Ni Fru Ndi Ridicules Professor Asonganyi’s Thesis

Benjamin Ngah in Bamenda

           The scene was Bamenda. A hand full of people had congregated. Some of them enthusiasts and a majority were renegades of the main opposition party, the SDF. Others, well-wishers properly invited to witness the launch of the Book Cameroon: Difficult Choices in A Failed Democracy by Professor Asonganyi, a university Don and one time SDF Secretary General.

          The book which in most parts is devoted to expound on the renowned Professor’s antic in politics especially in the SDF and the whys and wherefores of his divorce with his one time sweet heart of a party, the Social Democratic Front. The book until today the 20^th of August, 2015 with Ni Fru Ndi dissection has been acclaimed and greeted across the country with euphoria as a master piece. Professor Asonganyi’s memoires in the book are succinctly and wryly told with ease.   

           Like all one-sided stories told with delicate and kind ire, the book, Cameroon: Difficult Choices in A Failed Democracy is quite receptive and convincing to prejudiced minds. These kinds of minds are the minds that quickly conferred on the author “mention tres honorable avec felicitation” until Fru made a methodical anatomy of the book not only as a book seller but as one who has read widely too.        

         Though duly invited to the launch, his presence was doubted. His presence in the hall shocked many and sent adrenaline flowing down their spines. Some of the speakers at the sight of him immediately started editing and rehearsing their notes. This reporter saw one of them fidgeting with a pen, crossing parts of his expose and like a bird drinking water raised his head up and down from time to time. This killed the articulacy and logic in their presentations making them wishy-washy. Some of them quaked as they presented making one to think that they were not the authors of their own very texts. The tension was vivid since the fear was elsewhere. The organizers of the book launch according to some press award feared disruption from the SDF and Ni Fru Ndi buddies. This explained the presence of security officers although some say their presence was a deterrent Boko Haram.

          Ni Fru Ndi, the National chairman of the SDF since creation whose name, the SDF, his late wife (peace be with her) are some of the main subjects treated in the Professor’s memoires, was given the opportunity to unveil the book. This opportunity, whether designed or undersigned gave Ni Fru Ndi the leeway to x-ray the book and tell his own side of the story. A story that might sound trivial but which reduced and rendered Asonganyi accounts or book to mere toilet paper.

Baffoussam- Bamenda Road Saga: SCNC Rejoices, Inter-Urban Transporters Threaten, NW Chambers of Commerce Reacts

Visibly tired, famished, and pathetic, they arrived in Bamenda in the North West Region after spending long unending hours in Babajou in the West Region. The “Bad Road Refugees” as they called themselves were stranded in Babajou because of the state of the national road number 6 which gradual degraded to the state of impassability under the watchful eyes of the authorities.

The road construction or renovation of that road which provocatively ended in the West almost around the boundary with the English speaking North West Region gave credence to varied opinions and understandings. Some people especially the moderate North westerner saw it as a simple sign of marginalization while the extremist especially of the secessionist SCNC read into it a different message. Pa Nwacham Thomas, one of the leaders of the SCNC faction thinks that the message is clear; “la Republique has nothing to do with us.  Why should you people bother about what is happening over there. You better mind about your own things here. Do they care about you people here? ”

While the authorities are busy spending time in Yaoundé playing the blame game over who is to blame for Razel abandoning work, the North West Region has finally been cut off the rest of the country. Vincent Ndumu Nji, government delegate to the Bamenda City council had warned some weeks back. He said in an interview in The Guardian Post that if nothing is done and fast too on that road, Bamenda would be cut off from the rest of the country. It finally did happen and there was fire on the mountain. The authorities of this country who seems to enjoy when people undergo torture so that hasty measures could be taken and huge sums embezzled in the course swung into frantic action.

SCNC Rejoices

While many people here in the North West have given different interpretations to the incident, the Southern Cameroon National Conference-SCNC is rejoicing. According to some of them, the incident in Babajou is a natural indication and a message that the Sothern Cameroon has little or nothing to do with La Republique. Pa Nwacham Thomas, leader of one of the SCNC factions says that he does not see any reason why people should complain. According to him, the road is in la republique and has nothing to do with the people of Southern Cameroon. He thinks that Anglophones have other problems than the road in the east. His thoughts are not different from that of many here in the region who think that the government neglect of roads in the North West Region like the Ring Road and roads within the city of Bamenda have given credence to the cry of SCNC.

Inter-Urban Transporters Threaten

In a strongly worded memo to the Governor of the North West region, the Inter- Urban transport Association- APITAC warns government of an eminent strike action if something is not done within forty eight hours. According to them, it is unthinkable that they pay the vignette, toll gate, road worthiness papers and had accepted the increase in fuel prizes with the hope that government would take care of the roads. Where is the money we pay as taxes in the transport sector, they question. The threats by these transporters caused the governor of the region to pay a visit to the area in Babajou, West region. He promised the transporters that urgent measures would be taken to make sure traffic flows while government is seeking for a lasting solution. In the meantime, the toll gate at matezem has been suspended after threats from drivers who say they do not see any use of the toll gate when roads cannot be repaired. 

Chamber of commerce Bemoans Road situation in the Region.

 In a meeting here in Bamenda at the Conference Hall of the chambers of commerce on the 20^th of August, 2015 under its Delegate, Mr. Nyakenji Boniface of Imagine Bakery, members of the chamber of Commerce and some businessmen in the region called on government to take immediate steps to salvage the situation. According to them, the road situation which has protracted over a long time is causing untold hardships to the population of the region and businessmen in particular. According to them, the supply of basic goods, constructions materials and medication in the region has been hampered resulting to a slow down in business activities and the economic growth of the region. Evacuation of patients for emergencies has also been hampered and this is detrimental to lives here in the region.

To this, the chamber of commerce has also in a strongly worded memo asked government to open a second access road into the region, put the abandoned Bamenda Airport into use to serve as an alternative means of transportation, to dismantle the custom office just after Matezem which is politically unhealthy for the unity of the country, that the ban on trucks to ply the road be uplifted with immediate effect to allow basic goods to come into the region and above all that government to take special measure to construct roads in the city of Bamenda. According to them, the economic activities of the region especially in the city of Bamenda have slowed down tremendously because of the deteriorating nature of roads around town. 

Meanwhile businessmen and women who deal in perishable have incurred enormous loses and some of them might go out of business. One of them, Tata James Tanto said if government does not do something, he would be out of business. According to him, at this time of “back to school” he does not know what to do since much of his goods got perished at \Babajou.

Change changes Nkambe, Nkambe Shines

Benjamin Ngah on Special Assignment

        Nkambe is one of those municipalities that have existed as long as this country Cameroon has. The municipality has remained underdeveloped for spans with just a pint-sized development with no visible infrastructure of any kind. The lone one way tarred road constructed during the Ahidjo era is far less than the road to the Rock Farms of a former PM of this country. With the reintroduction of multiparty politics in the early nineties, the people wanted real change which let to the

Emergence of an SDF Mayor.

         Hope was at its peak when the SDF took over the municipality. The people believed, and were made to understand that at last the insensitivity of the Biya-led regime which had kept their municipality at bay all this while was done with. Development, they were convinced was going to flow like river Donga. But for a decade and five, the hope flickered and waned into despair. Nkambe became more desolate and scattered like “china in the sun.” Trust was lost and bitterness set in.  

        With the long stay of the SDF Mayor in Office, individuals rather than the community emerged and expanded. The municipality stayed alike. These individuals expanded in size with bloated bellies, fleshy necks, and plumped jaws with expand of land and other properties dotted here and there. Change seemed to have come but to a few. An alternative voice was needed and the people wanted it at all cost. They longed for the change that they were promised. Change in persons not just in the political party governing them. Since the SDF’s definition of change seems to target only Paul Biya in Yaoundé who has stubbornly refused to budge, the people of Nkambe saw the need for change at all levels of management. Most of them believe that no individual should be in an elective position for eternity and worst still should accumulate posts. Those who do so are not just greedy, insensitive, sneaky and phony according to them, but do not present a good image of the people and that of somebody like

Ngabir Paul.

        One person who seems to represent the dreams of the people is the current Mayor of Nkambe Council, Ngabir Paul. Speaking to him in his office at the Nkambe Council, he says that only those who are excessively attached to earthly things can pretend to hold several offices at the same time and pretend to be effective. According to him, responsibility sharing is a virtue that each and everyone must learn to inculcate. Great leaders are not those who want to do everything and be everything themselves but those who see in others many other abilities capable of doing better. This explains why he, Ngabir Paul immediately and quickly handed offer the post of section president in Nkambe, when he was voted as Mayor to a more vibrant, charismatic and dynamic youth,

Ngala Gerard.

        He has been very instrumental in the story of Nkambe today. The successes of the CPDM in Nkambe Central have been partly due to him. His frank collaboration and honesty with Ngabir Paul is what has brought about the change the municipality is gradually witnessing today. He has not been like those who are waiting for the mayor to look up so that they pick some thing from the ground. He and the Mayor, Ngabir Paul have been relentless to see

  

Nkambe shines.

         Any one who visits Nkambe today might think he is in a new world. Development is visible. The streets are widened, paved and coated with surface tar. This has given the divisional capital for Donga Mantung an appealing eyesight. It is the fruits of the mayor’s dynamism, ingenuity and vision to see it happen during his tenure in office. With his party and connections, he knows where to go and make initiated things happen faster for the benefit of the population. Within the town of Nkambe today, VIP public toilets are now dotted around especially around the Nkambe Park. Several befitting structures are now cropping around the town. Standards hotels comparable only to those in places like Bamenda, Yaoundé and Douala are popping up like mushroom in the locality. This is giving rise to a gradual boom of business and other activities in the area. The town has been lighted not only with electricity from AES which has been a thorn in the flesh of the people, but with solar lamps to ensure security. These security lamps are also dotted in most important junctions or market squares around the municipality. 

     

         The grading of roads to other parts of the municipality is constant. The road Binka-Benjing, Njema-Binshua-Njap, Mbot- Chup, and other several localities are just few examples. Beause of this, movement has been eased for farmers who wish to sell their farm produce especially during the rainy season.

        In the domain of education, apart from personally providing roofing sheets to abandoned schools like GTC Njap, construction of two classrooms in GTTC Nkambe, GS Bambe-Wat, GS Mbirboh the supply of tables and benches to several many schools, the Council has also made sure that these schools are provided with potable water. This is to avoid any form of health hazard that could be water borne.  One Japanese school finally strayed to Nkambe through the ingenuity of the Mayor and some elite. The construction is almost complete and the reception in Bambe- Wat village would be soon.

      When the mayor took over, the municipality could boast only of a few markets constructed, but today almost every locality in the municipality can boast of a good market. Perfect examples are those of Mbuwarr, Bih, Saah, Binka and Tabenken and other areas.  

      Also, most villages within the municipality can now boast of potable water. The mayor has either engaged in the construction of water catmint here and there or has reinforced the existing ones for better productivity.  Some of these water projects sponsored by PNDP and CARITAS/Counil are in Ardo Ndemsa in Mbuwarr Remi, Mbikong, Moh, Njemoh and Kungi.

    To ensure that every quarter or village benefits a project, the Mayor has introduced small money big change program. With small money big change, each councilor has been offered an amount of money to initiate petty projects in their respective constituencies and with the support of the population; the project would be realized in due course. The intention here is to ensure that development trickles down and is people oriented.   

Getting Over Break Ups Is Harder For Men

Culled from Science Journal

Breakups are rough.While everyone reacts a little differently when they split up with someone; a new study from Binghamton University suggests there are actually patterns among the two sexes.
Researchers asked 5,705 participants from across 96 countries to rate the physical and emotional pain of a breakup on a scale of one (none) to 10 (unbearable). They found that women were more likely to experience higher levels of both physical and emotional pain, averaging a score of 6.84 in terms of emotional anguish and 4.21 for physical pain. This was compared to the men’s respective scores of 6.58 and 3.75.Though women were hit hardest, emotionally and physically, they tended to recover more fully and come out stronger than their male counterparts. Men, on the other hand, don’t seem to recover — they just move on. According to lead study author Craig Morris, a research associate at BU, these differences stem from biology.
"Put simply, women are evolved to invest far more in a relationship than a man," Morris said in a press release. "A brief romantic encounter could lead to nine months of pregnancy followed by many years of lactation for an ancestral woman, while the man may have 'left the scene' literally minutes after the encounter, with no further biological investment. It is this 'risk' of higher biological investment that, over evolutionary time, has made women choosier about selecting a high-quality mate. Hence, the loss of a relationship with high-quality mates 'hurts' more for a woman."
Conversely, as men evolved to compete for the romantic attention of women, Morris said the loss of a mate for a man may not “hurt” as much at first. Instead, he's likely to feel the loss once it starts to sink in, in which he'll have to start competing for a new partner.
Morris cited most people will experience an average of three breakups by age 30, and at least one will affect us strongly enough to substantially decrease our quality of life for weeks or even months.
"People lose jobs, students withdraw from classes, and individuals can initiate extremely self-destructive behavior patterns following a breakup," he said. "With better understanding of this emotional and physical response to a breakup — Post Relationship Grief — we can perhaps develop a way to mitigate its effects in already high-risk individuals."
Recently dumped yourself? We've got the simple steps you need to get over a breakup right here.