By Joe Dinga Pefok
It is Saturday, February 24. The event is a joint, daring visit into the wilds of the oldest (over 60 million years) rainforest on the African continent, the Korup National Park in the Southwest Province of Cameroon.
Ngolle Ngolle (behind guide) Ambassador Maquardt & Governor Eyeya, braving the Korup rain forest
The main actors are the Minister of Forestry and Wildlife, Prof Elvis Ngolle Ngolle, the US Ambassador to Cameroon, Niels Marquadt and the Governor of the Southwest Province, Louis Eyeya Zanga.
The Minister's entourage included some of his close collaborators, notably, the Director of Wildlife, Mahamat Aminé, Southwest Delegate of Forestry and Wildlife, Philip Tako-Eta and Zuma, the Chief of Communication Unit in the Ministry.
Also trailing the high profile visitors to Korup to live and report the event were a dozen reporters from both the official and private media.
It was almost midday on that February 24 when the convoy alighted at the premises of the Mana Guard Control Post in the outskirts of Mundemba Town.
The control post is located close to the 12 m span Mana Suspension Footbridge over River Mana. The bridge is one of the only two official entrances into the 1,260 kilometre square Korup National Park.
Upon arrival at the control post, the Conservator of the Korup National Park, Albert Kembou, addressed the group, dishing some vital tips, before the start of the rugged journey into the wilds of the Korup Forest with its elephants, chimpanzees, monkeys, medicinal plants, caves, streams, shrubs, hills, valleys, flora, snakes and so on.
Kembou advised, for example, that, during the journey, nobody should, at any one moment, move in isolation. This, he explained, was because there were many trails criss-crossing each other in the forest.
And, he warned, any visitor who was left alone, just for a minute, was likely to miss the right track for the journey, and, thus, could get missing in the wilds of the forest.
The Conservator also advised against noise so as not to scare the animals.
After briefly concerting with the Minister, the Governor cautioned that members of the group should frankly reflect on the issue very well. He advised that those who felt they could not withstand the rigours of long trekking should stay back.
After reflection, a few people withdrew.Meanwhile, the group of over 40 people was divided into three sub groups, in a bid to facilitate movement, as well as make it convenient for the eco-guards leading each sub-group, to explain certain things along the way.
The Minister, the Ambassador and the Governor belonged to the first group. It was announced that all the sub-groups were to stop near a stream five kilometres into the forest, for a short rest, as well as for a head count to ensure that nobody was missing.
The destination for the day was the Chimpanzee Camp, which was located 11 km into the forest, from the Mana Suspension Footbridge.
First Lap
The first challenge the visitors met was crossing the Mana Suspension Footbridge. All the visitors were unanimous that, when you look ahead while on the bridge, the image you see is that of the bridge rolling backwards.
The Eco-guards had advised all the visitors to look ahead, and not downwards, when crossing the bridge. They were, however, just recommending the better of two frightful scenes.
For, when you look down into the big river, the scene is the more frightening. For instance, the thought that the ropes holding the swinging bridge could give way stares you directly in the face.
Meanwhile, Ngolle Ngolle, Marquardt and Eyeya Zanga, all smartly dressed, were among the first people to brave it across the hanging bridge.
Almost a kilometre into the forest, we saw a board indicating that it was at that point that a high profile visitor, the Prince of Wales (Prince Charles), ended his visit to the Park on March 23, 1990.
As announced, members of all the three sub-groups stopped near a stream for a short rest and headcount. After refreshing awhile, our guides informed us that we were resting near a vine, Ancistrocladus Korupensis, which researchers have tested and confirmed to contain chemicals that can destroy the AIDS viruses (HIV-1 and HIV-2).
After resting for a few minutes, we hit the forest trails again through the very rough terrain. The track was small. People had to move in a single file. There were many streams without bridges, and, so, people had to wade across.
There were so many hills in the forest. That is why, most of the time, we were either climbing or descending a hill. Also, time and again, we came across thick shrubs that had bent into the trail, and one had no choice than to push his or her way through.
Time and again, we also stumbled on what is commonly known as "soldier ants" on the track. At such points, we were all forced to do some running. All these impediments on our route, however, only added to the excitement of the journey.
It is worth noting that we were not cut off, in terms of communication, from the world. In fact, while on the top of some of the hills deep in the forest, one could get the MTN network.
Thus, people with cell phones connected to MTN had the opportunity to make some quick calls back home.
Also, the sounds of birds flooded the atmosphere, as we trekked through the forest.
As for the chimpanzees, the Eco-guards explained that it would be very difficult to see them because of the noise, for they are very sensitive.
We were told that to easily see chimpanzees, one needed to quietly hide in the forest early in the morning or late in the afternoon, for, at that time, the chimpanzees leave their abodes and go out for food.
As for elephants, we learnt that it is easy to see them during the rainy season, as many go as far as River Mana where water is abundant.
But, during the dry season, when the water table drops, the elephants mostly hang around the centre of the dense forest where they can find some water in the streams that hardly dry off.
At one point during the journey, we left the trail leading to the Chimpanzee Camp and headed for an area where the mysterious Big Boulder (a very large stone in the form of a house) is found.
Then the rains poured. No one had an umbrella.Interestingly, no one even seemed to care about an umbrella in the wilds of Korup.
The raindrops were even refreshing. In spite of the rain, the journey continued. Suddenly, we burst into a pierce of land without trees. We had arrived at our destination for the day - the Chimpanzee Camp.
It was the first time, since we embarked on the journey some hours earlier, that we had the opportunity to clearly see the sky. So dense was the forest that all we could see above us were branches of trees, leaves, shrubs and so on.
Chimpanzee Camp
The Post learnt from the eco-guards that, when the area had to be cleared of the trees in order to build the camp, it was discovered that many chimpanzees had been living in that area. That was how the camp got the name, Chimpanzee Camp. 
The crew waiting for lauch at the Chimpanzee Camp
The camp has three huts, a kitchen, a pit toilet and a generator. There is a drinking point up a stream near the camp, while a washing point is below.
For the night, the Minister, the Ambassador and the Governor put up in one of the huts. This time there was no telephone network in the camp. We were, thus, all cut off from any contact with the rest of the world. No radio signal could also be received.
Shortly after our arrival at the camp, a group of women and their assistants, hired from Mundemba to take care of our meals, served lunch.
Prof Ngolle Ngolle had stressed that all members of the group constituted a family and that there be no discrimination of whatsoever form. So, after a prayer, we had to serve ourselves from the same table.
Also, the three high profile members of the group, often moved separately around the camp to chat and joke with members of the family.
It was really a moment of ecstasy to many persons in the group, like the porters and local eco-guards, who said they could never have imagined themselves in such a situation.
Supper was served at 9pm.
After the meal, people then relaxed in groups, "boozing" and telling stories in a style typical of village life in the evenings.
We went to bed around mid night. Since the huts could not take everybody, some people slept in outside tents.
By 6am, everybody was up. We got ready for the return journey.
Breakfast was ready at 7am but there was no time to allow the breakfast digest as, at exactly 7.15am, the timekeeper announced that it was time to get going.
Mountain Trial
We took off following a different direction from the one we used on our way in the previous day. This was because we had to visit the 50-hectare Korup Forest Dynamic Plot where there is an ongoing research programme that measures forest dynamics.
The programme is operated by a consortium of the Oregon State University in the United States. We briefly visited the Dynamic Plot, which is located two kilometres away from the Chimpanzee Camp, and, then, moved on.
We believed our guides were leading us on the return journey back to the Mana Suspension Footbridge. But, that was not to be the case.
After trekking for another two kilometres from the Dynamic Plot, we came to a signpost, indicating that we were at the beginning of the mountain trail. That meant little - or nothing- to most of us.
The official programme did not indicate that we had to climb any mountain. Also, with the forest so dense, we could not see far ahead of us, to know what we were actually up to.
We were actually face to face with the very steep Namata Ledges. Apparently, the local organisers of the trip had deliberately left out that name from the programme, in order not to scare many people away from the trip.
So, we found ourselves actually climbing the mountain in the forest.Of course, it was extremely tedious to climb. At some points, some people had to hang on shrubs to be able to climb while some had to virtually crawl on both hands and legs.
Some people swore at the guides for having led us to such an awesome place.But there was no turning back. Ngolle Ngolle, Marquardt and Eyeya Zanga, trudged ahead, pushing their way quietly up the slopes. We followed.
After some two hours of continuous climbing, we moved to an adjourning hill, followed a track for a while and came to a junction.
It was then 10.20am. We had already trekked for three hours, five minutes. Some people looked weary, after going through the rugged mountain trail.
At that point, most of us wished that our guides could announce that we were, say, a kilometre, or, at most, two, from the hanging bridge.
Pointing to one of the trails moving westwards, the guides said it was leading to Chimpanzee Camp where we had spent the night.
But we could hardly believe our ears when the guides said, at that junction, where we were standing; that the Chimpanzee Camp was barely three hundred metres away. This meant that we still had at least 10 kilometres to cover, to reach the hanging bridge.
Although some people seemingly might have preferred returning to the camp for a rest or, probably, spend the night, there was, again, no turning back as the Minister, the Ambassador (dressed in shorts) and the Governor took off for the real return journey.
There was little conservation on the return journey, as many people were exhausted. And, so, it was with a sigh of relief that we crossed the Mana Suspension Footbridge to our vehicles.
Record Created
Officials at the Headquarters of the Korup National Park announced, at the end of the trip into the wilds of the Korup forest, that Ngolle Ngolle, Marquardt and Eyeya Zanga, and their entourage, had trekked a total of 33 kilometres in that dense rain forest.
They also informed us that the group had created a record in the history of the Park, for, since its creation 21 years ago, no visitors, not to talk of high profile visitors, had trekked that much in the forest.
Reacting to this, Prof Ngolle Ngolle smiled, and, then, said light-heartedly: "It is a good thing to set a record."
After the exacting trip, the Minister still looked crisp and strong.
The fact that Prof Ngolle Ngolle is known to be an assiduous, regular tennis player and practises physical exercises must have helped.
It might not be superfluous to recall that the Minister, participated - not long ago - in a CPDM organised semi-marathon race in Tombel.
I would rather praise Minister Ngolle Ngolle for that trek in the jungle while his colleagues were in air conditioned offices in Yaounde. For Ambassador Marquardt, he is a man of the people. He is used to doing things like that. Hope this will help to improve the status of the dying national park exacerbated by the inaccessible roads from Buea through Kumba to Mundemba.
Posted by: kenedy Epie | Tuesday, 06 March 2007 at 03:35 AM
Kenedy Epie,
Possibly what other Anglohpone ministers would have been doing err long.Only Elvis Ngole Ngloe has brought an Ambassador to Korup.Most Ministers remain in ther flambouyant bungaloos in Yaounde neglecting that openings and developmental projects could be carried out here as the international communities lay hands on these virgin forest and possibly create more jobs and bring development.
Fritzane Kiki
Hong Kong
Posted by: Fritzane Kiki HK | Wednesday, 07 March 2007 at 08:32 PM
ALPHONSE SIYAM SIWE NAMES NAMES.
...Biya escapes the long arm of the law by the skin of the teeth.
...Vice Prime minister, Ahmadou Ali may find himself in Kongdengui including some world bank officials, if Cameroon is truly a land of the law.
...this information filtered out from an unquestionably reliable source.
Lawyers for Former Douala Ports Authority General Manager, Alphonse Siyam Siwe and Board Chairman, Edouard Etonde Ekotto now standing trial for the embezzlement of 42 billion francs have raked up a list of some 100 personalities and institutions whom they claim are also involved in the scam and should mount the witness box. The list released in two parts contains names of serving and former paliamentarians, ministers, and foreign firms. Even some World Bank officials have been cited in the very explosive document.Prominent among those cited are the Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Justice and keeper of the Seals, Amadou Ali, Minister of State incharge of Territorial Administration, Marafat Amidou Yaya, Minister of Commerce , Luc Magloire Atangana and Former Communication Minister Pierre Moukoko Mbonjo.
At the time of printing some 100 personalities had been implicated. The matter which came up for hearing last Tuesday and Wednesday is being bogged down over procedurial objections being raised by the defence and was adjourned to March 6. It should be noted that on Tuesday the Court Registrar collapsed when the matter was called up. Some top officials of the World Bank and foreign companies have been implicated in the financial scandal at the Douala Autonomous Port as a new list of suspects has been established bringing the number of suspects to 51. The head of the World Bank mission to Cameroon , Madam Florence Charlier and an expert with the Bank, Koyasse Faustin have been cited by judicial sources as potential suspects.
Five foreign companies have also been cited for investigations. Among them is the notorious French company Group Boller? whose founder is highly blamed for provoking the civil war in Ivory Coast. He is accused of signing non-tenable contracts to clear the bed of the dockyard. A Dutch naional Renier Vanherel is also expected to answer questions
related to the role of his company, Damen Shipyard Rotterdam in the scandal.
Three Japanese companies, including the Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC), Mitsui and Co LTD, 2-1, OTHEMCHI 1-CHOME, CHIYODA, TOKYO , Ocean Consulting Japan (OJC). All these companies are suspected of trafficking money.The sources say most of the new suspects (40) are likely to end up in jail giving the compelling incriminating evidence against them.
The list which The Sun got, also contained the names of former ministers, serving
parliamentarians, highly placed business persons, foreigners, and banking institutions as well individuals of high standing, including the president of the Bar Council Barrister Charles Tchoungang, who will bear testimony to a colleague's involvement in the scam. A former minister likely to be jailed in the long run, is Pierre Moukoko Mbonjo who The Sun was told got his hands soiled while signing a contract, at the time he was Chief of Cabinet in the Prime Minister's office with a Japanese company, METSUI to clear the bed of the dockyard. It is alleged Pierre Moukoko Mbonjo made kick backs and render the contract fishy. Christopher Nsahlai, one time Minister for Transport, and currently board chair of the Douala autonomous port, is also suspected of shady deals with Siyam Siewe the detained former Managing Director of the port. Another outstanding revelation was the involvement of one of the Deputy Speakers of the national assembly, Jacob Fosi who is CPDM Member of Parliament for the Menoua, in the west province. As manager of SAFRIC, a company involved in clearing the bed of the dockyard, he is thought to have signed out unjustified sums of money. Another MP, Bernard Forju of the Lebialem constituency will also answer charges.
One of the suspects Zibi Frank Martin was arrested recently with several millions of francs cfa on him. He is even said to have stocked some of the money in his pants. Officials of the World Bank are also being sited in the scandal. Sources close to the dossier did not say when the new suspects will be heard. But it is highly expected that Cameroonian authorities would seek help from the international community to bring those of them who are abroad to answer the charges at the Wouri High Court.
We shall get you posted as development unfolds.
The worried Son!
Posted by: Akoson | Thursday, 08 March 2007 at 03:55 AM