Up Station Mountain Club

Fon Detains Human Rights Crusader

By Peterkins Manyong

Human rights activists in Bamenda have been spitting fire since Thursday, November 18, following the detention of their colleague on instructions from Fon Chafah XI, of Bangolan a Magistrate and Secretary General of the North West Fons Union, NOWEFU. Gabriel Ambo, fondly called Gabby by his friends, is the Promotion Officer for the Human Rights Defence Group, HRDG. He is detained at the newly created Gendarmerie Brigade Research at Mile 4, Nkwen, on allegations that he was caught stealing at the Foncha Street Residence of the Fon.

Strikes Beset Yaounde

By Kini Nsom, Nformi Sonde Kinsai & Leocadia Bongben

The inhabitants of Biyem-Assi and students of the Higher School of Engineering made circulation in Cameroon’s capital city, Yaounde, virtually impossible on November 23, when they took major streets hostage in a sit-down strike.

Colonel Loses FCFA 38 Million In Counterfeit Deal

By Pegue Manga

The Buea Magistrate Court, on Tuesday, November 23, began hearing a criminal suit involving an Army Colonel, Michael Mosah, who allegedly lost FCFA 38 million to counterfeiters.
  The court heard that Colonel Mosah, a medical doctor, was allegedly duped by one Severin Wandji, alias John Kumalo Babey.
In a four-count criminal charge, Wandji is accused of having caused Colonel Mosah to lose FCFA 38 million by false pretence between November and December 2003.

Ban Looms Over Unauthorised Churches

By Francis Tim Mbom

By the end of November, some unauthorised churches which have been operating in Fako Division will cease to exist.
Earlier on November 8, the SDO of Fako, Bernard Okalia  Bilai, convened a meeting, grouping church leaders from Limbe and Tiko in his Limbe office, where he warned those churches that have been operating without any legal authorisation from the Head of State, to have their status regularised before November 30 or be banned.
“From November 30, an Administrative Commission is expected to, after an evaluation meeting, move out to the field to identify those who have not complied and have them closed until they can regularise their situations,” the Second Assistant SDO of Fako, Vincent Lokombe Nafongo  said.

Archbishop Blesses Biya’s Mandate

By Kini Nsom

The Catholic Archbishop of  Yaounde, Mgr. Victor Tonye Bakot has called on President  Biya and other politicians in the country to serve God by truly serving Cameroonians.
He made the call at the Yaounde Metropolitan Cathedral on Tuesday, November 23. The occasion was a mass the elite of the Centre Province organised to thank God for President Biya’s victory at last October 10 polls.

Kom Kwifon Clashes With Administration

By Chris Mbunwe

The highest traditional regulatory society in Kom, Boyo Division, the Kwifon, reportedly clashed with the Njinikom administration in Bobang village, recently.
The Post gathered that the Kwifon had attempted to traditionally try Raphael Ngong, who allegedly caused the death of one Suh, by stopping water from flowing from the tap through witchcraft.
Matters came to a head when one young man, Suh, died, and it was blamed on Raphael Ngong. Enraged youths of the village blamed the elders for being too slow to act and made straight for Ngong’s residence. When Ngong learnt of the incident at the village market, he sought protection from the Njinikom administration, which intervened immediately.

Collapse Of An Ill-fated Coalition

Participants in an ill-fated failure always give testimony. Since the collapse of the Coalition for National Reconciliation and Reconstruction, CNRR, many articles have been published. Some set out with the limited mission of clearing some actors of any responsibility for the failure. Others set out with an equally limited goal of demonstrating the incompetence of some of the actors who played a part in the venture. However one distributes blame for this other failed bid for opposition unity, it marked the end of an effort that started with the “Directoire”, then moved through ARC-CNS, Union for Change, FAC and then the CNRR, even if their respective methods and goals were not exactly the same.

Women As Victims Of Borrowing

By Peterkins Manyong

It is common knowledge that the majority of men who borrow from money lenders do so in order to fulfil their amorous obligations, either towards their wives, fiancees or concubines. But it is not generally known that women are also the victims of this practice, which is nearly as old as the human race. 
William Shakespeare who lived more than 500 years ago, confirmed the practice of borrowing to satisfy amorous needs in his play “The Merchant of Venice” using the story of Bassanio who went with his friend, Antonio, to borrow money from Shylock, a rich Jewish money lender.

Difficult Parts Of RehabilitationWork On Bonaberi Over

By Joe Dinga Pefok

Eight months after the effective rehabilitation work effectively began on the Bonaberi Bridge, which is officially scheduled to last two years, the French Companies executing as well as supervising the project, have declared that the most difficult parts of the project have been completed.
This disclosure was made by the spokesperson of the companies, Amadi Gabouche, at the third Inter-ministerial Committee Meeting charged with the follow up of the rehabilitation project which held in Douala on November 2. The  meeting was presided at by the Committee President, Emmanuel Bonde (Secretary of State in the Ministry of Public Works).

Collector's Diary

I'M STILL IN CHARGE OF LIONS- SCHAFER

By Innocent Mbunwe

Sacked Head Coach of Cameroon’s national football team, Winfred Schafer, has said he is still in charge of the Indomitable Lions. Schafer, who was fired Wednesday, November 17, told Magazine Focus, he will continue with his day-to-day duties, until the Cameroon Football Federation, FECAFOOT, informs him that he has been sacked. The 54-year-old German said he was informed by journalists and a hotel barman that he had lost his job. “This is not fair, it lacks courage,” Schafer said. “I will work today, tomorrow, forever for Cameroon.

SCNC Detainee Critically Ill At Kondengui

By Kini Nsom

One of the Southern Cameroons National Council, SCNC, activists, Philip Tete, serving a 10-year jail term at the Kondengui maximum-security prison in Yaounde, is critically ill.
According to prison sources, Tete, 68, who has been suffering from many heart-related diseases, recently went into a coma. But the prison authorities have rejected pleas that he should be taken to the hospital.

SDO Angry With Limbe Council Management

By Francis Tim Mbom

Fako Senior Divisional Officer, SDO, Bernard Okalia Bilai, has criticised the draft 2005 budget for the Limbe Urban Council, LUC, pointing out what he said were major loopholes.
Okalia, who questioned the validity of some of the budgetary subheads, called on the management of the Council, headed by the Government Delegate, Samuel Ebiama Lifanda, and the Councillors to sit up and work more efficiently for the general good of the people of the Limbe Municipality.“Things must change in line with the Head of State, Paul Biya’s prescriptions,” the SDO said.

What Coach Does Cameroon Need And Should The Lions Pull Out Of CAN And World Cup Eliminatories?

Vox Pop Conducted By, Chris Mbunwe,  Kini Nsom, Walter Wilson Nana, Francis Tim Mbom & Nformi Sonde Kinsai,

We should look for an intelligent coach. Schafer was not intelligent enough because he imposed European football style on Cameroonians, which was wrong. A new coach must be versed with African football. African football is not European, Brazilian or American football.It will be unfortunate if the Lions finally pull out of the World Cup and Nations Cup qualifiers. Let FECAFOOT and the players sink their differences and choose a coach that will qualify Cameroon. It is not late because, if we win the rest of the qualifying matches, we would make it.

Max Samgwa’a Nchotu, NW Provincial Boxing Coach

He Should Be Conversant With African Football

ENS Authorities Suspend Classes

By Kini Nsom

Classes at the Yaounde Higher Teachers’ Training College, ENS, have come to a halt after students went on strike on November 18.
Lack of benches, toilets and other facilities in the institution, triggered the strike that lasted many hours.
A group of close to 3000 placard-carrying students thronged the streets, cursing the authorities for making things difficult for them.
It was not until the Minister of Higher Education, Maurice Tchuente and the Rector of the Yaounde 1 University, Sammy Beban Chumbow, came that tension died down.

Meme SDO Fined For Contempt Of Court

By Olive Ejang

The Meme High Court, holden in Kumba, has slammed a fine of FCFA 150.000 on Senior Divisional Officer, SDO, of Meme, Otto Wilson, for despising the court.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Stephen Wuaku Achaleke, fined the SDO alongside gendarme officers Esambe Nteppe and James Akode Ntube FCFA 450.000.

Bendskins Banned In Limbe

By Francis Tim Mbom

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Councillors of the Limbe Urban Council have voted overwhelmingly to ban motorbike taxis (bendskins) operating in the municipality.The ban was voted in a November 19 Council session, held at the Council Hall.
Following deliberations on some ten proposed draft bills, eight by the Government Delegate, Samuel Lifanda Ebiama, and two by the councillors, the councillors voted overwhelmingly to ban all commercial motorbikes, “benskins” within the Limbe municipality.

MATTERS ARISING

By Che Anoma

Schafer’s Sacking May Be Harbinger Of Good Tidings
There is a saying that goes: “never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” It is against this backdrop that we are called upon to revisit the sacking, last Wednesday, November 17, of Winfred Schafer, head coach of the Cameroon national team, the Indomitable Lions.

CPDM Stalwarts Out-scheme Each Other For Ministerial Posts

By Kini Nsom

Ever since Mr. Paul Biya was declared winner of the October  11 polls, the Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic is reportedly awash with petitions and counter-petitions as to who worked hard or not, for his victory. Besides, some CPDM bigwigs have been granting interviews to newspapers, telling the world how hard they worked for Biya’s victory and expecting to be rewarded with Ministerial appointments. Others have reportedly gone to the extent of consulting sorcerers in the hope that this would ease their entry into government.

Nigerian High Commissioner Confident Of Bakassi Handover

By Francis Tim Mbom

The new Nigerian High Commissioner to Cameroon, H.E. Edwin E. Edobor, has said plans to finally hand over the disputed oil-rich Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon, by his government, are right on course. H.E. Edobor was speaking to the press in Limbe on Sunday, November 14, at the Nigerian Union Office after a red-carpet reception offered him by his compatriots at the Limbe Urban Council Hall.Edobor said Nigeria failed to honour the timetable for the handover due to some “technical reasons.” He said the motion filed in the Nigerian Supreme Court lately by the Chief of the Bakassi area was just one of the technical reasons that botched the expected handover.

SDF MPs To Protest Against Fon Doh

By Kini Nsom

Members of Parliament of the opposition Social Democratic Front, SDF, are planning to protest the killing of the party’s Balikumbat District Chairman, John Kohtem last August 20. Their bone of contention is that Hon. Fon Doh Gah (an MP of the ruling Cameroon Peoples’ Democratic Movement, CPDM), who is the principal suspect in the murder has not been arrested for trial.

Abstinence, Not Condoms Is Best Defence Against HIV/AIDS

By Orock E. Eta

Dr. Vivien Khumbah heads Health Care International, a Buea-based Association interested in Public Health Education. The Post caught up with her to throw light on HIV/AIDS in the family. According to her, the communication barrier that exists between parents and youths on sexual issues can be handled more easily, if families inculcate Christian values in their members. Among other things she also discussed her position on condom use. She believes that the promotion of condom use may instead increase the spread of the pandemic. She has an issue with the way condoms are transported and preserved for use. “I am saying that chances are very high that by the time those things get down to the users, something is wrong with them, no matter how good their quality might have been as at the time they left the factory.” She talked with The Post’s Orock E. Eta. Excerpts:

Kalla Lottin, The Pathfinder

By Effa Tambenkongho

Ernest Kalla Lottin, who died at the ripe age of 79, was laid to rest at his residence in Clerk’s Quarters, Buea, on November 13.
A retired senior Labour Administrator and pioneer Provincial Delegate, Inspector of Employment, Labour and Social Insurance for the Southwest Province, Kalla Lottin, fondly known by friends as EK, died of arthritis on November 1, four months after he fell sick.
A native from Jaybale, an island close to the Mungo Bridge, Lottin was born in 1925 in Douala, Littoral Province, but lived all his life in the Southwest Province.

Taste A Little Bit Of Hell On Earth

ByCaroline Nfi

The road to Mamfe from Widikum is like a journey to hell. Mamfe, a memorable town of old, has had a new look; it is clean, some of its streets are tarred. No dirt can be seen thrown around.
Indeed, Mamfe has a new look. It is a transit town, serving as a stopover for travelers to and from Kumba or Nigeria.
The economic importance of the Ekok-Bamenda road cannot be overemphasised, and we should not fool ourselves because with or without that road, people have been daring to make ends meet.

COLLECTOR'S DIARY

I stood there watching the ngah as she trembled against the door. My own trouser legs were trembling like a poplar tree, my hands damp with sweat and my throat dry. Without saying a word, I stepped up to the ngah and took her hand in mine. She shuddered and lay her head on my chest. My heart was hitting hard against my ribs, feelings mixed. I pulled the ngah’s head away from my chest, smelling the scent from her hair. Then I bent down and touched my lips to hers. She responded with a lingering tenderness. I raised one hand to stroke her cheek and she smiled as I caressed her. She closed her eyes, a gasp escaping her lips. Our thoughts were known only to ourselves. I gathered the ngah in my arms and lay her on the bed. Then I was between her and the light bulb up in the ceiling.