Controversy Mars Ndioro’s Burial

By Kini Nsom

The Minister of Special Duties at the Presidency of the Republic, Justin Ndioro, who died on January 28 in France after a protracted illness, was Saturday, March 3, buried in his native village of Kiiki in Mbam and Inoubou Division amidst controversy.

The fact that the Minister did not build a house neither in Yaounde nor in his village, sparked the controversy.
Family members virtually drew daggers as to where the remains of the Minister would be interred.

While the Minister's widow, Virginie Ndioro, argued that her husband's funeral would take place in the Mbam and Inoubou Divisional capital,

Bafia, the mother of the deceased and other family members swore that their son would be buried in Kiiki, a small village nine kilometres away from Bafia on the way to Bokito in the Centre Province.

The controversy raged on as the remains of the Minister lay at the mortuary of the Yaounde General Hospital for over three weeks. It was not until last week that President Paul Biya laid the brouhaha to rest.

In a Presidential decree, the Head of State ordered that the Minister be given an official burial in his native village of Kiiki. Onlookers were astonished when the mother of the deceased, an octogenarian, spoke in dialect while calling President Biya's name during the funeral ceremony.

According to an interpreter, the woman was showering praises on the Head of State for having ordered that her son be buried in their family compound in tandem with her wish.

Despite the fact that he held many juicy positions in Government, including that of the Minister of Finance, Ndioro, who was buried two kilometres away from their family house, reportedly did not build a house of his own anywhere in the country.

It was for this reason that Biya's envoy, Prime Minister Chief Ephraim Inoni described Ndioro as an exemplary figure who shunned materialism and avoided amassing wealth for himself.

He said the Minister lived in a world where the accumulation of material things was the craze, but decided to leave behind him a non-materialistic trail for posterity.

According to Inoni who was accompanied by some members of Government, Ndioro stood tall as an epitome of moral probity and an exemplary figure for youths to emulate.

In another eulogy, the Secretary General of Eglise Presbyteriene Camerounaise, EPC, Rev. Dieudonne Massi Gams, regretted the death of the Minister, noting that human life is just like vapour that appears and evaporates after a very short time.

Speaking on behalf of the elites of Mbam and Inoubou Division, Supreme Court Judge, Martin Rissouck Amiloung, described the late Minister's sojourn in the world as being short and spectacular.

He said the Minister made his mark anywhere he worked, receiving applause from those who knew him well as a silent achiever.

Born 58 years ago, Ndioro was the fourth child in a family of ten. He leaves behind a wife and three children to mourn him.

Ndioro's academic career took him to France where he graduated as an engineer. Upon his return to the country, he was appointed Deputy General Manager of the National Electricity Corporation, then known by its French acronym as SONEL in the early 70s.

He was later appointed the General Manager of the aluminium-producing company, ALUCAM.Ndioro was Minister of Finance from 1991 to 1995. He was also appointed the Minister of the Economy and Finance.

He also held the post of Minister of Public Investment and Regional Development in the late 90s. Besides, being the Minister of Special Duties at the Presidency, Ndioro was the Board Chairman of AES SONEL before his death.

He was described a man of fine and equal parts who performed his enormous responsibilities in silence. His close aides say the Minister was a taciturn character who spoke only when it was absolutely necessary.

He is said to have been President Biya's good boy who enjoyed the privilege of always having a post of responsibility ever since he joined the Government.

Last year, he was appointed to act as the Minister of Energy and Water Resources when erstwhile Minister, Alphonse Siyam Siewe, was arrested and detained on charges of corruption.

As the Minister lies fallow in his grave, Mbam and Inoubou elites are said to have engaged in a tussle as to who will succeed Ndioro who was more or less the political leader of that constituency.

Comments

[Ma Mary]

Wow, a Camerounese official unstained by corruption! He is a rare jewel. I honor him too. That does not mean I intend to share countries with you mofos.

[Abesong John]

Minister in Cameroon with no storey building? hmmmmmmmmm! What an angel in a band of corrupt juntas? May his sinless soul rests in perfect peace.

[Abesong John]

sorry for the grammatical. I meant to say "may his sinless soul rest in perfect peace".

[Watesih]

Not having mansions in Cameroon is not synonimous to not having them in France,as far as Biya and his friends are concerned. His love for Ministerial posts,and his long stay in government shows he is another silent epicurean.He wouldn`t surely have been the only good Cameroonian to occupy those posts for so long.These are exactly the people who have either boisteriously or silently ruined this country.

[Ma Mary]

Good point Watesih. All the facts are not in. Thanks for keeping me alert.

[GilbertChina]

Money ill gotten serves no purpose, glance around and you will share this view with me. Why do people only speak of good deeds when someone dies? Didn't he have a short coming or a flaw as any other humanbeing will do? One of the things they didn't mention and I will like to mention here is the fact that, he's one of those who misguided the headstate with the wrong decisions to destroy or withdraw all the money that had something to do with the Late head of state Ahijou. He's one of those who quickly acknowledged that Ahijou should be buried abroad.These alone serve as examples that, what goes round comes round. Let's watch the drama as it unfolds. No one will last on earth forever. "Unto to dust we came and unto dust we shall return". May his soul rest peacefully with his riches until we meet him where we shall all be equals. God bless us all.

[kenedy Epie]

Not having a house anywhere in the country does not mean he was a saint among wolves. He must surely have some out of the country, and that is worse.

[rexon]

It is seemingly embarrassing reading through the headlines news in the past fours years in our homeland and the responses one gets from readers with a seemingly pompous commonsense that appeals to many and the enthralments under which a significant number of commentators here helps them define the boundaries of what is deemed “sayable” and what is not. While looking through all these headlines commentaries, I have come to the conclusion that even with the independence of the Southern Cameroons; we will still inherit more problems than we previously thought.

With the invention of feymenism and it seeming growth together with other vices, the question of morality in the Southern Cameroons has been redefined and reinvented and it seems to my view as a new theme with an entirely new definition.
I will give you guys a few examples:

Fon Ndoh, a convict and Murderer still fighting to be a member of parliament.

NJFN telling us that Baba Danpullo (a cheat by all standards) told him this or that!!!!!!!!!!!!

Inoni that Ndiori was not a cheat and did not have a house in yaounde!!!

Bla, bla, bla!!!!!!!!!!!

Additionally,

How comes that some commentators can sing praises to the SDF for criticising the importation of beignet/doughnut Chinese producers in the Southern Cameroons, while at the same time failing to question its chairman’s importation of a French gambling Company (PMUC) to the North West?

How comes that the SDF is busy talking about election malpractices while at the same time, it has always have more votes casted for the SDF alone than the number of registered voters in several pooling stations in and around Mutengene, Muea, etc.

When envelopes change hands between NJFN and a Inoni, nobody questions that, and we are told it was petrol money, when they say No Elecam No Elections, we are being told that ELECAM is an IEC.

When one tries to question certain actions of certain public figures, we are being told that we are delving into private prejudices. That makes it hard for us to evaluate and elevate what we see as political correctness on sensitive topics with much understanding. It has become no use observing that there is something wrong in NJFN coming out of a meeting with Inoni with an Envelope, or he renting his house to a French Gambling Company. We will be told that the envelope was for his petrol, also that there are many houses at Commercial avenue and PMUC would have rented any, bla bla, bla!!!!!!!!

It appears what I am trying to say here is, political institutions and their prophets should not exhort us to virtue in a way that it has not done in the past.

Morality of any individual and the state should be construed to “contribution” and “responsibility”.

We living abroad can seemingly judge our own contribution from sponsoring our young ones and families through frequent remittance back home. As far as our individual responsibilities is executed, I can say, I don’t know how to judge most of us. Because, we still bow to the corrupt practices and ideologies that we have inherited from our homeland. I say so because, my recollection suggests that in most cases we have failed to criticise them objectively.

As for the state, its morality should always be called into question. But our actions together makes up the actions of the state and we are seemingly at fault to all these even as Southern Cameroonians. On the one hand are those who don’t contribute and don’t want change and recommend the current status quo (Fonkams, Ricardo’s,). On the other hand are those who contribute and are responsible but tolerate irresponsible behaviour (Watesih, Fon, can be classed under these lines especially when it goes against their SDF policies and doctrines) and those who contribute and are responsible and does not tolerate irresponsible behaviour (these group includes almost all Sympathisers and supporters of the Southern Cameroons cause including myself, Tayong, Ma Mary, M. Nje, Rene Ndibi, Akoson, Anglo-Cameroonian, etc).

The clash between several groups of rational thinkers is what worries me most. I find it hard to believe that the human mind can be so fallible and discriminatory in such age. NJFN’s and his SDF cohort’s campaign for political change should start from themselves. They have seemingly dampened the political conciousness of our people in their colonial and other discriminatory antics with La Republiques corrupt henchmen for economic and resulting financial gain. The difference with them and other CPDM agents is that we know them and their views. So we are always ready to fight the Ngolle Ngolle’s, the Danpullo’s, the Oben Peter’s, etc. these groups of people together with the SDF and all its factions involved in fake politics with colonialist should be resisted by all means. They have failed to criminalise violence, rape, murder, torture, etc on the Southern Cameroons and we should resist them if we want any change. We should delve deeper into their prejudices and private behaviours and see how we can reform or send them on exile to a foreign land, otherwise, we would go nowhere.

As it stands, there is still a long way to go.

Wondering Like the worried son, Akoson.

[Fon]

It is absolute nonsense to conclude that Ndioro did not built a house because he was not corrupt. Either he was irresponsible or he never saw the need to build one.He lived all his life in a government house and never saw the need to build one.
From the conclusion we want to draw concerning the fact that he never built a house; does it mean that only those who are corrupt built houses. There are many Cameroonians(e.g teachers,public and private) whose salaries are not up to 1/100th of this late man salary, who have no opportunity to embezzle and have built houses. It was possible for Ndioro to use only his salary and allowances to build at least two houses if he saw it necessary.
To live an expensive life is more costly than building a house.He must be one of those Cameroonians say say they drink water from home; when they refer to France as home.
If I had him as an elder brother, I would have disown him.
Here this stooge of Biya called Inoni:
"According to Inoni who was accompanied by some members of Government, Ndioro stood tall as an epitome of moral probity and an exemplary figure for youths to emulate." Why did he not say an exemplary figure for other ministers (including him)to emulate?
Are they the youths who are most corrupt or they the ministers?

[Kumbaboy]

Ndioro was no role model. He was well paid, NEVER PAID RENTS, talked development but failed to build a house for his mother.

Those values are totally unacceptable. He may be a role model for Inoni whose days in office must now be numbered!

[Liz]

No! No! No! Ndioro is definitely not "an epitome of moral probity" as quoted above and certainly no exemplary figure for me or any youth to emulate! We do not expect these ministers to build Taj Mahals while in active duty, however, a humble abode under your name is all that is required for a man of that calibre to own. You can go beyond if you can afford it but it is not necessary. A house to call your own, a resting place, a place to unwind or a place to be buried is more or less expected; not owning his own house makes me wonder if this guy was hoping to rise like Elijah did. Is the Prime Minister thus insinuating that all those who own houses are corrupt? Dead or alive, minister or not, corrupt or not, he should have had place to call "my own".

[Liz]

Irresponsibility is what I will call it, not "an epitome of moral probity" like the PM claims! Makes me wonder if the PM too is corrupt since he owns a house too. Pot calling the kettle black.

[Akoson]

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!

[AngloCameroonian]

Akoson, Akoson are you seeking for notice or what?

Why did he not build a house? He was capable. It is a shame!
Shelter, food and clothing are necessities. From the early man down to us, even beyond to animals.
Inoni can only cover that up. If that is an examplary life, let the others sell all that they have and give alms.
God will punish you for not providing a home to your wife and children!

[wiseman]

Well Mr. minister i feel so sorry for your dead and i was also touched when i read your biography.For your dead is a great lost to our country.But on the other hand,if at all you were truely a good man then i pray the Almighty God will your give your soul eternal rest. And while there,pray for us who are still behind and for the corrupt members of our government to change from their wrong doings so that our nation me be better up one day.

[wiseman]

Liz

I am some how impressed with your informations.But hoe reliable is this information you have posted? Are you sure all you said is true and relaible too? Well if all you said is true then it will be some kind of good news for many people you know.So i will be eagerly waiting to get more as concerns this information you have posted.

[Tita Mofaw]

I would like to know if anything has happened in Buea this morning that is news worthy. I heard a very bad rumour which I don't want to beleive.Please, anyone in Buea should kindly inform me that nothing has happened.

[motto job]

I am obliged to add my voice to the disgrace Ndioro took along with him to his grave.His old an frail mother is living a hut constructed by his late father who was not a corrupt man.Ndioro should have atleast, contrucetd a modest 3 bed rooms house in his village for himself,the family and the old mother from his salary.Paradoxically,he was living under the tree with his entire family while as director or minister because he was not corrupt.Not a good example for any youth.May His soul rest in peace.

[motto job]

I am obliged to add my voice to the disgrace Ndioro took along with him to his grave.His old and frail mother is living in a hut constructed by his late father who was not a corrupt man.Ndioro should have atleast, contrucetd a modest 3 bed rooms house in his village for himself,the family and the old mother from his salary.Paradoxically,he was living under the tree with his entire family while as director or minister because he was not corrupt.Not a good example for any youth.May His soul rest in peace.

[Liz]

Wiseman, I would love to take credit for what you're impressed about, but I am not sure it is directed to me, maybe it's to the posting right after mine, it can be confusing at times as to where the writer's name is placed.

[fotus20]

This is all fun. I doubt if a person of his calibre and portfolio Live without a house. This really is an unbelievable story. May his soul and that of that faithful departed rest in perfect peace AMEN.

[eyallow]

The guys sounds useless and irresponsible to me. If you can't build a foundation and roof over your head, how can u then help take care of the needy and run a whole ministry? It appears that his legacy is left in controversy because he never palnned his life well and this must have been reflected in his administrative duties! What did he accomplish? I hear nothing about that!

[Kumbaboy]

We have read of Mr Biya's properties in the United States, France, Germany and Cameroun.

According to the exiled Paul Mesi - former GM of a now defunct parastatal Bank, it was Paul Biya's loans to build a personal mansion in Sangmelima that sank several domestic banks. These loans remain unpaid.

Inoni is rightly saying Paul Biya is materialistic, corrupt and a demagogue.