the Republic from a given region, in any elections, may be considered as a benchmark or confirmation of loyalty. The confirmation of Nguelemedouga’s transfer to the North West province was celebrated by elites of the North West province, who are members of the ruling party. For since multiparty politics was re-introduced in Cameroon in 1990, the North West province has become the epicentre of a radical opposition party called the Social Democratic Front (SDF) led by a charismatic figure called John Fru Ndi, whose detractors claim, he is not well educated and is not sophisticated enough to be president of the Republic. Even though John Fru Ndi is despised by some elites of both Anglophone and Francophone Cameroon, he has steered his party to become the largest and strongest intra and extra parliamentary opposition party in Cameroon. In releasing such a feat, he has denied some elites of the province any prospect of wining a parliamentary seat, thus making their hold or claim to the post of prime ministry baseless. Especially that, Cameroon a country practising a semi-presidential system, it is required that, the head of government or prime minister, must come from the leading party in parliament.

In Yaoundé, hero's welcome for an election fraudstar

At the Score Supermarket located within the Business District of Yaoundé, Nguelemedouga bought some snacks and other goodies for his daughter, Risdoh. It was a Friday and the month was November and Nguelemedouga was back in Yaoundé. Throughout the weekend, he spent time home with two of his three children along with Noako, their mother. And on Monday morning, he woke up very early and prepared breakfast for his family, after which, he took his bath and later on, drove to the ministry of Territorial Administration, where he received a hero’s welcome. He was congratulated personally by the minister of Territorial Administration for having succeeded in cleverly rigging the presidential and legislative elections in Nyanon. He had a private reunion with the minister of Territorial Administration for about an hour. But no one knows what the spoke about. After their meeting, the minister asked him to go and see the Director of administration at the ministry of Territorial Administration. Why? No one knows. Was it for the payment of his salary arrears or promotion? It has remained a mystery, but a mystery that won’t be long to be unfolded. During his private conversation with his direct boss, who is the Director of administration at ministry of Territorial Administration, he received a phone call from the presidency of the Republic. It was the head of state himself who called to congratulate Nguelemedouga.

He was informed that, he would be promoted to the post of Senior Divisional Officer (SDO) and would also be transferred to a prestigious region. His new posting will be Mezam Division in the north of Anglophone Cameroon otherwise known as the North West province. He was instructed to do what he has done in Nyanon, but in a bigger and in much tougher terrain. But for the time being, Nguelemedouga had to stay in Nyanon as Sub District Officer, until a replacement is sorted out and an administrative decree is issued. The confirmation of the transfer of Nguelemedouga to the North of Anglophone Cameroon and not the south of the same region was feted by some elites turned circumstantial lobbyists of the latter part of Anglophone Cameroon. For they had feared that, Nguelemedouga who is unpredictable, if he was posted to the south of Anglophone Cameroon otherwise known as the South west province, he may decide to stop overtly rigging elections in favour of elites of the region. South West elites, who are supporting the ruling party, knew that, in case the unpredictable Nguelemedouga decides not to rig elections, they were going to lose the ceremonial but prestigious post of Prime minister.

Nguelemedouga and his cravings for black magic

The promise of Mr Ndoumatona to kill Nguelemedouga was not to be carried out in a classic manner, in which case, it would have made headlines in columns of Newspapers, Radio and Television news around the sub district and the country. He was to employ black magic to mortally reach the top civil servant of the sub district. But what Ndoumatona forgot was that, Nguelemedouga was not one of those civil servants who were educated or stayed in Europe from infancy to adulthood and at such, never knew the practice and operation of black magic. Nguelemedouga was a difficult nut to crack, for his presence in Greater Northern Province of Cameroon, made him to develop a strong craving for black magic. And in order to satisfy his desire, Nguelemedouga had many juju priests working to protected him. Therefore, he had several amulets with him. He transported his amulets as though they were his identification and professional cards.

He had amulets all over his body. He even had one which made him invisible in front of any person who had a gun, sword or any metallic object and who above all, had a malicious intention toward him. Nguelemedouga was aware that, he was mystically powerful. And at such, he felt that, he could do whatever he wanted. One day, one of his office clerks, discovered with utter disbelief that, Nguelemedouga was going out with the wife of the Head Master of the primary school of Nyanon. The startled clerk immediately warned Nguelemedouga to steer clear and added that: “in Bassaland, you can’t go out with the wife of a man, without paying with your life”. Nguelemedouga laughed and shrugged off his shoulders in scorn. “Bassas enjoy threats. I can assure you that, nothing is going to happen to me today or tomorrow”. Nguelemedouga replied to his shocked and owed clerk. Two days after the October elections, Nguelemedouga went to Yaoundé to see his family and to also receive congratulatory messages from the ministry of Territorial administration and particularly those of the minister and exceptionally that of the head of state. And as usual, whenever Nguelemedouga is going back home, he buys lots of presence for his children and his wife Noako. He always made it a point of duty that, whenever he travelled back to Yaoundé, to visit his family or report at the ministry of territorial administration, he stopped at a supermarket located in the Business District of Yaoundé, called Score supermarket.