Reasons why was Cappolytree Logbang, the aspiring MP & Mayor of Nyanon was afraid of Nguelemedouga as Sub district officer of Nyanon

And that little ingenious act from Nguelemedouga endeared him to the hearts of the scanty population who came to watch his installation ceremony. They immediately spread the news after the ceremony. He was adopted not after having been given the warning that made him to take a forceful leave. But he was adopted by the people of Nyanon all the same. And as the 1997 June Municipal and Legislative elections approached, Nguelemedouga began registering the application of all political parties that wanted to register their candidates. And on one occasion, he received in his office Professor Malate, who was the leader of a faction of the UPC party and who was also a national or native of the Sanaga Maritime division. Malate was adored by the people and considered a demigod. He was also touted by his own as one of the most brilliant mathematician on earth. The fact that, Nguelemedouga received Malate in his office was another sign of overture made the people of Nyanon who had an ambiguous approach toward their new administrator, but suddenly developed affection and respect for him. The inhabitants of Nyanon were now happy and showed sympathies toward Nguelemedouga, even though they still had some tinge of reservations. The only man in Nyanon who was not happy one bit, with Nguelemedouga was Mr Cappolytree Logbang, who was the designated candidate of the ruling CPDM party in the sub district. He viewed the cordial reception that, Nguelemedouga granted to Malate as a tacit betrayal.

For he(Mr Cappolytree Logbang) feared that, even though the government created the Nyanon sub district and elevated it into an electoral constituency in order for him to be elected Member of Parliament and mayor, in compensation for sponsoring the ruling party, there was not enough guarantee with Nguelemedouga as sub district officer. Hence, Cappolytree took his pen and wrote a three page petition letter to the Minister of Territorial Administration, who is the direct boss of Nguelemedouga. He copied the petition to Prime minister, the Speaker of National assembly and the presidency of the Republic, with expectation that, it will reach the office of the president of the Republic via the secretariat general. In his petition, Mr Cappolytree wrote that, he wanted Nguelemedouga to be relieved from his new function as sub district officer and listed the reasons why. He insisted that, it was urgent, and in the words of Cappolytree, Nguelemedouga had gone mad. How? Simply because, the sub district officer had received Malate in his office and also granted authorisation to all factions of the opposition Union of the Population of Cameroon (UPC) to host rallies in Nyanon. He added that, Malate who was the Secretary General of one of the three factions of the UPC could never have enjoyed such royal reception in Nyanon under an Anglophone sub district officer. Even though, Anglophones are reputed to be independent minded, pro-democracy activists and at such, considered enemies of Cameroon.

elie-smithsstory: The reason why I was born in Penja, Littoral province of Cameroon

elie-smithsstory: The reason why I was born in Penja, Littoral province of Cameroon

elie-smithsstory: My passage at Cameroon Radio & Television Corporation (CRTV)

elie-smithsstory: My passage at Cameroon Radio & Television Corporation (CRTV)

The little ingenious act from Nguelemedouga

Concerning the suggestions of Mr Lawson to transfer Nguelemedouga from Nyanon to the English-speaking region, which he made to Mr Abdulkadir, he (Abdulkadir) responded: “if he is transferred to the North West province, he will become a fanatical Christian”. Lawson replied: “the Anglophone region my dear, is not limited to the North west province alone”. “There is also the South west province, Sir”. Abdulkadir retorted: That is a fine idea, why don’t you ask the Minister of Territorial Administration to transfer him precisely to Bakassi, after his three months stay in Nyanon?”. “Well, yes, I would have wanted him to be sent to Bakassi”. Lawson answered. And Lawson continued: “Please, you know that, Bakassi or a majority part of it is under Nigerian control”. Then Abdulkadir interjected: “This simply means that, neither you nor I want him in our respective regions, please allow him to go and stay where he rightfully belongs”. Lawson replied: “Nguelemedouga is not a Bassa native, he is a Beti”. And Abdulkadir replied angrily: “what is the difference?” And he continued: “the difference in this thing called Cameroon is you and I. For you are an Anglophone and I am a Muslim from the North. And whatever we do, no one will take us seriously or even consider us as a bona fide Cameroonians”.

Lawson was shocked and told his colleague and friend that: “look! Things are heating up; I will prefer that you come home in order for us to talk better”. “Good bye and remain Blessed my brother”. “Same to you”, Abdulkadir replied. As Nguelemedouga got the news of his transfer, he descended to Yaoundé to find out why. He was asked not go back to Couseri and also that, any belongings of his will be brought to him at his new post. He was immediately briefed on the reasons why he has been removed from his former post of duty and given instructions on his new post. . He was briefed on how to work in Bassaland and was also asked to contact all those who had worked in other parts of Bassaland. In particular, he was asked to meet Mr Suh Tony in order to familiarise himself with Nyanon sub district and Ndom sub division in general. On the day of the installation of Nguelemedouga as sub district officer of Nyanon, he surprised everybody. After the speeches of Eyenga Lois, the Senior Divisional Officer of the Sanaga Maritime and direct boss of Nguelemedouga and an array of other dignitaries, it was the turn of Nguelemedouga to address the scanty crowd who bothered to attain the ceremony. He did not address the crowd in French, as other speakers had done before him; he instead addressed the public in the Bassa language. And that little ingenious act from Nguelemedouga endeared him to the scanty population. They immediately spread the news after the ceremony.

elie-smithsstory: My family and my views (final part)

elie-smithsstory: My family and my views (final part)

Nguelemedouga, in Nyanon with a clear mission

But the ceremony went on after a detachment of the Gendarmerie was called in to disperse the demonstrators using tear gas, batons and firing live bullets in the air. The pioneer sub district officer of Nyanon, Mr Nguelemedouga, spent his first night in Nyanon with a warning. For he was bitten while at sleep by a serpent and was taken that same night to the Edea General Hospital, he recovered and he promised that, he would rather become jobless than be killed in Nyanon. He left Nyanon for Yaoundé, where he reported what had happened to him to his boss and he was given a month leave to spend with his family. Risdoh, her brothers and their mother were happy to see their father back home. Since Nyanon sub district was created in 1996, the only top civil servant sent there to represent the government was Mr Suh Tony. He stayed there for three weeks and was forced to take a leave and never came back. Mr Tony left not because he had any problems with the locals, but because, Cappolytree suspected that, since he was from Anglophone Cameroon, he might be sympathetic to the opposition and at such, might want to organise free and faire elections. Hence Cappolytree used his connections at ministry of territorial administration to make that, the leave of Mr Tony be transformed into an indefinite one.

This simply meant that, Nguelemedouga might be the first sub district officer who was officially installed but he was not the first civil servant to be posted to Nyanon. After Nguelemedouga’s blunder in Couseri, he was posted to Nyanon with firm instructions to make Cappolytree, the ruling party’s candidate in the up coming elections twin municipal and legislative to win. In Cameroon, divisional, sub divisional and district and sub district officers are not only representatives of the governments, they also double as de facto members of the ruling party and are required to carryout electoral frauds. While Nguelemedouga had his instructions, Mr Lawson who was the prime minister, knew from intelligence reports that, he (Nguelemedouga) was a brilliant administrator who could also perfectly carryout electoral frauds. But he also knew that, it won’t be easy in the Sanaga Maritime division and he may be assassinated. Hence he suggested to Abdulkadir who was the speaker of parliament that, Nguelemedouga be transferred from Nyanon after three months to any of the two Anglophone provinces. But honourable Abdulkadir who is rancorous and believed the act of Nguelemedouga to support Muslims in Couseri and Makari to install the Islamic holy law was a calculated attempt by his political enemies with the tacit approval of Nguelemedouga to ruin his political career, did accept Lawson proposals. He wanted Nguelemedouga punished in whatever manner.

elie-smithsstory: Consequences of African women’s quest for emancipation as propagated in France(part 32)

elie-smithsstory: Consequences of African women’s quest for emancipation as propagated in France(part 32)