Bar Council Elections:The Toughs Are Lining Up

By Pegue Manga

With campaigns hot-up, bickering, inching in and suspicion growing by the day, elections into the Cameroon Bar Association, scheduled for June 3 in Yaounde, promise to be a game for the toughs.An array of senior lawyers, including Barrister Eta-Besong Junior, Henri Pierre Job and Charles Tchoungang are eyeing the post of Bar Council President.

On the other pedestal, a young lawyer, Barrister Ajong Stanislaus Anu, says he is ready to grab the Presidency of the General Assembly of the Bar. Other advocates like Julius Achu will be modestly gunning for membership of the Bar Council, while Barrister Emmanuel Ambilichu will want to retain his Bar Council membership.

It is in this intricate environment that the various candidates have been girding their loins for the final showdown. Eta-Besong Junior is a bespectacled tough talker. Many lawyers The Post spoke to think he is fit and ripe for the post of Bar Council President.

"Eta-Besong is our candidate," says Barrister Gilbert Tangunyi, a Buea-based advocate. "I think he is a fit and proper person. I know his capability and academic acumen. Eta-Besong is very hardworking and sound both at law and in experience. If he gets into the Presidency, he would move the Bar forward," states Tangunyi.

Barrister Justice Ntoko, President of Fako Lawyers Association, FAKLA, tells The Post his association had been preparing for the elections long ago."We have chosen one candidate to stand for President of the Bar Council, Barrister Eta-Besong. We know no other candidate," he says. "We worked very hard to put him in this position, Ntoko pursues.

Ntoko believes that as one of the oldest serving members of the Bar, Eta-Besong is the proper person to head it now. "He has the charisma and power. He is unshakeable. The only way we can assess him is to give him that position," Ntoko says.

But some lawyers think Eta-Besong has been a member of the Bar Council that has so far failed to organise even one entrance examination. So why vote a man who identifies with a failed team?

Ntoko answers: "Mr. Eta-Besong is just a member of the Bar Council. Real power rests with the President, Ebangha Ewudu. Eta-Besong cannot sidestep his President. We expect him to take over and bring monopoly into the Bar Association."

For Barrister Charles Enow, the Bar Council has got to a state where word has to be matched with action. "We know Eta-Besong is just the type of person who can deliver the goods."

He said though Eta-Besong has been in the Bar Council, he has not been in a position to influence how things are supposed to be done."Anyone who knows Eta-Besong will understand that he will speak out without fear or favour," says Barrister Ernestine Samba.

"Once the truth is out, he would tell the public in very strong terms," states Lawyer Ernestine.

Henri Job Is Most Focused

In spite of Eta-Besong's unshakeable qualities, some lawyers think Henri Pierre Job, a Douala-based lawyer, is a better candidate. "Henri Job has come to grab the leadership of the bar, which seems to be in the hands of gangsters, only interested in occupying government positions," thunders Barrister Joseph Tanyi Mbi.

"As lawyers, we need to be independent, the President of the Bar Council cannot be a member of NEO," Mbi argues.In his campaign manifesto, Barrister Job writes that the Bar Council has failed to communicate adequately with its members.

"The shameful practice of bartering fellow learned colleagues' votes for a bus ticket, a meal and a bed may continue just as blithely as in the past," the learned Barrister, who joined the Cameroonian Bar in 1981, warns.
A fair, cool, calm but firm man, Job argues that the agenda of the General Assembly of the Bar has to be modified.

He fears that the "outgoing Bar Council seems to have forgotten to remind the President of the General Assembly to include the presentation of a statement of account of their mandate in the agenda."

He says his first battle is to fight against the "continued impoverishment of our profession, a poverty deepened by discriminatory measures instituted amongst lawyers."
Do Not Forget Tchoungang
Barrister Julius Achu, a lawyer based in Douala, thinks Tchoungang is the best for Bar President and he tells you: "Barrister Charles Tchoungang is a better prepared candidate in all intents and purposes."Barrister Achu says though Eta-Besong is a good candidate, he is not prepared for the post.

Achu, who will be vying for membership of the Bar Council, denies allegations that his financial muscle encouraged him to do so. "I think I am ripe enough to be a member of the Bar Council," he avers.

"Financial muscle is part of life and we do not join the Bar Council to get paid. We spend our resources to work for the Bar Council," he explained.On how far he has gone with his campaigns, Achu says one never knows if he has done enough until after the elections, "I believe I am not doing badly."

He says he can conveniently fit in both the Anglophone and Francophone parts of the country, which adds plausibility to his candidature.

Barrister Ajong, The Pathfinder

Some say he is too young to stand. Others argue he is diminutive and lacks the personality of a General Assembly President of the Bar Association. Many think he is jeopardising Eta-Besong's bid for the Bar Council Presidency, given that there is an unwritten understanding that once the President of the General Assembly is Anglophone, the Bar Council President is automatically a Francophone and vice versa.
Nevertheless, Barrister Ajong Anu of Tiko believes he is fit and ready to stand as General Assembly President.

"I am very prepared because I launched my campaigns since May 2005," Ajong says. He had presented his manifesto, which was distributed during a failed general assembly meeting in Yaounde last year.

"The lawyers are quite enthusiastic about my candidature because of the issues I have raised in my manifesto, which are salient and purely academic. I have the backing of many lawyers even though for now I cannot quantify them," says.

Ajong pooh-poohs allegations that he is a spoiler candidate intent on jeopardising Eta-Besong's chances of becoming Bar Council President. "There is no law which says once the President of the General Assembly is an Anglophone the Bar Council President is automatically a Francophone and vice versa," Ajong argues.

"I am qualified to stand for any post in the Bar. It is my legitimate right and I will not budge. Those who are complaining about my candidature have not told me what they are doing with the other candidates. Let everybody go out and campaign and put up a manifesto.

That is what the people want to know, not how old you are, or the number of years you have been in practice. These are not what win votes," Ajong says.Ajong says he enjoys good relationship with Eta-Besong.

"Each time Eta-Besong has been given the opportunity to talk about my candidature, he has said it is my democratic right to run and that he would not be the one to be recorded in history as having infringed on this right."The young lawyer says he told Justice Ntoko that he would stand for elections, come what may.

"I am accused of being sponsored by Barrister Innocent Bonu, under the guise of another candidate. People are not picked from the streets and sponsored. If anybody decides to sponsor me, it is because they have seen some quality in me. But this was a personal decision I took," he reiterates.

Ajong believes he can trigger changes and pep up the Bar General Assembly if given the chance. "I intend to wipe out the misconception that the President of the General Assembly is lower than members of the Bar Council and by extension the President of the Bar Council.

I say no, because everybody, including the Bar President is elected by the General Assembly. So it is the President of the General Assembly who represents the inner views of members of the Cameroon Bar Association," Ajong explains.

Reservations

Some lawyers in Buea still argue against Ajong's candidature."Everybody has a right to run for any post. But FAKLA cannot engulf everything. We would do one thing at a time. We have not given our blessing to any other candidate, except Eta-Besong. Period," Justice Ntoko emphasises.

For Barrister Ernestine Samba, many Fako lawyers are of the opinion that Ajong should step down. The chances are slim for the Presidents of the General Assembly and the Bar Council to be Anglophones, she thinks.

Barrister Gilbert Tangunyi is disturbed by Ajong's candidature. "Four years ago, when the present Bar Council took over, there has been this unwritten arrangement that the next President will be an Anglophone, especially Eta-Besong. I get disturbed when I see people trying to shy away from that arrangement today," Tangunyi growls.
Give Him His Due

Barrister Charles Njualem, Ajong's campaign manager, holds that Ajong will be the next General Assembly President. "We the lawyers of the Southwest Province and our colleagues all over the country are unanimous that learned Barrister Ajong will be the President of the General Assembly of the Bar on June 3. He enjoys all the qualities of a President," says Njualem.

Njualem says they have faced no reasonable difficulties, "A few people thought he was young, but when we told them he enjoys all the good qualities, they withdrew their statement and apologised," he said.

For Barrister Tanyi Mbi, Ajong represents the young generation of lawyers. "Barrister Gilbert Abunaw has been President of the General Assembly for two years, but we have not seen what he has done. We should give this position to a young man," he insists.

Let It End Well

In what sounded like a concluding note, Barrister Blaise Sevidzem based in Buea says, "We think that all things being equal, the Bar Council that will be elected in June should be able to learn from the errors of the present Bar."

Sevidzem thinks the present Bar has not attained the much-needed unity."Eta-Besong is our best bet. He has the best of chances to make the association more dynamic. We believe that under a man like him the bar examination might come up," Sevidzem says.

Comments

[Elvis Enoh (in Accra)]

No good Association would exist without hope of its conitunity.
It's trite knowledge that Lawyers die every day, some swicth over to NEO n other governmental organs for easy cash, some runaway with clients' money to Europe and America, some 'retire'.
Cases pile up day in day out in our plenti courts because the few Lawyers can't be omnipresent to dispense speedy justice. Rather you all would prefer the young ones 'Postulants' to go and adjourn the cases every other adjournment dates at instead of them going to do those cases. All these at the expense of the litigants.
Whether Eta Bisong Jr, or Bisong Eta Sr, or whatever... PLEASE if you love your Profession n Association assure its conitnuity by organizing entrance exams for young lawyers to get in. Copy good examples from countries like Ghana that has been admitting an average of 150 young Lawyers into the Ghana Bar Association Since 1959.
Mark you, Ghana has a population of just 20 million persons almost like Cameroon.
Stop arguing about who should step down or who should step up in the Bar. How many of you who claim to be soo ripe for whatever... has ever contested for parliamentary seats??? Yet you all shy away and allow Traders to go and make laws for you then you complain of BAD LAWS lateron.
My fellow Lawyers you all be realistic, go fo the right posts in the country and stop fight for posts in the Bar where if given you won't do anything. Barrister Abunaw knows what I talking about.
GOOD LUCK 2 yall candidates.

[Charles A. MASANGO]

Everything being equal, lets pray that 'Eta-Besong' comes out victorious. I know he has the qualities that is needed presently in this association. He is the 'abbot' most of us had been waiting for this position.

[Eric-Denzel]

The cameroon Bar Association is a total failure and will continue to fail because of greed and corruption. Eta-Bissong has always been part of the membership of the "rainbow Group" which has been running the bar council for almost a decade. He has always supported them in all respect so what does he want to say which is different from that of the present regime which he has always supported strongly. He just want to ''chop his own soya, no body is ever tired of chopping soya".
as for Ajong and his gang of thieves (Bonu inoncent and Njualem) They have nothing to offer but to look for ways to steal, the are baptised thieves . These are the thieves who collaborated with the former Mayor of Tiko Rural council(Daniel Mokondo) to sign a 15 years contract with them as council retainers(lawyers for the council) meanwhile the mandate of the mayor is 5years and when a new mayor was elected after the expiration of the five year term of Mr Mokondo, the "accomplice" and the new Mayor looked for a new retainer these thieves sued the council for breach of contract. They got judgement against the council for 24,5million francs and conieved with lawyer Inoncent Bonu on percentage basis who was Lawyer for Bicec bank, the bank where Tiko rural council has its accounts. Shameless Bonu instead of defending Tiko rural council which was a customer to its client rather preferred to ask for a percentage of the judgement debt from Ajong and Njuallem to reveal confidential secrets of his client. Heinformed the court in an affidavit, exactly thesame as the one prsented by Ajong that the council has enough money in the bank to foot the judgement debt.Before the council's lawyers were able to finish their appeal and stay of execution the money was already received by the thieves( Ajong, Njualem and Bonu). I also blamed the council because instead of taking a sharp lawyer to be theirretainer, the mayor instead took her friend's law firm in douala to be the council's retainer, and the only anglophone lawyer in that law firm by name Bernard fonju only has big mouth for nothing, he could not even move the court. even to enter appearance, he enters just fo himselve eventhough his brother Barrister Fonju geroge was sitting next to him, he didn't enter his appearance for the matter(99 sense, he did want to share the transport money with him) and when he was in difficulties he asked his brother to say something, and his brother replied that he can't say anything because his appearance was not entered and thus he has no authority to offer a word. The demise of the council was also as a result of poor lawyer from big mouth Bernard fonju who could not move the court on a motion.
After the money was colected barrister Ajong bought a blue mercedes car and Njualem bought an old house and renovated whle Bonu was given three million, the other lawyers who entered appearance like Ambilichu, Justice Eba Ntoko, Eta Bissong and others also received their "soya money".
The money received by Ajong and Co was councils money to develop the city of Tiko and Ajong and his gang of thieves knew very well the hardship that they caused to the inhabitants of Tiko by claiming the council such an amount of money.
Ajong, Bonu and Njualem are eagles and they don't go to the market place unless there is something there. They have nothing to offer but to steal.
Bonu Inoncent is just a comedian after committing all sorts of evil acts he is the first to sit at the front roll on sundays in church.
Bonu knows that when he will nolonger be a member of the bar council a series of law suit will be invoked against him and he might end up imprisoned .You guys are very aware of the beneficail life scandal which he was involved in.
Most of the candidates for the Bar council membership are nothing but closing the door and opening the window. " Gand of Baptised Thieves"

[Rexon]

Eric Denzel,

Can you please brief some of us on the beneficial life scandal?

I am compiling a dossier of those who have conspired to destroy the southern cameroons and no words, idea, etc is small.

I know what you have said is 100 percent true. Only those who dont want to recognise the truth like Dr AA, Frank Muma Will want to debate your facts and ask for substantiated evidences.

I am just very happy for your write up. I will be very happy if you can take the time in the future to contribute many other interesting articles like this one.

Respect.

[Donna,Dubai UAE]

Denzel,
i finally read something interesting.I cherish such plainess,hope we get more.
regards

[chiefmboe]

Thinking Aloud

I just think that most of the time we leave the object and go directly after the shadow. The first thing I will like to tell you all is that there is no angel on earth. This explains why there is bound to be corruption when checks and balances are absent in any organization. All of you have written but nobody has questioned why a council's laws permit a mayor to sign a contract that will go beyong his term of office? This to me is an indication that we in this forum are very emotional to the extent that we miss the piont always. Tell me who is that angel that will govern the Tiko council with the present absence of checks and balances and will not blunder.
What I am saying is that organizations should introduce checks and balances rather than trying to look for angels to solve their problems. I am not one of those voting at the Bar Council but know that if I had that opportunity I will gladly vote for Barrister Ajong. I think he is a young man who could deliver the goods given a good system of checks and balances in the Bar. I personally know him well. We fail most of the time because we rely on those old people. I also know Barrister Eta well. Please let us give the young the chance to prepare their future.
Go ahead Barrister Anu, most of us are solidly behind you. Don't be discouraged by a few who have no belief in young leaders.

Chief Mboe

[NjifenztB.D.(U.K)]

I am particularly keen to get more info on the beneficial Life Insurance SCANDAL!My Mum's funds got cyphone a decade ago by a well known individual.(his full names, status, date of birth and longivity of service history is very familiar.I will soon explode the bomb once i gather my facts.
Hope to read from you Mr.Denzel.

[NjifenztB.D.(U.K)]

I am particularly keen to get more info on the beneficial Life Insurance SCANDAL!My Mum's funds got cyphoned a decade ago by a well known individual.(his full names, status, date of birth and longivity of service history is very familiar.I will soon explode the bomb once i gather my facts.
Hope to read from you Mr.Denzel.

[Erick-Denzel]

Chief Mboe, the fact that you know Ajong doesn't mean that he can deliver the goods. By the way when you say you know Barrister Ajong Anu very well in what capacity do you know him and also why do you want to claim monopoly of knowing Anu, many people know Anu as well as you do and even more than you. Your support for Anu's competence is void of any relevant facts and thus i will consider it null and void. You should give facts to proof why you think Anu can deliver the goods. Just saying you know him very well is an empty statement as every body can say that. I will always repeat that the equip consisting of Anu, Njuallem and Bonu innocent is very dangerous, they are all eagles and vampires who will always reap first and never sow insteading of sowing first before reaping. Bonu innocent is somebody whose hands are very dirty and if he invovles somewhere is to dirty the place. He is sponsoring Anu because he sees Anu as some dirty person also who can continue dirtying the house.
I am a jurist an know those people very well, i have eaten, drank, talk and interacted with them professionally, socially,and otherwise so what do you want to tell me about those thieves.
The fact that we need young blood in an Asssociation doesn't mean we should take young blood that is contaminated. We need young and fresh blood and Anu though relatively young has a contaminated blood and thus not fit to deliver the goods.
Chief Mboe Ajong has nothing to offer to the Bar General Assembly, he doesn't even have the charisma, he is not even a seasoned lawyer because he always shouts in court as if he is quarrelling. Shouting does not prove your case, it only makes you childish, he should learn how to have court room decorum and civilty, in the united states and other developed countries judges look at those qualities and this influence his decision.
Ajong needs to be composed like Barrister Tanguinyi Gilbert of Zeck's Chambers Molyko Buea. I think Barrister Tangunyi is a replica of what we call lawyer not those noise makers. Gone are those days when people think if they are talkertives then they can make good lawyers,.
I will advise Ajong to improve on his charisma and civility.
I will admit that he is a hard working guy but he should build certain personality and mentality if he knows he wants to hold positions of responsibilities in grand associations like the bar association. " he who comes to equity should come with clean hands". If you want position then work on your character and personality, don't dirty it because you ruin your chances.