Life

27, June 2019

Cameroon’s battle against drug abuse and trafficking ⁰

After a prison sentence for crimes he committed while stoned, Eric Ndem, a drug user in Cameroon’s economic capital Douala, said he wanted to end such a way of life.

Ndem, 38, a homeless person, is among many drug users in Douala, which is believed to be a center of illegal narcotics activities.

According to estimates by Cameroon’s national anti-drug committee (CNLD) in 2018, 21 percent of the country’s population have already tried hard drugs.

In many ways, the Cameroonian government is coming to Ndem’s rescue by putting in place various programs and structures to check the abuse of illicit drugs.

Owona Noah, an addictionologist and public health expert, works in a government-sponsored drug prevention center named “La vie” (meaning “life” in French) in the capital Yaounde.

His job is to change the behavior of drug addicts and help them reintegrate into the society as “responsible people.”

“We receive a patient who is suffering from a psychological or psychiatric problem (because of drug consumption)… But once the patient goes back to his community, home, or job side, he is likely to start facing the same stressful situations that caused the psychological trauma again,” Owona said.

“That’s where we intervene to facilitate the socio-professional integration of the patient so that he can participate again in the development of his community,” he added.

According to Cameroon’s Ministry of Public Health, such centers have been created in all the 10 regions of the country since 2015.

“In five or 10 years if things continue to evolve in the right way, we will have very few mental disorder patients caused by drugs in the community,” Owona said.

According to him, about 60 patients have visited his center in April and May, and “a good number” of drug addicts have already stopped abusing drugs after consultation.

As part of the measures to battle against drug abuse and trafficking, the Cameroonian government has also established a health care control brigade in the Ministry of Public Health.

“We conduct sensitization campaigns against drug abuse not only in colleges but also universities. We work in collaboration with forces of law and order,” said Joseph Ekoum, who heads the brigade in the Littoral region with Douala as its regional capital.

“We also act as what we called health police. This means that we have control posts at the various entries of the city frontiers. We have two control posts, at the airport and seaport. These are two places where the illicit products can easily enter,” he added.

Ekoum is proud that such tactics and collaboration with government forces has produced “outstanding” results.

From 2010 to 2014, this collaboration has led to the seizure of 320 kg of cocaine and 30 kg of heroine, according to figures from the Ministry of Public Health. Recent statistics are unavailable.

The local civil society is also working closely with the government to enhance anti-drug sensitization campaign among the youth, primary victim of narcotics, according to CNLD’s finding.

Dadjio Emilienne teaches philosophy in a high school in Yaounde. At the same time, she is a member of a local non-governmental organization (NGO) whose mission is to educate young Cameroonians about the harmful effects of drugs.

“As we now know that drug abuse is causing havoc in school milieu, we think it is important to meet young people and tell them about the consequences of consuming drugs,” Dadjio said.

During the field campaigns, Dadjio urged young people to never start the drug, “because it is a road of no return.”

Source: Xinhuanet

12, June 2019

Four-year-old has dozens of ‘writhing’ worms removed from intestines in Cameroon ⁰

A four-year-old boy with a history of stomach pain, vomiting and abdominal distension eventually landed on the operating table where surgeons manually removed dozens of “writhing” worms that had been living in his intestines.

The boy, who was not named in the case report but was said to live in Cameroon, West Africa, had no history of deworming since birth, which is typically a common practice in that region, Fox News reports.

The youngster’s mum had taken him to hospital after three days of stomach pain, vomiting and severe constipation.

He had also experienced bloating for around six months, according to an article published in the Journal of Medical Case Reports. After being admitted, doctors carried out a number of tests and diagnosed the boy with ascariasis — a parasitic worm infection in the small intestine.

Doctors manually removed dozens of worms living in the stomach of a four-year-old.

“Ascariasis is the leading helminthic infection worldwide, with its peak prevalence noticed in children aged 2-10 years,” the authors wrote in the shocking article, which was published on May 24. “Although mainly asymptomatic, chronic and heavy infestation could lead to severe complications such as malnutrition, poor physical and cognitive development as well as intestinal obstruction.”

Upon examination, the boy’s doctors recognised a small bowel obstruction, which prompted them to make a 2cm cut. Surgeons then removed “bundles of ascaris lumbricoides worms” manually and “by milking through the stoma”.

The boy was given nutrients to rehydrate him and administered with paracetamol intravenously before doctors could operate.

Three days after being admitted, surgeons discovered his bowels were blocked by a “mass of writhing worms”.

An estimated 807 million to 1.2 billion people in the world are infected with ascaris lumbricoides — parasitic worms known as soil-transmitted helminths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The parasites live in the intestine, and eggs are passed in the faeces of infected people. If an infected person defecates outside, or if the faeces of an infected person are used in fertiliser, eggs are deposited on the soil. The eggs can then mature into a form of the parasite that is infective.

The shocking find was recorded recently in the Journal of Medical Case Reports.

Infection can occur when hands or fingers that have contaminated dirt on them are put in the mouth or by consuming vegetables or fruits that have not been carefully cooked, washed or peeled, according to the CDC. Heavy infections cause intestinal blockage and may impair growth in children. Other symptoms may present as a cough due to the migration of the worms through the body. It can be treated with medication, but in the boy’s case, surgeons decided to operate.

After the surgery, doctors dewormed the boy and his family members with an oral dose of mebendazole, and he was released after seven days. One week later, surgeons recorded his wounds had healed.

The authors noted that the boy’s case points to a larger public health issue in Cameroon, where deworming programs are affected by lack of funding and access in high-risk areas.

Source: News.Com

2, June 2019

The writing on the wall for the Emperor of SOBA, Prof Ephraim Ngwafor ⁰

The SOBA America Annual Convention has come and gone; but SOBA, the world over still remains in turmoil and leaderless. This is mainly because Prof. Ephraim Ngwafor who is gradually making himself a cult personality by arrogating absolute power to himself, continues his quest for relevance, even in America, where his protégé Mafany Itoe rolled out the red carpet to the failed President of SOBA. Even presidential candidates in the just ended SOBA America elections were asked to pledge allegiance to the Ngwafor leadership in exchange for votes, while there now exist a Caretaker Committee headed by Dr Namanga Ngongi that is here to stay as the alternative linchpin in SOBA Cameroon.

The Sasse Old Boys Association is the leading ex-students association in Cameroon and the Cameroon Diaspora community. Since Prof Ngwafor became its leader, he has moulded the once famous and highly respected alumni association into his image. An image of disorder in anything he places his hands on, as recorded in his time as the rector of the University in Yaoundé, his unusually short tenure as a minister in La Republique du Cameroun, and now SOBA. His presence at the SOBA America Convention just shows how toxic and divisive he is, with several senior SOBANs who came from all the nooks and crannies of the America and even beyond to avoid being seen around him. His tenure as SOBA President has been so controversial that, SOBA America had to employ the services of armed police officers to protect him in an ex-school event as reported by our Washington Bureau Chief. He likened the permanent armed police presence at the convention venue to a coup being staged by Prof Ephraim Ndeh Ngwafor. The question that the SOBA America presidential hopefuls were not asked was whether they accepted Ngwafor’s new constitution to diminish the powers of the General Assembly, the same Assembly that has given him the platform to rebuild his shattered reputation.

All of the sudden Prof Ephraim Ngwafor after six years at the helm of SOBA is seeking relevance and recognition by attending Conventions and General Assemblies in the Diaspora (Germany and America).

“This is a man who has never called an ordinary General Assembly in his tenure as President of SOBA and when Chapters deferred decision making to their General Assembly as their constitution requires, he frowns at it. This attitude towards the General Assembly, which was always the ultimate decision making body of SOBA is reflected in his total disregard of the body in his recent so called 2018 Constitution’ noted a senior SOBAN who spoke to our correspondent in the America. This has prompted a “change.org” petition against Prof Ngwafor that has been signed by close to 130 Sobans and counting.

“In his quest to become the Emperor, he has arrogated all the decision making power to himself and the kangaroo committee he now calls the SOBA General Council. Prof Ngwafor has shown so much disdain for SOBANs and their right to govern themselves where ever they are, to the extent of claiming to dissolve a duly elected Executive in the Diaspora” a SOBAN was heard murmuring privately as he left the well attended SOBA America gala night. Prof Ngwafor has banned all the SOBANs who opposed him for life, by rewriting the constitution and using it even before it has been ratified by SOBANs.

We understand that Prof Ephraim Ngwafor who was seeking for allegiance from SOBA America Presidential Candidates can not show anything he has done for SOBA or Sasse College which has now closed its campus for education, except for the chaos that he has left behind in America, UK, Ireland, Germany and Cameroon. His inappropriate donation of significant sums to wealthy SOBA America whilst SOBA in Cameroon has empty coffers with uncompleted projects in Sasse Campus shows his desperate attempt to buy favour from his host.

The Sasse Old Boys Association now looks like the ruling Cameroon Peoples Democratic Movement; CPDM which has no platform through a General Assembly in Cameroon where members can express their views, but instead has a SOBA President who has changed the constitution and removed powers from the General Assembly. The Constitution now allows for ordinary members to bypass their Chapter General Assembly and report to the president’s council in Cameroon directly. SOBANs in the Diaspora are asking, how such a management structure could be possible, as SOBA Diaspora chapters exist in different legal jurisdictions.

Prof Ngwafor has nothing to show for, after 6 years at the head of SOBA. His poor record include inter alia:

Failure to give accounts for the 75th anniversary celebrations
Failure to hold an ordinary general assembly in 6 years
Failure in the UK, Ireland and Germany
Failure to unite SOBA in Cameroon
Failure to ratify constitutional reforms worldwide
Failure to complete projects in Sasse College Campus

What next for Ngwafor after 6 years (2013 to 2019)?

Like Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Ngwafor shall sleep no more! SOBANS in the South West and North West in Cameroon no longer recognise him as SOBA President. He has blatantly refused to dialogue with the Caretaker Committee in order to settle their differences in Cameroon and bring all Sobans together.

Can Prof Ngwafor square the circle in the UK?

An overwhelming number of SOBANS in the UK and Ireland do not recognize Ngwafor as the legitimate leader and have been annoyed by his constitutional changes and banning for life of those who oppose him.

In the UK, Ngwafor is supporting a dissident group of SOBANs fighting the main group. Prof Ngwafor has misappropriated the name of the Bishop of Buea in his quest to support the UK dissident group.

Will Prof Ngwafor help SOBA Foundation in Germany rebuild?

Following his visit last year to the Federal Republic of Germany, SOBA Foundation Germany has been plunged into an unprecedented fracas over pronouncements that Ngwafor made in the city of Essen in 2018. SOBA Foundation Germany is now in crisis and which threatens it’s very existence.

So, given all the facts presented against Prof Ephraim Ndeh Ngwafor as SOBA President over the past 6 years, his continuous stay in this role will leave Sasse Old Boys more divided and in turmoil, both in Cameroon and in the Diaspora.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

31, May 2019

Cameroon: Graduation of Students under the Decent Rural Jobs Project ⁰

On 28 May, 92 students under the AUDA-NEPAD Decent Rural Jobs project graduated in Yaoundé, Cameroon, after receiving training and mentorship in agribusiness and entrepreneurship. It was the second cohort of students to graduate under the project in Cameroon, which aims at equipping rural youths with skills to engage in entrepreneurship along agriculture and agribusiness value chains.

The project, supported by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is currently implemented in Benin, Cameroon, Malawi and Niger. In Cameroon, the participating training centres include the Practical School for Agriculture Binguela, the Rural Training Centre, Mbanga and the Multi-Purpose Regional Youth Centre in Buea.

Before the students were presented with their certificates, Mrs Estherine Fotabong, the AUDA- NEPAD Director of Programmes, expressed joy at the successful outcomes of the project in the four countries. She commended FAO for its partnership and support in improving the lives of the young men and women in the four countries. With 2019 dedicated by the African Union to strengthen action towards refugees and displaced persons in order to develop durable solutions, the project contributes to the AU objectives to bring stability amongst its youths.

Graduation of Students under the Decent Jobs Project in Cameroon

Mrs Fotabong underscored the value addition of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Cameroon to the project. According to the Director, “The coordination role of the Ministry ensured increased participation of the private sector in agriculture and agribusiness activities. We need to continue to build synergies between public and private sectors for transformative growth through integrated programmatic approach”.

In congratulating the graduating students, Mrs Fotabong made reference to the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA), which commits African countries to remove tariffs on 90 percent of goods, progressively liberalise trade in services, and address a host of other non-tariff barriers. Accordingly, the AfCFTA will facilitate market access to the students as they embark on their rural enterprises.

The ceremony was graced by H.E Mr Gabriel Mbairobe, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Cameroon. The Minister was appreciative of the efforts and commitments of FAO and AUDA-NEPAD, to provide decent rural jobs for the Cameroonian youths. Mr Mbairobe stressed that the project on promoting Decent Rural Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship in Agriculture and Agribusiness has motivated the government to build more partnerships within the youth populace. According to the Minister, Cameroon has rolled out youth-centred projects to support the agriculture, fisheries and livestock sectors.

Other Ministers in attendance included: H.E Mr Issa Thiroma, Minister of Employment and Vocational Training; H.E Dr Taiga, Minister of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries, and; H.E Mr Mounouna Foutson, Minister of Youth and Civic Education. The success of the project is a result of the collaborative and integrated approach, which is reflected by the presence of the Ministers concerned with skills development for youth employment.

Other attendees include government officials, development partners, civil society organisations and members of the media. The event was concluded with an exhibition that showcased products manufactured by the students.

Culled from NEPAD

31, May 2019

Yaounde declares polio public emergency after 4-year absence ⁰

Cameroon has declared a public emergency after reporting a polio case in its far north, four years after the virus disappeared from the country, the health ministry said on Thursday.

The confirmed case of polio type 2 was found in the Mada area in the remote north bordering Chad and Nigeria, the ministry said in a statement.

It declared a “new polio epidemic following the confirmation of a case of poliovirus type 2 detected in samples.”

A source at the ministry said the outbreak may have been caused in part by a refusal of vaccinations and the cross-border movement of people in the area.

Polio is a highly infectious viral disease which mainly affects young children and can result in permanent paralysis. There is no cure and it can only be prevented through immunisation.

International polio vaccination efforts have run into problems in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Militants and religious leaders in rural areas often tell locals immunisation is part of a shadowy conspiracy to weaken their faith.

Source: AFP

29, May 2019

MoneyGram Foundation Celebrates Distribution of Books in Cameroon ⁰

The MoneyGram Foundation grant funded the transportation of three 40-foot ocean-going containers to Ghana, Cameroon and Ethiopia. Each container, carefully curated by Books For Africa, was filled with 22,000 books, as well as library enhancement supplies such as essential solar lights, e-readers loaded with digital content, computers, maps and projectors. The books and learning materials are intended to enhance the capacity of community libraries, with long-term outcomes of improving school retention and literacy crucial to each country’s ability to produce an educated workforce. The Catholic Universityof Buea in Douala (CIUB) was chosen as the recipient of the books and materials designated for Cameroon.

An event to celebrate the donation of the books was held at the Douala campus of the Catholic University Institute of Buea. CIUB is an entrepreneurial university, whose goal is not only to train professionals, but also to endow them with spiritual and moral values. Forty secondary and primary schools were invited to participate in the festivities, and more than 200 students received their own box of books.

“It is an honor to have the opportunity to support literacy efforts in Africa, and we are delighted to select Cameroon as a beneficiary for this program,” said John Gely, MoneyGram’s Head of Africa. “We are proud to join Books For Africa in their mission to improve the availability of books and learning materials, and fulfill the MoneyGram Foundation’s goal of empowering lives through education.”

Carole Patrikakos, Deputy Director of Books For Africa, explained, “Books For Africa is demand driven- we routinely receive orders from groups who have fundraised on behalf of African schools and libraries. However, there are children in locales that do not have sponsors abroad, and those children will not receive books without the intervention of funders such as MoneyGram Foundation, who recognize and support their right to an education.”

In addition to MoneyGram representatives, ceremony attendees included Mr. Job Théophile Kwapnang, Mayor of Douala, Professor Fr. George Nkeze, President of CIUB, and Dr. Fabrice Tonfack Djikeng from the CIUB Douala campus. Also in attendance were key MoneyGram partners, representatives from Afriland First Bank, Express Exchange Transfer, Banque of Atlantic (BACM) and Wafacash.

Similar events have been held this year to celebrate the distribution of books and library supplies in Ethiopia and Ghana. The MoneyGram Foundation grant is expected to provide 30,000 students per year with access to books. To date, the MoneyGram Foundation has awarded over $1,150,000 in grants to support education for children in Africa.

Source: Yahoo Finance

27, May 2019

French Cameroun: Lucky groom marries two brides on the same day ⁰

They say he who finds a wife finds a good thing. But what about he who finds two wives? A happy African man is living the dream after bagging himself not one but two wives. In a few photos making rounds on social media, the lucky groom could not help but wear a smile as he proudly stood by his pair of blushing brides.

Of course this chap walked with a pep in his step because his wedding night was going to be something he would never forget. It was a wedding attended by a few guests who did not want to miss the once in a lifetime opportunity.

The brides were draped in nearly identical white gowns paired with gloves and over the top headgears. The must attend event appeared to have taken place in Cameroon as a photo of the country’s president Paul Biya hang in the venue’s background. Completely overjoyed, the groom took his pen and with one stroke signed his wedding certificate like a true boss. His wives watched closely as they contemplated how the throuple would have a beautiful union. It was a wedding attended by a few guests who did not want to miss the once in a lifetime opportunity.

Tuko news

24, May 2019

Cameroonian scientist champions African-led research ⁰

For Professor Torimiro, her research journey started years ago in the rainforests of Cameroon where she observed how hunter-gatherers live in close proximity to animals. At the time, she was among the first Cameroonian scientists to study zoonoses — disease or infections that are transmissible from animals to humans.

After years of study and postdoctoral research in clinical biochemistry and applied molecular biology in Nigeria, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, she returned to her country Cameroon, to support the national health system, teach and train health workers, and research infectious diseases that pose a risk to women and children.

From an assistant researcher to senior scientist

Since her return home in the 1990s, Professor Torimiro has helped create four health research institutions in Cameroon.

As Chair of the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Yaoundé I, she is a key figure in building academic capacities in molecular biology in her country and shaping Cameroon’s next generation of scientists. The research carried out by her students cuts across the use of molecular techniques to identify disease-associated genes to AIDS, hepatitis B, cancer, diabetes, fibroids and cardiovascular diseases.

“Research output drives health policy and therefore patient management and care. In other words, responsible conduct in research yields reliable and accurate data that could be used for policy change,” she explains.

Professor Torimiro says that Cameroonian scientists are increasingly able to conduct research to international standards, thanks to better access to tools, facilities and training.

“Since I returned to Cameroon in 2005, I have done all my laboratory work in Cameroon without having to take a single specimen to Europe or the USA. This is a giant step in terms of capacity-building and retaining talents in Africa.”

Research that responds to health challenges

Professor Torimiro is driven by an interest in operational research because “research output, especially in low- and middle-income countries, is only useful and meaningful if it responds to the health challenges of the population,” she says.

While HIV diagnosis is routinely performed in health facilities in her country, early diagnosis and quality control remain a challenge. That is why she supports system-wide improvements.

She is proud to have participated in a multi-disciplinary research group dealing with early infant diagnosis of HIV infection of children born to HIV-positive mothers and was instrumental to the creation of the national programme on this work, a key component of the National AIDS Treatment Programme. She later built capacities among health workers through international seminars on good clinical laboratory practice in the management of HIV/AIDS and co-infection of AIDS and hepatitis B patients.

“I wanted to transfer technical know-how, skills and competencies in research to gather evidence from populations in Cameroon that would make policy change possible in the diagnosis and treatment of HIV/AIDS.”

Professor Torimiro also leads a group of physicians, biologists, public health experts, career scientists and policymakers (including from Cameroon, Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom) to research hepatitis B in pregnant and breastfeeding women and its impact on mother and child health. The aim is to improve cost-effective early diagnosis of hepatitis B infection among infants born to hepatitis B-infected mothers.

Women supporting women

Ever since her very first grant back in 1994, Professor Torimiro has dedicated herself to addressing the problems of AIDS, cancers and hepatitis among poor women in rural areas of Cameroon.

For her outstanding achievements in maternal health, she received in 1999 the Award for Women’s Health from the Commonwealth.

“I personally sponsored many screening campaigns for cervical and breast cancer, as well as free screening for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C,” she says.

This initiative was supported by national authorities and in particular the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and the Family, and involves various women’s associations in Cameroon. She also trains and mentors junior female scientists in health research.

“I was and still am motivated to study how viruses move from a pregnant woman to her fetus and the differential clinical outcomes for the infant,” she says, confirming that her work aims to help women suffering from sexually transmitted diseases (syphilis, gonorrhea, HIV and hepatitis B).

Professor Torimiro says she has seen a big change in the success of treating sexually transmitted diseases among rural women in her country. More women are assertive in addressing sexually transmitted infections and are committed to engage in addressing them.

What more needs to be done? Integrate early diagnosis of other bloodborne pathogens (such as hepatitis B virus that can be transmitted from mother-to-child) among pregnant women into routine antenatal care services, and for free.

Source: WHO

20, May 2019

Congo-Kinshasa: Ebola Containment Efforts Threatened by Insecurity, Underfunding ⁰

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies warns the Ebola epidemic in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo could spread to urban areas and across international borders because of heightened insecurity and a serious shortage of money. DR Congo Ministry of Health reports 1,739 cases of Ebola, including 1,147 deaths, which indicates a 66 percent fatality rate.

The Ebola epidemic in conflict-ridden North Kivu and Ituri provinces started 40 weeks ago on August 1. What is particularly frightening about the latest situation report is that 20 percent of overall cases have occurred in just the last three weeks.

The International Red Cross Federation finds this sharp upsurge alarming. It is urging the international community to redouble its efforts to contain this deadly virus before it escalates further.

The IFRC’s Director of Health and Care, Emanuele Capobianco, says the Ebola response faces a double jeopardy of insecurity and critical underfunding. He says the security situation is complex and will require a range of responses. But he notes the funding situation could be fixed now.

“At the moment, the financial situation for many of the humanitarian organizations is quite dire,” he said. “There is a real need to step up the response. Otherwise, activities will have to be scaled down and the impact on the future of the epidemic will be extremely serious.”

People who get infected with the Ebola virus have a very high risk of dying. Studies from the 2014 historic outbreak in West Africa show that between 60 and 80 percent of Ebola cases were linked to Ebola-infected bodies at traditional burials.

Capobianco says Red Cross efforts to provide communities with safe and dignified burials are meeting with increasing success.

“Up to now, there have been up to 5,000 safe and dignified burials conducted and they are conducted for, as I mentioned before, the people who died either in the community or the Ebola treatment centers of Ebola confirmed,” he said. Also, for people who may be just suspected of Ebola. And, that is why the number of 5,000 is so high. That is a critical part of the work that we have done and which, at the moment is threatened by the lack of funding.”

Capobianco says the Red Cross has received less than half of the $30 million it needs to carry out its Ebola-control activities across affected parts of DR Congo, as well as preparedness efforts in neighboring Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda.

He warns Red Cross operations will be forced to close within the next two weeks without additional urgent investment.

Source: VOA

19, May 2019

Sasse Old Boys: Secretary General warns SOBA America against meddling in SOBA UK affairs ⁰

Fellow Sobans,

On 10th May 2019, the President of SOBA America published an interview conducted by Brian N. Njotsa in the 2019 SOBA America newsletter. President Mafany Itoe raised issues which misrepresent SOBA UK, the SOBA Constitution and the mediation efforts in the dispute in SOBA UK.

President Itoe was aware of the stage of the dispute now at the UK Company Names Tribunal adjudicator whilst giving his interview. His narrative was a dubious attempt to influence SOBA UK matters in favour of the splinter group which he supports. His account, albeit second hand, only goes to fuel animosity amongst members of our UK community and beyond.

Mindful of the good relationship between SOBA UK and SOBA America, and the need for continuous collaboration, we have found it necessary to respond to these unprecedented utterances by President Itoe regarding the UK association.

We denounce the following falsehoods perpetrated by President Itoe as follows;

1) That going by the Constitution (2018) the president of the splinter group is the recognised president of SOBA UK President Itoe should be well aware that there are two groups in the UK. President Akoh-Arrey is the elected president of 112 registered members of the original SOBA UK, which has been in existence for the last 48 years, a group that owns UK trademarks, “SASSE OLD BOYS ASSOCIATION UNITED KINGDOM”, and has built up and sustained significant goodwill both in its membership and the UK Cameroonian community. The second SOBA group in the UK referred to as the splinter group was constituted on 7th Oct 2017 and has a separate membership and executive. This splinter group is much smaller and has yet to publish any official registration list of its members, assumed to be circa 20.

President Itoe’s comments show his arrogance and lack of respect for over 85% of Sobans in the UK who are registered and affiliated with the original group, and whose activities are a role model for Sobans around the world. Furthermore, he asserts his personal acceptance of the unratified 2018 SOBA Constitution and on those grounds declares that the president of the splinter group is the president of SOBA UK recognised by SOBA America. We note that President Itoe also calls himself the president of Sobans in the free world but he is yet to take the 2018 Constitution signed by Prof Ephraim Ndeh Ngwafor dated 10th March 2018 to the General Assembly (GA) of SOBA America. In a recent publication he underscored the importance of the GA but he has only personally ratified the 2018 Constitution which will be incongruent with the values of SOBA America if his own GA is bypassed.

2) That SOBA Chapters are like KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) franchises It is most disconcerting to read such a weak comparison and notice misleading conclusions about the structure of SOBA by President Itoe. KFC’s franchises enter into a commercial agreement at inception to offer a well-defined product for which goodwill has already been created and royalties may be charged. SOBA on the other hand consists of members who are ex-students of Sasse College and who have a fundamental right to set up chapters, class groups or other parochial groups in the jurisdictions where they settle. The 1991 SOBA Constitution recognises this fundamental structure of SOBA and devolves powers to the members to run their affairs as they see fit, and through the operations of an assembly of members, both in spirit and in practice.

President Itoe shows a lack of insight on the practical realities when he compares SOBA chapters to KFC franchises;

Beginning with his own chapter, SOBA America, as an example, Ernest N. Tate, Esq, a legal expert in the US wrote that – “from a legal vantage point, neither SOBA America Inc nor Sasse Alumni Association, Inc have any direct legal affiliation with SOBA General or Sasse Old Boys Association in Cameroon and therefore, no constitutional amendments, resolutions, or corporate actions taken by Sasse Old Boys Association in Cameroon can affect SOBA America Inc or Sasse Alumni Association Inc, regardless of who participated in the adoption of such amendments or resolutions”.
Another example is SOBA Foundation, Germany. This chapter was set up as an NGO that receives funding from the German Government to undertake benevolent activities and operate under the terms of its set up. For many years SOBA Foundation has had no contact or affiliation to the national branch in Cameroon.
Finally, SOBA UK and SOBA Ireland are set up as unincorporated associations, and have only ever had a loose collaborative connection with the national branch, and like all other diaspora chapters, do not pay any registration fee to SOBA in Cameroon.

To this end, we categorically reject President Itoe’s comparison of SOBA to KFC.

3) Apportioning blame of mediation failure attempts to the Akoh-Arrey team Conflict resolution often requires careful consideration of the feuding parties before prescribing the engagement method. It is regrettable that mediation attempts from both the Itoe-backed team and Prof Ngwafor lacked the capability, neutrality or good faith to deliver a successful outcome. Prof Ngwafor has a history of animosity with the Akoh-Arrey team since the 2015 Sickbay MOU debacle, and therefore his intervention was biased.

The Itoe-backed mediation lacked patience with the Akoh-Arrey team who asked to get the SOBA UK GA’s opinion. These supposed mediators then called off the process prematurely to give green light to the high-handed approach of their superiors in the national branch to ban UK Sobans for life, a decision which has since been dismissed by the SOBA UK General Assembly.

In conclusion, we denounce all misrepresentations made by President Itoe of SOBA America in his interview. His intervention, whilst also taking sides, has made matters worse, not better. Our fervent wish is that he can take some responsibility and help to sort out the perilous state of affairs that his final days as president of SOBA America are turning out to be, before his departure.

Mr. John Bawak

Executive SG,

On behalf of the 112 Registered Members of SOBA UK