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.