Cameroon: profile of Soulaymane Mahamat and the doubtful ancentries of Ahmadou Ahidjo and Paul Biya

And these children, whose parents were humiliated by the former ruling class, were the ones who took over the mantle of leadership after independence. For they understood modern ere governance and also had western education and this change of status, created conflicts in most countries in Africa, wherein the former ruling class, lost their privileges to people they used to despise or rule. Concerning the ancestry of Ahmadou Ahidjo and other leaders of Cameroon or even the current president Paul Biya, whose ancestry is also put in doubt by the usual people, it has to mentioned that, prior to 1960, when borders where confirmed, there existed mass migration of African people from one part of the continent or region to the other. Furthermore, colonially drawn boundries have never posed any problems to African people. That might explain why, the parents of late president Ahidjo or current President Biya, may have either come from current Nigeria, Mali, Mauritania or Niger as claimed by people who are floating such information. Or in the case of Biya, it is claimed that, he is from Equatorial Guinea.

Such claims are basless and unfounded. For the questions that have to be asked to people floating the idea or information on the origins of people governing Cameroon are these: what is the native tongue of Biya and Ahidjo? Was the area that they are currently located in, configured in the same way before colonialism? Did Nigeria or Equatorial Guinea exist before the advent of colonialsm and the borders that they created? Concerning Ahidjo’s education, I don’t think he (Ahidjo) went to school more than most people of his generation and more so, who had the luck to be educated. While there is a strong controversy about the ancestry of late Ahmadou Ahidjo and also the rank that he may have had within his family and tribe, Souleymane Mahamat never had to confront such problems. He was from a well known Muslim aristocratic family and whose father wanted him to be educated in a western style. For his father foresaw the preponderant part that western education will play in modern French-speaking Cameroon. Hence Souleymane and his brothers and sisters were all educated. With all the divine privileges that Souleymane had, he never experienced difficulties when he was growing up.

He grew up with servants and was groomed by his father to be a leader. Souleymane was lucky that his father, although a noble and rich minority, who are proud of their glorious past and thus despises Europeans, he nevertheless made an effort to send his children amongst which was Souleymane, to attend the school of White men, this in order to achieve western education. It was not the case with other rich nobles of the greater north, which preferred sending their children to Koranic schools, where they are thought elementary Arabic. When Souleymane went to school, it turns out that, he was very brilliant and upon graduation from primary and secondary schools, he was trilingual. He spoke fluent French, English and Arabic. Not forgetting that, he also spoke Fulani and Hausa languages. His father sensing that his son was brilliant, he developed reflects that was thought to have left him long ago. He decided that such a brilliant son would not serve the government of Cameroon but God. Senior Soulaymane wanted Junior Souleymane to become an imam. But it was not easy for a child who had had the experience of Souleymane to be attracted to a theocratic service as his father wanted.

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 .