Nkwain Denies Northwest Marginalisation In Inoni Gov't

By Kini Nsom And Clovis Atatah

Former Minister and member of the Central Committee of the ruling Cameroon Peoples' Democratic Movement, CPDM, Hon. Bochong Francis Nkwain, has dismissed claims that the Northwest Province was marginalised in the appointment of the Inoni-led government on December 8, 2004.

In the Inoni government, the Northwest has the Deputy Secretary General at the Presidency, Ambassador Philemon Yang. "In the political arena, Philemon Yang is in a strong position for the Northwest," Hon. Nkwain said in an exclusive interview he granted The Post on March 26 in Yaounde.

According to him, the position of the Assistant Secretary General at the Presidency is more than the two positions occupied by the two former Ministers of Northwest origin that were sacked on December 8, 2004.

Nkwain stated that it is the functions of a Minister that matter, admonishing that anybody who minimises the three positions that the Northwest has in the Inoni government is an enemy.

The politician, who hails from Njinikom in Boyo Division, said the Northwest should rather jump for joy that its sons and daughters have been put in some strategic positions of the state.

He cited Dr. Divine Chemuta Banda, who is the Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission and Emmanel Ngafeeson, the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Justice and Keeper of the Seals, in charge of Penitentiary Administration to drive home his point.

"The other person is the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Commerce, Ama Tutu Muna," Nkwain said. He said Ama Muna is a charismatic lady politician whom all sons and daughters of the Northwest should support.

According to Nkwain, Ama Muna occupies an important position that can make Northwest go places."I was there when Ama came home. I heard her speak and interact with her people. I wept like a child because that is the kind of leadership we need," Nkwain narrated, while urging the Northwest to count quality instead of numbers.

He said he has reason celebrate the appointment of the three Northwest members of government.Talking about the achievements of the CPDM in the past 20 years, Nkwain said the party has been constantly committed in establishing democracy in Cameroon. Apparently justifying the stunted growth of democracy in the country, Nkwain said:

"Democracy is not something you plant like a stick, you cultivate it," he said.According to him, all those who are concerned with the growth of democracy must learn to tolerate each other's opinions and embrace dialogue in all circumstances. On the whole, he said democracy was progressing in Cameroon at its own pace.

Biya Vindicated

He claimed that President Paul Biya has been vindicated because he said: "You cannot just come on Monday and say we change on Tuesday." The former Minister stated that the cry against corruption and other nation-killing vices is a cry against every Cameroonian.
Hear him: " It is a cry against every Cameroonian.

It is not a cry against a political party." He said all political parties have agreed that the ills are wrong but observed that sin will remain with the society no matter how successful one goes in the fight.
Nkwain held that the balance sheet of the CPDM is that the Cameroonian nation is getting stronger, wiser and more democratic.

He denied the fact that government has overtaxed Cameroonians following the recent increase in taxes. He claimed that Cameroonians enjoyed a long period of tax moratorium, "There has been a let go, please the people attitude. But you do not build a nation by pleasing the people."

Buttressing his point, Nkwain said the people of any nation pay for the life of that nation. This payment, he pointed out, comes through taxation. He called on Cameroonians to take up their responsibilities and pay their taxes.

He said; "We will build the nation when every Cameroonian takes up his or her responsibility for peace and for the economy. That is where we are going. The road may seem thorny and disturbing but a little patience will help us turn the corner. And people will be happy."

Citing an example of a young Cameroonian who has taken up his responsibilities in nation building, Nkwain praised the founder of the road construction company, Société BUNS, Eric Njong for employing many Cameroonians. He also praised another road contractor, Jones Shey Yembe for serving the nation well.

Nkwain took off time to refute observations that President Biya's doctrine of rigour and moralisation has yielded no dividend because Cameroon is still suffering under the yoke of moral decadence.
According to him, Cameroonians are now more aware of what is immoral because of Biya's moralisation policy.

" When you become aware of what is immoral, you then make sure that you do not fall into that trap of immorality," he said. He further said even though Cameroonians talk more about immorality now, it does not mean that the nation is more immoral than it was in the past.

He said Biya started his tenure by appealing to Cameroonians to always give a moral thought to all their endeavours. This means that before one criticises a thing, he/she must think about it from the moral point of view and give an opinion to improve morality, he explained.

Comments

[George]

Seems to me hon Nkwain wants to make a come back.
This attitude of Biya supporters praising him no matter what is the act that has landed us where we are.
We all live in lies.

[Pet]

What else can Nkwain? Has he ever been out of touch with the people of the NW.

[Gerald]

Poor old Nkwain should know by now that Northwesterners are not interested in Political appointments and look for other means to seek attention from Biya. Northwesterners had long closed the door to Mr Biya and do not give a damn whether a northwesterner is appointment minister or not. He even went further to claim that the exorbitant taxes foisted on Cameroonians by the Inoni government is justified because 'Cameroonians have enjoyed a long period of tax moratorium'. It will be interesting if Mr Nkwain can tell us what the Inoni government has done to uplift the plight of millions of cameroonians that have been suffering under Biya for more than two decades. It is regrettable that people like Nkwain can actually sell their consciences and people just to beg for favours from Biya.

[Neba Funiba]

This is classic false consciousness. Ironically, Nkwain and Inoni were co-workers at the Cameroon Embassy in Washington, DC--may be he is seeking a comeback. Nkwain should stay put underneath the political rugs where he belongs. What I find disturbing is the hupla generated in villages, tribes, divisions, etc., whenever someone from that locality is appointed a minister or senior administrative officer. For example, what do Peter Abeti and Peter Agbor Tabi (ex-ministers) have to show as contribution toward the development of their localities?. Nothing! Ninety-nine percent of these appointees are narcissistic cranks interested only in their immediate families and may be those of their girlfriends (now curtailed by the fear of AIDS); the locality at-large does not benefit anything substantial from the appointment of an individual. Even some parliamentarians (elected officials) bankroll themselves with money they receive for micro-projects. A typical example is Dr. Solomon Shu, former CPDM parliamentarian from Bafut. For the years that he was in parliament, he got money for micro-projects yet there is absolutely nothing to show for that money. Whether a minister is from Northwest, Southwest, "DOWNWEST, UPWEST, FIRSTWEST OR LASTWEST" it does not make a difference because the system is broke and must be fixed.

[Randy]

I've had the opportunity of sitting in the same room with Pa Nkwain. I've even had the priviledge of serving him a drink on one or two occasions. As a custom in the NW, we address elders 'pa'(ba) or 'ma' and so I fondly addrees him "Pa" or refer to him as such when talking about him to others. He's a man of great wisdom and such a vast knowledge and I just love looking straight into his eyes when he gives advice about Religion and Character.
But I'm afraid when it comes to politics or the cpdm party in particular, Pa Nkwain, deliberately, and shamelessly so, chooses to be outright dishonest or turns a blind eye to the ills inflicted on the Cameroonian by Biya and his thieving cohorts.

To be honest with you Pa, when I have another opportunity to sit with you in the same room again, it'll be very hard this time around to look you straight in the eye again. Not because I'm guilty of some wrongdoing, but because your words of advice and especially that determined look of 'honesty' in your eyes would have ceased to become a source of inspiration to me.

[Alobwede Benard]

It is out of sheer effrontery that any right thinking Cameroonian will make the ridiculous declarations made by the 'honourable' Pa Francis Nkwain.How can a man of his age and education become so dishonest to himself and Cameroonians?
North Westeners have been marginalised in the "new" government of Chief Inoni and Cameroonians have been cruelly subjected to heavy taxes.
I also wish to state that anglophones in general have been marginalised by the regime over the years.Any anglophone who fails to point out this truth is a sycophantic, kabu kabu, self seeking political nonentity in search crumbs,in the guise of appointment, at the table of "Le Renouveau".
It is high time the exploited, oppressed and downtrodden stood up to right the wrongs done to them.
As a Cameroonian in the diaspora, I will continue to be patriotic by speaking the truth.
Benard (U.S.A)

[m]

Why should people still worry about worthless opinions of weary-brained,and selfish men like Francis Nkwain.Such are some truly shameless hypocrites whom anglophones should do all to disown.
Anne Nkwain and the rest of Francis Nkwain's progeny should really be embarrassed by their very own father's insanity!It is awefully frightening to have such a fellow as your dad!
Shame on you Mr. Nkwain.

[Ashu felix]

What Really is Marginalisation
Should lazy people get up and start working rather than talking Nonesence???
This is the type of politics thats has keep and will keep africa and Cameroon in particular in the bin of poverty.People are not judge for what they can do within a particulary period of time but they are judge because they are from one part of Cameroon or the other.When a Cameroonian from the french speaking province is appointed to any ministerial position there is out cry of Anglophone marginalization, when its came from the south west there is similar outcry of Northwest marginalzation.So too if the governor appointed in southwest is a Bakweri man there will be a bayangui marginalization.
I wonder whats this "Marginalisation" is all about.To me its anloge to a Lazy child who always complain that the Teaches hate him whenever he had a bad result slip.
Ashu Felix(Oldenburg Germany)

[Stephane Ndong]

There is a story around which alleges that Mr. Nkwain slept with ALL his daughters.

Is that true?