Opposition Parties Boycott 49th Youth Day March past In Bamenda

By Budi Ebala

Bamenda the Capital City of the North West Region joined the rest of the country on February 11 in celebration of this year’s Youth day which is the 49^th edition. Peculiar of this year’s celebration in Bamenda was the absence of the opposition parties most especially the Social Democratic Force SDF and its National Chairman Ni John Fru Ndi. The lone political party that took part in the march past was the ruling Cameroon Peoples Democratic Movement, CPDM marking the close of the event Presided over by the Governor, Adolphe Lele L’afrique.

The Ceremony at the Bamenda grandstand kick started with a rebroadcast of the Head of State’s message to the youth and there after the Governor handed excellence prizes to meritorious laureates in various sectors. This excellence prizes is an initiative by the Chief Executive which is in its third edition. The objective of this award of prizes to performant entrepreneurs according to Governor Lele L’afrique is to encourage hard work among young people.

The National Higher Institute of Sport and Leisure INJES led the march past follow by a stream of nursery and primary schools thereafter secondary, higher professional Institutes which included the University of Bamenda displaying the several departments and new faculties of learning offered at the  University of the future. The number of training schools for nurses in Bamenda could march on unnoticed given that many students who could have entrance in to State training schools enroll in these private initiatives littered around town.

At the close of the event the Governor re-emphasized the message of hope to the youth as propounded by the Head of State in his message. Youths were called upon to study hard lay more focus on technical education as the State is orientating young people on professional education. On the present security concern in the country, the Chief Executive reiterated that the fight against Boko Haram is preoccupying and warrants a holistic approach with everybody being on the alert and not hesitate reporting any suspicious to the forces of law and other. He applauded the oneness with which everybody is responding to the fight against the dreaded Nigerian sect through the support march and ecumenical services organized around the Region.

SDF ScribeDumps Her Function As Party Secretary General, 3rd To Go

By I.B. Nji

                                                 Prof Tamanjong Elizabeth and Ni John Fru Ndi

Dr. Mrs. Tamanjong Elizabeth two time appointed Secretary General of

the main opposition party, the Social Democratic Front SDF has

resigned from her functions as the party Scribe. In a strongly worded

letter of resignation dated 12 February 2015 and addressed to the

Party Chieftain Ni john Fru Ndi which Eden procured a copy, she

expressed her reasons for calling it quit of her post as SG, a

position she held since 2006.

This was made public during the party's maiden 2015 NEC meeting that

held from February 14 to 15 in Bamenda at the chairman's Ntarinkon

residence. This resignation of the first ever female Secretary General

of the SDF party  came at a time and day when lovers were rather busy

sharing love messages, gifts and pledging more commitments to each.

SDF's valentine gift from a militant thyat claims that the party is so

dear to her was a resignation from a position entrusted to her by the

national chairman when election in to that post was scrapped after the

debacle with Prof Asonganyi Tazoacha.

 In her well worded letter, Dr. Mrs. Tamanjong based her reason for

resigning on the fact that in the last 15 years the party she believes

in so much because of the laid down constitution and principles was

drifting away from its initial vision of leading the country to a

genuine democracy. Hear her, "We have lost  even the values and

principles that we resolutely stood for in the early 90s; values  and

principles such as - social justice, equal opportunities, transparency

and accountability in management of party affairs, to name just these

few. On many occasions, i have attempted to draw the attention of the

party hierarchy to this sad phenomenon but to no avail."

the learned lady made her point in a clear cut manner and recommended

that all is not lost given that the party can be revolutionized to

still spring back to its enviable position that it once occupied in

the heart of Cameroonians. She went further to state how this

revolution should take place such as;

1) The three power structures 0of the party, namely: NEC, NAC and NIC

should play complementary roles and hence be chaired by different

personalities, in order to ensure checks and balance in the party.

2) Let the post of secretary General revert to being elective, as it

once was before 2006 convention. Thus section 13.3(b)-page 55 of the

SDF constitution should be amended.

3) State subventions should be used to fund party structures in order

to revitalize the party.

4) The Socialist women and youth movement should be empowered to give

them a sense of belonging and thereby strengthening the party.

She ended with a lamentation that haven tried unsuccessfully to revert

the spirit, Ideals and commitments of the 90s, she therefore resign

from her functions as secretary General of the party with a firm

conviction of remaining a committed militant of the party and still

willing to contribute in any other ways to move the party forward. The

outgone her letter thanked all those who assisted her in her

stewardship as SG saying SDF will for long remain dear to her.

according to her analogy, she became a militant of the Social

democratic front in 1991 and has occupied varied positions of

responsibilities ranging from the Center Provincial treasurer  from

1991through many other positions at different times to the Secretary

general of the party in 2006 till the date of resignation.

chairman Fru Ndi after officially making public the resignation of the

SG at the NEC meeting, he remarked that after looking back at what Dr.

Mrs Tamanjong has put in over the years as scribe of the party, he can

only but congratulate and wish her well in her decision to resign.

Chairman made it clear that resigning from a position is a democratic

right and that if anybody feels that the weight of a particular

responsibility was too heavy and decides to out the load down without

breaking the content then it is a good thing.

However pundits hold that the post of secretary general of the SDF

over the years has been a bone of contention beginning with the

pioneer SG  Singa Asanga who was the Chairman's  cousin through Prof

Asonganyi Tazoacha to present day Dr. Mrs Tamanjong. The problems have

been the same from one Secretary General to the other who felt that

that position which is supposed to be the pivot of the party was

rather a ceremonial post given that many are the dealings that go on

without the knowledge of the party scribe and he or she gets to learn

of any such dealings as any other militant of the party long after.

GTHS Students, Community Leaders Educated On Gender Violence In Nkambe

By Ignatius Nji

 Christel Chonwain CEO of HOFNA

 Group Picture with traditioal rulers in Nkambe

Cheap labour, child trafficking, forceful marriages and unbearable widowhood rites are attributes given to Donga Mantung Division, in the North West Region of Cameroon. Given that this Division has been considered as free hub for the above, it is common to hear ladies in urban areas seeking for househelp only from Donga Mantung. To eradicate these obnoxious practices which hinders sustainable development, the US Embassy in partnership with Hope for the Needy Association-HOFNA a not for profit making organization based in Bamenda undertook a sensitization campaign to empower student leaders and community leaders (fons, Ardos and Ma Yaahs) to act as agents in the fight.  Specific focus was on understanding GBV and engaging men and boys in the fight against child trafficking, Child/early/forced marriage and other forms of Gender Based Violence.

The sensitization program which started at GBHS Nkambe with over 500 student leaders in attendance was greased by talks from a group of Yali Fellows code named Mandela Washington Fellows told their stories to enthusiastic students. The debate by students on (Education before marriage or marriage before education) also added colour and exposed some of the societal ills that young girls have been going through. Welcoming the august guests, the Principal of GBHS Nkambe, Ken Martin Atanga said he was flattered that his institution was chosen in the region to host such an experience sharing workshop. Moved by the topic, he told a pathetic story of a female Mbororo student who is supposed to be in Upper Sixth who told him just a week ago that the father refused to pay her school fees on grounds that they wanted her to get a husband. According to Ken Martin, many of such cases abound at GBHS Nkambe. Investing in educating in the girl child according to the Principal of GBHS Nkambe is a guarantee to a sustainable future, yet some parents continue to ignore it. He revealed that GBHS has a population of about 1800 girls and out of the lot only few may go above Upper Sixth due to pressure from parents. He thanked the US Embassy, HOFNA and especially the Yali fellows for coming to inspire young boys and girls in sharing their experiences.

 In a 45 minutes debate, GBHS students in a purely intellectual exercise expressed their views on (Education before Marriage or Marriage before Education. The panelists thrilled not only the visitors but their peers as well as teachers. At the end the intellectual exercise the group that was for education before marriage carried the day. The Chief Judge, Ma Yaah Viban of the US Embassy in Yaounde in her concluding statement said that the panelists showed a great mastery of the topic and portrayed some public speaking skills that need just to be sharpened. She however, disclosed that of all the panelists, Nadine Bantar was very fluent in her arguments yet observers held that Kwefi Leonard was very intelligent. The panelists were encouraged with some documentation to improve on their public speaking qualities. Ma Yaah Viban used the opportunity to urge the student leaders that the Mandela Washington fellows just lighted the candle in their hands and a candle does not lose its light by lighting another. "It is therefore imperative for you to share with the other students so that you can be the Change you want to See". She talked elaborately on the Youth Exchange Programme Abroad and the Pan African Fellowship Programme which are all US Embassy sponsored and an opening for students of GBHS to partake.

On her part, Chongwain Christelle Bay, Cameroon President of Mandela Washington Fellows and Chief Executive Officer of HOFNA talked elaborately on the importance of volunteerism and the phenomenon of Nkambe being the hub for child labour. She told the students that “never miss an opportunity to improve on your environment" given that education is the solution. She said both boys and girls should bear in mind that marriage can wait and that education is the key to a successful life. "That is how you can be the change we need", she concluded.

The Cultural Attache

at the US Embassy Marilyn Schultz expressed joy and satisfaction in the way the students expressed their minds during the debate, "you inspired me today", she emphasized. She called on the student leaders to share what they have learned with others. Education she noted is very important given that "no one can take it away from you". Before leaving Nkambe, the cultural attaché at the US Embassy promised that after the plan of action agreed on by the students and community leaders, the US Embassy will follow up to make sure that these bad which affect human dignity are eradicated. She also promised that debate clubs will be created in secondary schools around Donga Mantung Division for students to share their views on burning human rights issues.

Talking to this reporter at the end of the exercise, Afanyu Leonnel (senior boys prefect) after quoting Mahamat Ghandi concept on the importance of education to women said that the lessons learned will go a long way to empower them. He thanked the US Embassy, HOFNA and the Mandela Washington Fellows to giving GBHS Nkambe the pride of place in their programme. While Tata Melvis on her part sounded extremely flattered to have had the opportunity to listen to those she considered as her role models. 5 Mandela Washington Fellows from Cameroon namely Gerald K. Afadani, Zoneziwoh Mbondgulo Wondieh Violet Fokum, Hilda Bih and Christelle Bay C thrilled students with their experiences.

At the Nkambe Community, traditional rulers and community leaders after brainstorming on the phenomenon of gender based violence took commitments to act as ambassadors of change. In his welcome speech, the Assistant Divisional Officer for Nkambe Central disclosed that any parent that gives out the daughter for marriage by force will face the rage of law. Besides, Ebesom Benjamin Etoi also warned against undignified widowhood rites and concluded that the administration will make sure that these obnoxious practices are eradicated.

In a presentation on the Wimbum tradition, Fon Budi III of Kungi said that in the past, forceful marriages were practiced in many palaces and nowadays it is rampant amongst the fulanis where children as young as nine years are given out to elderly men. He outlined that the consequences are very huge on humanity such as violation of right to education, right to choice, exposure to sexually transmitted diseases, etc. He frowned at the practice by some parents to give out their children to cities to serve as domestic servants out of poverty. Other speakers included the President of the Donga Mantung Women's Network, the Delegate of Social Affairs and the First Deputy Mayor for Nkambe. At the end of the meeting, participants especially (fons and ardos) and the administration resolved to work hand in glove to end gender based violence in Donga Mantung Division. The traditional rulers as well as community leaders frowned at the notion of sending out children to cities to work as boy-boy or baby sitters and took firm decisions to fight against it.