13, October 2018

Yaoundé: Critics Denounce Presidential Polls amid Violence against Southern Cameroonians ⁰

African news outlets reported on Friday that dissidents in Cameroon are petitioning the country’s elections management body to annul the October 7 presidential election, citing “massive fraud” in favor of President Paul Biya.

The election occurred as Biya’s government continues a campaign to eradicate the English language from public life, particularly targeting the English-speaking region of Southern Cameroons. Opponents of Biya’s government call its policies to impose the French language akin to ethnic cleansing.

Leading contenders for the presidency — Candidates Cabral Libii of the opposition Universe party and Joshua Osih of the opposition Social Democratic Front — are among those who called on the election body to cancel the presidential poll.

The Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency reported that Libii and Osih also urged the Constitutional Court to scrap the election. “The Constitutional Court, which is dominated by Biya loyalists, will have to deliver its verdict soon as the final results have to be out within two weeks of the election,” AFP noted.

The petitioners accuse troop and armed gangs loyal to Biya of using force to prevent them from candidates and voters from participating in the elections. Elections Cameroon (ELECAM), the African nation’s election body, has dismissed allegations of vote-rigging as false, arguing that there is no evidence to support the claims, Voice of America (VOA) reported on Thursday, adding:

The military says it only assisted by protecting voters and that no troops entered polling stations. The electoral commission has until the end of the week to respond to the [25] petitions. The constitutional court has to rule on the claims before announcing the vote’s final outcome on Oct. 22.

Biya faced seven candidates in the poll. He has ruled Cameroon for 36 years, and is widely expected to claim another seven-year mandate.

The recent elections found Cameroon afflicted by insecurity and Islamic extremism linked to the Boko Hara jihadist group and the conflict between the separatists and the military in the English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions.

On the day of the vote, October 7, the Associated Press (AP) reported:

Polls closed in Cameroon Sunday evening, and vote counting began in an election that will likely see Africa’s oldest leader win another term amid fighting and threats from separatists that prevented residents in English-speaking regions from voting.

President Paul Biya, in office since 1982, vows to end a crisis that has killed more than 400 people in the Central African nation’s Southwest and Northwest territories in more than a year. The fractured opposition has been unable to rally behind a strong challenger to the 85-year-old leader. Voter turnout was low in English-speaking regions due to security fears.

Source: Breitart.com

12, October 2018

Southern Cameroons: Killings continue as Francophones await presidential election results ⁰

Cameroon is the great unspoken African tragedy-in-the-making. Its president, Paul Biya, has been in power since 1982. If ever a country needed presidential term limits it is this one. Mr Biya is now the second longest serving non-monarchic head of state in the world. If, as expected, he manoeuvres his way through ongoing post-election turmoil to secure another seven-year stint, he will be 92 by the time the next polls fall due, just one year younger than Robert Mugabe when he was overthrown last year.

The abuses that Mr Biya has presided over are less publicised than Mr Mugabe’s. But he is no less ruthless a despot. When he first became head of state, his country had a highly educated population and diversified economy every bit as promising as Zimbabwe’s once was. His rule has been a slow-burning disaster ever since, characterised by grand-scale corruption, political repression and growing division. With every passing year, the likelihood of a tragic denouement to his presidency has risen.

Last Sunday’s elections took place to a backdrop of simmering conflict in the north of the country, where the army is fighting Islamist militants from the Boko Haram cult. In the north-west and south-west of the country, separatists from the English-speaking minority are waging a guerrilla war. These upheavals should be gaining far more attention — both on the continent and further afield. The unravelling of this religiously divided and multi-ethnic country has the potential to destabilise swaths of central and west Africa — it is the bridge between the two. The unleashing of the country’s enormous economic potential, would, by contrast, provide a boon to the whole region. Yet, there has been a near complete absence of international engagement. Rather than leveraging their influence to nudge Mr Biya to the door, successive French governments have served as his protector. If this was short-sighted a quarter century ago, when the seeds of today’s crisis were sown, it is even more so now.

Last Sunday’s election might have offered that chance for political renewal. Instead, the outcome looks likely to further polarise the country. Cameroon has been divided along linguistic lines since 1961 when colonial-era French and British-administered territories were brought together in a federation after a referendum. The unification of the two parts in a hyper-centralised state 11 years later has been a bone of contention for anglophones, who make up a fifth of the population, ever since. Their frustrations boiled over two years ago due to perceived attempts to impose the French language in courts and schools.

Rather than seek to defuse the resulting uprising with dialogue, Mr Biya has chosen to put it down with force. Predictably, the crisis has intensified as a result. Hundreds of villagers have been killed in a scorched-earth campaign by the army, hundreds of thousands have been displaced, and the separatists have become more determined still. Two opposition candidates who challenged Mr Biya at the polls have declared victory before official results have been released. But government skulduggery and the fragmentation of opposition votes, make it likely that Mr Biya will emerge again on top. France should take a lead in galvanising European and African countries to pressurise his government into initiating dialogue. Cameroon’s English-speakers have genuine grievances that need urgently to be addressed — ideally in a wide-ranging national debate. But Cameroonians of all origins have grievances too. The time to forestall a wider revolt is running out.

Culled from The Financial Times Limited

12, October 2018

Pope Francis accepts Washington archbishop’s resignation amid sex abuse scandal ⁰

Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Donald Wuerl as archbishop of Washington, D.C., the Vatican said on Friday, making him one of the most senior Catholic figures to step down in a worldwide sexual abuse crisis.

Wuerl, 77, who was bishop of Pittsburgh between 1988 and 2006, has been under scrutiny over his handling of sexual abuse cases during that period. He keeps the title of cardinal.

In a letter by the pope released in Washington, Francis indicated that he accepted the resignation reluctantly and at Wuerl’s insistence. He asked Wuerl to stay on as administrator until another archbishop could be appointed.

Wuerl has been under fire since the release in August of a U.S. Grand Jury report on sexual abuse found evidence that at least 1,000 people, mostly children, had been sexually abused by some 300 clergymen over the course of 70 years. The report covered six dioceses in Pennsylvania, including Pittsburgh when it was led by Wuerl.

He has also been accused of knowing about sexual misconduct by his predecessor in Washington, ex-cardinal Theodore McCarrick.

Wuerl has defended his overall record in Pittsburgh. He also has denied knowing that McCarrick, once one of the U.S. Church’s most prominent figures, had forced male adult seminarians to have sex with him years ago.

In July McCarrick became the first cardinal in about 100 years to be stripped of his red hat and title of “eminence”.

Francis ordered McCarrick to retire to a life of prayer and penitence after American Church officials said as part of a separate investigation that allegations that McCarrick had sexually abused a 16-year-old boy almost 50 years ago were credible and substantiated.

(REUTERS)

12, October 2018

October 7: Court Receives Petitions to Annul Presidential Vote ⁰

Cameroon’s highest court received petitions from two voters who alleged irregularities in the Oct. 7 presidential polls to annul the election.

The two electors, Bertin Kisob and Rigobert Minhaba Aminou, filed 15 complaints in their bid to have the vote cancelled, Maka Eyoum Longin, registrar-in-chief of the Constitutional Council, told reporters Wednesday in the capital, Yaounde. A deadline for the filing of petitions expires at midnight on Wednesday, he said.

The electoral commission has 48 hours to respond to the petitions while the court has to rule on the claims before announcing the vote’s final outcome. President Paul Biya faced 7 candidates in the poll that is widely expected to extend his 36-year rule.

Source: Bloomberg

12, October 2018

Yaounde: President-Elect to defend election ‘victory’ ⁰

The leader of the opposition Cameroon Renaissance Movement’s (CRM), Prof Maurice Kamto, has vowed to go to court to defend his ‘victory’ in Sunday’s presidential election.

Prof Kamto’s spokesman Olivier Bibou Nissack told a press conference at the Nlongkak party headquarter in Yaoundé on Wednesday that they would spare no effort in defending their victory.

Mr Nissack said CRM would sue Territorial Administration minister Paul Atanga Nji and the state television CRTV for featuring ‘some individuals’ claiming to be international observers giving the conduct of the poll a clean bill of health.

His supporters

The CRM candidate on Monday said he had won the vote, sending his supporters into street celebrations, while incensing the government.

“I have received a clear mandate from the Cameroonian people which I will firmly defend right to the end and I want the national and international community to bear witness to this historic event that has ushered in a democratic political change in our country,” Prof Kamto said.

Election dispute

However, incumbent President Paul Biya’s governing Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) strongly condemned the proclaimed win, saying it was a manoeuvre to compromise peace and tranquillity in the country.

CPDM Secretary-General Jean Nkuete told a press conference in Yaoundé late Monday that the party was surprised and worried by the declaration which showed disregard for the rules of democracy and institutions.

All indications now were the Cameroon was headed for a long-drawn election dispute, despite some observers approving the conduct of the election.

Source: The East African

12, October 2018

Yaounde is on the brink of a political crisis ⁰

Cameroon is on the brink of a political crisis after the government branded a leading opposition politician an “outlaw” for declaring victory in Sunday’s presidential elections. President Paul Biya is widely expected to win re-election to a seventh term when results are certified in the next two weeks, but a declaration of victory from Maurice Kamto is threatening to cause new strife in a tense country. The US embassy in Cameroon has called “on all parties to wait until the official results are announced before making pronouncements about the supposed winner”. The election took place with tensions in Cameroon running high as Mr Biya, a francophone leader in power since 1982, faces an armed rebellion sparked by a crackdown on peaceful anglophone protests in 2016.

The poll became a flashpoint in English-speaking regions, where rebels who want to create an independent anglophone state banned voting. The contested result threatens to further undermine elections seen by many in Cameroon and in the international community as neither free nor fair. Mr Kamto, a former minister in the Biya government, said at a press conference that he had “received a clear mandate from the people and I intend to defend it until the end”. He did not cite any evidence for his claim. Mr Biya is among Africa’s longest-serving rulers. Issa Tchiroma Bakary, his information minister, said: “You cannot want to govern Cameroon and not abide by its laws and regulations. We call upon the Cameroonian people, of whose great maturity we are convinced, to wait serenely for the proclamation of the results by the constitutional council.”

Hans De Marie Heungoup, an International Crisis Group analyst, estimated that turnout in the anglophone region was under 5 per cent, compared with about 55 per cent in francophone areas. He tweeted that Mr Kamto’s declaration of victory meant Cameroon was “de facto getting into a post-electoral crisis”.

A number of African countries have in recent years seen opposition candidates claim victory in elections marred by irregularities. In 2016, the government of Gabon responded violently to the opposition claiming victory. Last year’s Kenyan elections had to be rerun after disputed results. This year, security forces opened fire on anti-government protesters in Zimbabwe, killing at least six, after the opposition declared victory in what it deemed a stolen election.

Zanda Carol, who lives in Buea in English-speaking Cameroon, said his city of more than 100,000 people was a ghost town on election day. Soldiers stalked the streets, while armed independence fighters declared a ban on voting in what they called an illegal poll. “We are between two devils,” Mr Carol said by phone from Buea, where gunfire raged throughout election day.

The insurgency in the anglophone region, where a fifth of Cameroon’s 24m people live, represents perhaps the greatest challenge Mr Biya has faced in 36 years in power. Hundreds of thousands have fled violence from soldiers and militant separatists. The president rules by decree and has abolished term limits while allowing what critics call a façade of multi-party democracy. The international community has largely been silent about the anglophone crisis, in part, critics charge, because Cameroon is a key member of the fight against Boko Haram, the jihadi group present in the country’s far north.

Culled from The Financial Times

12, October 2018

Cameroon’s Presidential Polls: Nation awaiting election results ⁰

Cameroon continues to wait for results of Sunday’s presidential election in which Africa’s oldest leader is widely expected to win.

Members of the Constitutional Council on Wednesday deliberated on incoming election results and heard complaints from lawyers for opposition parties.

While opposition leader Maurice Kamto has claimed victory, only the council can legally announce the winner. Official results must be announced by Oct. 22.

Council leader Essombe Emile says this is the first presidential election managed by the recently sworn-in body and “we want to expect that at the end of the day all Cameroonians will be happy with the way things went.”

Council members include high-ranking magistrates and members of 85-year-old President Paul Biya’s administration.

Biya, in power since 1982, is expected to enter a seventh seven-year term.

Source: AP

11, October 2018

Presidential Poll in Cameroun and the Southern Cameroons Struggle ⁰

Last Sunday 7 October 2018, citizens of“République du Cameroun” went to the polls to elect their President and, by every indication, the results are already known. Statements have been made about the outcomes, exit polls, claims and counterclaims, the most notable of which is Prof. Maurice Kamto’s claim of victory in the polls. Irrespective of whether we believe this claim or not – and there is no reason not to believe – one fact stands out clearly and it is the inextricable link between what happens in the aftermath of this electoral process and the Southern Cameroons crisis. Southern Cameroonians chose to make a loud political statement by boycotting the elections, some out of fear for their security and others, a good majority, out of the immutable principle that this election did not concern them as an already “independent” country.

It is with interest that I followed the various reactions of Southern Cameroonians both online and in certain media outlets following the polling and in reaction to Prof.Kamto’s outing to claim he had received the people’s mandate. Translation: he is the President elect. Whether he broke the law by, as regime stalwarts claim, proclaiming the results in advance of the “legal” body authorized to do so, is a matter for debate by legal luminaries. And he is an outstanding legal mind, able to walk the tightrope of the arcane laws of the country, both electoral and otherwise. Be it as it may, the future is casting a scary shadow pregnant with doom and gloom as the regime that has been entrenched for 36 years is not ready to give up power without a fight. And fight they will, fairly or dirty. Blood will flow as, for once, Eastern Cameroonians face the true test of their mettle. Will they run, duck and hide at the first gunshot? Your guess is as good as mine. From the reactions observed, they are no longer ready to take it anymore from a regime that has spawned poverty, despair, hopelessness and, above all, underdevelopment. I digress…

Some Southern Cameroonians have hailed this seeming political changeover as salutary. Others, a good majority, think they are not concerned, calling it “foreign news” that does not concern them. In the process, and even prior thereto, they considered anybody willing to take part in this election a traitor worthy of the guillotine as is anyone remotely suspected of collaboration or cooperation with the government of “La République”. This reaction is justifiable considering the pogrom they have experienced in the hands of the “La République” government and its forces. At the outset was a peaceful demonstration against 57 years of marginalization, second-class citizenship and a gradual erosion of their educational, legal, developmental and administrative/management culture. All they ever asked for was a return to the federal structure that existed prior to 1972 and which, in their minds, could guarantee the protection of their rights and way of life.

The government responded with a heavy hand. The leaders of the movement were promptly thrown into jail and accused of all the heinous crimes in the book. What followed is public knowledge. On 22nd September 2017, the population of Southern Cameroons came out in droves in a region-wide mass protest that shook the government to its core. On 1st October, one week after, Southern Cameroonians took the bold step of going out to commemorate and mark their day of independence. What followed is the stuff of horror. The region was transformed into a killing field, with soldiers ordered to shoot at anything/anybody “posing a threat”. Homes have been torched and people, some of them old and defenseless, roasted to death in their homes, and even hospitals, by soldiers with no account to render to anybody. Women and girls have been raped and maimed alongside other young men. The sum total of all of this has been total radicalization, with the population taking up arms to defend themselves and their families. Nationalism took root in the process and dreams and hopes of a new nation have flourished and prospered. For most of them, nothing short of independence is their goal. They do not want to have anything to do with “La République”, which now appears to them as the colonial master that they must free themselves from. This is the backdrop against which they now view the political developments in the country.

Rage and radicalization seem to have blinded most of them to a few hard seemingly unpalatable truths. First, the international community seems to have a turned a blind eye on their plight and all but looked the other way while the bloodletting continues unabated. They had hoped that the crisis would prompt the United Nations to intervene and right the legal wrongs of history that deprived them of the right to self-determination. Unfortunately, they have been treated to a few laconic statements of condemnation of the violence “on both sides” and calls for “inclusive dialogue” the contours of which have not been fully laid out. Secondly, “La République” has never played fair. Their language has been “might is right” and they have acted true to type. Calls for dialogue and negotiations, even from the “moderate” wing of the movement have gone unheeded, at best. At worst, the same leaders were abducted and illegally transferred to Yaounde, with the complicity of the Nigerian government. That brings us to the third unfriendly truth – the support or lack thereof from our neighbour, Nigeria. This country has been so much in cahoots with the Cameroon government that they were ready to flout international law and face the wrath of the international community. The moderate leadership of the movement is now held incommunicado in the dungeons of Cameroon’s gendarmerie.

Those who think Cameroon’s political activity is of no interest or imports to them have another think coming. From the moderate to the radical, redemption will only come through dialogue or negotiation with the government of la Republique. For the moderates and federalists, the way forward will be a constitutional revision subject to consensus by both parties. For those who hold firm to the idea of separation from La Republique du Cameroun, they will have to negotiate with the latter irrespective of what form this negotiation will take. It may be conducted under the auspices of the United Nations but it will have to include La République. Fifty-seven years of collective life cannot be erased with a magic wand. Debts have been incurred and negotiations as to their sharing as well as the distribution of assets will be the subject of intense negotiation. These issues will not be decreed by the United Nations. This body can only take note, acknowledge and recognize the outcome of these negotiations.

Therefore, knowing one’s counterpart or “enemy” in this process is of paramount importance. Understanding the other camp can help one better prepare or manage one’s expectations. Social media rants and hate-filled declarations will not lead Southern Cameroonians anywhere. They have to remain level-headed with their eyes on the prize. In my humble opinion, the incumbent regime has been responsible for the radicalization that has led us to this bloody quagmire. The unwillingness to climb down from their high Jacobin horse and talk, just talk, with the people has fuelled the anger that has now engulfed Southern Cameroonians and brought the country down this path of gore. On the other hand, if the declarations of the new President elect are anything to go by, then it is safe to say the prospects of sensible negotiations are here. To be fair, arrogance, high-handedness, stone-cold indifference and cruelty, yes, cruelties have all convinced Southern Cameroonians that their place is no longer within the national triangle. Their rage is justified. Nevertheless, this rage should not blind Southern Cameroonians to hard cold truth that they are not yet free from the clutches of La Republique. If anything, their destiny is still inextricably tied to the developments in the country. It is, therefore, in their best interest to follow keenly the current political drama unfolding in “neighbouring” La République du Cameroun.

Shey Kukih Mansah

11, October 2018

“Genuine and sustainable solutions to the Southern Cameroons crisis can only be found at the negotiating table” ⁰

Dr. Joachim Arrey, a Canada-based writer, journalist, political analyst and translator, has been one of the many people around the world who have been calling for dialogue as a means to address the Southern Cameroons crisis. A native of the Southwest region of Cameroon, Dr. Arrey holds that genuine and sustainable solutions to the destructive crisis can only be found at the negotiating table. While in the UK recently, he took time off his tight schedule to visit the Cameroon Concord News Group’s (CCNG) global headquarters where he spoke with Group Chairman, Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai, on the goings-on in Cameroon. It was a pleasure chatting with him. Read…

Cameroon Concord News: Thanks for visiting us. A lot has been going on in Southern Cameroons and things appear to only get worse by the day. What do you think can be done to put an end to the reckless killing of young men and women in Southern Cameroons?

Dr Arrey: I have been following what is happening in our part of the country very closely. Things are not looking great out there. Our people are dying and it beats my imagination that we have not yet understood that all wars find their solutions at the negotiating table. There is no price for who can kill more people. Both parties must understand this. Let’s not let our emotions drive us to ridiculous extents. I have been urging both parties to head to the negotiating table and I still stand by that. The government has to find a way to bring these killings to an end. We are losing our human resources and this will come back to bite us some day. The financial resources we are using to buy arms could be diverted to real development projects that can create jobs for our youths. We have to be strategic in our thinking and we must learn from the mistakes of other people.

Cameroon Concord News: But the Yaounde government is not listening to any calls for an inclusive dialogue. What do you expect the oppressed people of Southern Cameroons to do?

Dr Arrey: Self-defense is a legitimate right of every citizen recognized under international law, but this does not imply that we cannot talk peace around a negotiating table during war time. A lot of atrocities have already been committed and I feel really bad that a small protest by teachers and lawyers has been allowed to spill out of proportion. The gory images coming out of Southern Cameroons tell me that there are huge war crimes being committed by both sides. What both parties must understand is that at the end of the fighting, all these atrocities will be investigated and those who will be found guilty of gross human rights violations and war crimes will have to pay the price. I would like to use this opportunity to call on the government of Cameroon to reconsider some of its decisions. The truth is that military action will not give it the fast solution it needs. Southern Cameroonians have expressed genuine grievances and I think it is only proper for the government to listen to calls for an inclusive dialogue that will help to lay this matter to rest. The world has evolved and the days when military brutality was considered a weapon of choice to address national issues have long gone. We have to be in and of this world and this requires us to adopt approaches that other civilized nations have used to deal with their minorities.

Cameroon Concord News: You have always talked of federalism and you always point out that Canada holds an effective solution to our problem. Can you explain this to our readers?

Dr Arrey: Thanks for granting me the opportunity to discuss this particular point with your readers. I have always held that a well-structured federal system will spare Cameroon the type of crisis it is going through at this moment. The world has changed and the people want to take ownership of their own issues. They want to take control of their lives and this can only happen if a federal system is brought to our country. The current crisis in Southern Cameroons is a direct consequence of the over-centralization that has taken place over the last five decades. The development and management of any country in the world is always a work in progress and for that work to progress by leaps and bounds, there must be dialogue at all times. Cameroonian leaders must stop thinking that the top-bottom approach that has worked in the past will work in modern times. If we have to avoid situations like the current one that is tearing the country apart, we must adopt new and innovative approaches that will guarantee us peace and progress. No country develops when there are perceptions of injustice, nepotism, discrimination and marginalization.

This therefore brings me to the role Canada can play to help us out of this pretty mess. I have profound respect for the Canadian political system. It is a federal system that has brought peace to this great nation that has been the envy of the world for decades. It is a country that does not talk, but it acts. Its federal system grants the provinces autonomy over certain issues that could result in conflicts if not well managed. Let us not forget that Canada also has a minority – a French-speaking minority – Quebec – that has a totally different culture from the rest of the country.

The federal government has yielded a lot of ground to this province so as to bring peace to the country. The bright and praise-worthy management of the country by past and present Canadian prime ministers like Lester B. Pearson, Pierre Elliot Trudeau, Brian Mulroney, Jean Chretien, Paul Martin, Stephen Harper and Justin Trudeau has helped to put Canada in the spotlight for all the right reasons. Cameroon should seek to find out how Canada pulled this off to the extent that it has become one of the best countries in the world to raise a family. The country’s bilingual nature should advise our leaders that we could have something in common with Canada. It never hurts to borrow from those who have posted great results.

Cameroon Concord News: You sound so informed and experienced. Will you be ready to go back home to give a helping hand if called upon, especially regarding the Southern Cameroons crisis?

Dr Arrey: I am already preparing my retirement and I have made up my mind to return to Cameroon, especially to my native Ossing where I believe I have a lot to offer. I don’t need to be called up by anybody for me to return to Cameroon. There is a lot to be done out there and I think I will be more than happy to serve the people of my small city and division. I have a lot of experience in many areas and I am willing to share that experience with anybody who seeks to have a share of it. It is just but normal for me to give back to my people who were there for me during my hour of need.

I also have my father’s cocoa and coffee plantations to take care of. Those are the plantations that helped to give me the education that has taken me to all the nooks and crannies of the world. As for writing and politics, these two elements run in my blood. I will always be there to write in order to inform Cameroonians and to analyze political situations for many people to gain a better understanding of what is happening in their country. That is what nature wants me to do and that is one of the many things I will be doing upon retirement.

Cameroon Concord News: Still on politics, I understand it runs in the family. I have been reliably advised that your daughter who lives in Canada is already in politics. Is that true?

Dr Arrey: My daughter has chosen a different path in life. At the tender age of 14 she told me she wanted to be in politics and that she wanted to fight for immigrants after having noticed my own frustrations in life. I cannot but admire and appreciate her for understanding my pain. She immediately joined the Liberal party of Canada where she has been making her modest contribution. She has been participating in elections in Canada, not as a candidate, but a worker for her party. She is still in university and she must achieve all her academic dreams before becoming an active political player. I cannot but wish her the best and will always give her my entire support whenever she needs it.

Cameroon Concord News: What do you make of the political drama that is playing out in the nation’s capital at this time?

Dr Arrey: Cameroon is really going through a tough moment in its history. Boko Haram is still an active threat in the north, Southern Cameroons is still boiling and seeing what is almost bursting out of the ground in Yaounde gives me goose bumps. I sincerely hope that the truth will prevail. I really want the people’s choice to be respected so that we can have peace. If the authorities do not respect the will of the people, they should be ready to deal with the consequences. I have always said that Cameroon is a ticking time bomb and that if care is not taken, it could blow up one day and this will mean killing lots of people and destabilizing the entire sub-region. I want peace to prevail, but seeing what is already happening in Yaounde, I know we are in for tough times.

Professor Kamto has already declared that the people have given him a mandate which he must defend at all cost and that already sounds like he is preparing for a big fight. This, he says, is based on the results his party has. The government and the ruling party are struggling to prove that he is wrong and they are saying that only the constitutional council has the right to announce election results. I am on the sidelines and waiting for the official announcement. I only hope it will come to help Cameroonians live in peace. If things go the other way, then our country will have to deal with a huge crisis. I pray for the best for my beloved country. I just want my fellow Cameroonians to live in peace. This will surely require a change in the way the government has been running the show.

Cameroon Concord News: Thank you, Dr. Arrey, for sharing your perspective with us. We hope you will find more time to visit us in the days and months ahead.

Dr. Arrey: The pleasure is mine. You have been doing a great job and I hope I will continue to read your inspiring and informative editorials.

11, October 2018

SOBA UK 2018 Convention – a touch of class and style ⁰

“Uplifting” is the word that sums up the convention of the Sasse Old Boys Association in the United Kingdom (SOBA UK) that took place last on the 22nd of September 2018. It held at the magnificent Hilton at St. George’s Park, Burton-upon-Trent, England and the Home of England national sports teams.

The two-day event was hosted under the theme “Together We Succeed” to which the community responded and raised funds for refugees of the crisis in Cameroon and to show strength in unity. A number of diverse community groups and alumni association showed up in support, including OPSA UK (the UK alumni of Our Lady of Lourdes College, Cameroon), ExSSA UK (the UK alumni of Saker Baptist College, Cameroon) , CamDoc UK (Cameroon Doctors UK), BOBA UK (the UK alumni of Cameroon Protestant College, Bali), WCA (The West Cameroon Association Think Tank), CF (Cameroon Forum) community group and SOBA Ireland.

The SOBA UK President Mr. Ayuk Akoh-Arrey thanked the guests for their fantastic turn out and expressed gratitude on behalf of the association and their intent to continue to develop the brand and to deliver more value to members of the of Cameroonian UK community. He also thanked the sponsors and Hilton staff and entertainers for all their hard work.

This year’s convention was by far the best in recent memories. We have collated our top nine most special moments from the Soban convention.

An exciting Friday night 21 September

Not bad from a lowly association of ex-students from St. Joseph’s College all the way in Cameroon, the alumni association staged a heartwarming event as guests congregated at at St George’s Park, Home of England National Teams, set in several acres of national parkland. The 2-mile drive from the gates to the hotel is an impressive show of beautiful parks and modern sporting facilities. The hotel itself, owned by the English Football Association, is modern and well designed to deliver premier league standard facilities to England football stars, past and present, and guests alike.

We know SOBA UK has been upping its game but more than 100 punters on Friday night is a feat. Friday night was as exciting as Saturday night as scores of guests checked-in and the Hilton lobby was buzzing with relaxed re-union excitement as people took photos. Some of the guys from SOBA UK Events management team were seen hustling banners whilst other guests checked in as some discussed over wine and champagne after long journeys from Scotland, Europe and other parts of the UK. An open SOBA UK management meeting held around midnight with 37 Sobans in attendance to chip in ideas for the day ahead.

There is so much sporting history at St. George’s Park

The choice of venue really underscored SOBA UK’s intentions to fast track the development of the brand to greater heights and deliver more value to members of the Cameroonian community.

On Saturday 22nd September, around 12pm, the SOBA UK Secretary General John Bawak proclaimed at the Annual General Meeting that he was sitting in the same seat as the England National football team manager for his press conferences. Where Mr. Southgate managed to transpire a winning spirit into the young English team that reached the last 4 at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Sobans did not witness any magical powers as John chaired the Annual General Meeting, supported by the President Mr. Ayuk Akoh-Arrey and Vice President Mr. Bime Lafon . However, it was an inspiration walking through the corridors of this distinguished venue with English football greats plastered all over the walls. The technology in the meeting hall was modern and the AGM, the real business end of SOBA UK’s activities, delivered the goods that will see the brand step up another notch.

SOBA UK set new patrons on a mission

A new look and talented group of patrons were appointed by the Convention Assembly to take on the important role of helping to safeguard the good name of the association as ambassadors. Patrons are honorary positions that are awarded to persons who have been outstanding in their efforts and contribution to the business of SOBA UK. The whole Assembly applauded with unanimous acceptance to confirm the new patrons and wished them every success in their roles –the new patrons are Joseph Foncha (Class of 1962), Cyril Alima (Class 1973), AshuAkoachere (Class 1978), Maximus Ewane (Class 1979), Francis Shupo (Class 1980), and Thompson Egbe (Class 1982).

Oh, the Sacred SOBA UK blazer

18:00 at Sir Bobby Robson Executive Ballroom was time for the champagne soiree, when the guys started walking out with embroidered blazers, we knew we were in for a treat. The blazer was impressive, traditional navy blue, 100% pure new wool, mid weight, tailored by British designer and retailing at £280. But of-course the Sobans got a good deal from a group discount. The word is that if you are an ex-student looking to elevate yourself to ambassador status then blazers can still be purchased. The blazers and uniform attire worn by the Sobans spoke a 1000-words about the unflinching commitment to belong and express themselves. This unique identity of the Sobans drew in the 300 guests as they sang their Anthem and Sasse Song with composed music from Synergy Musical Band and artists.

The “Together We Succeed” community fundraiser

In a year in which Anglophone Cameroon has been rampaged with violence, displacement of hundreds of thousands of Anglophones in Cameroon and significant loss of lives, the hashtags #TogetherWeSucceed #SOBAUKConvention lambasted social media as the event streamed live on Facebook capturing the atmosphere for guests at home.

Later in the gala, the convention turned to the serious theme as the fantastic duo Security and Counter Terrorism expert Mr. David Otto and UK Businessman and WCA Think Tank Moderator Mr Richard Nfor, led the community fundraiser. This is the first of its kind which puts SOBA UK at the heart of the community to enable funds to be raised for community initiatives by members of the community.

A minute’s silence was respected in memory of those who have died as part of the crisis. Both hosts then proceeded to chair a fundraiser that generated just under £6000 in just 30 minutes to support the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa (CHRDA) and the humanitarian support Bishop Nkea of Mamfe diocese. Donations to this cause were received from CamDoc UK, WCA, SOBA UK Patrons, OPSA UK, SOBA Ireland, the SOBA UK President and many other guests including anonymous donors. A full report on the donations and support will be produced jointly by SOBA UK and Fundraisers in order to inform the guests.

Awards in appreciation of excellence and dedication

In an unprecedented turn of events, immediately after the Sasse Song and anthems led by the Synergy Music Band, Mr. Chrys Chikere and Dr. Humphrey led a series of surprise awards in appreciation of the association’s executive team by its members for the great service that they have given to SOBA UK and building of the brand.

Much of the community had witnessed nasty press articles and letters with fabricated allegations against the highly respected SOBA UK executive. These articles were largely purported by a small splinter group of Sobans who have sadly orchestrated various libelous activities and have chosen a wrong path in SOBA. Their approach has been rejected by the SOBA UK General Assembly and the UK community at large.

The initiative in the evening was a heartwarming recognition by SOBA UK’s members and ‘icing on the cake’ to the AGM resolutions as members awarded their executive team individual awards with inscriptions “for a meritorious service to SOBA UK”. Well done boys!

Other awards presented by Dr. Montio Morgan of CamDoc UK – “2018 Best Supporter of SOBA UK Award” handed to Bernard & Sylvia Ntamack and “2018’s Most Engaged Soban” was awarded to Atem Akoh-Arrey for his stellar work on the SOBA UK blazers project.

The Community Representations

“We’ve got to do this again” retorted Cynthia Asuagbor, representative from EXSSA UK as she took the mic and insisted on leading a grander entrance dance by the ladies of EXSSA UK. EXSSA UK made their presence felt and showed support for SOBA UK.

OPSA UK represented by Miss Queenta Fombon announced their presence. CamDocs (Cameroon Doctors) was represented by their chairperson, Dr. Montio Morgan. WCA was represented by Mr. Richard Nfor. BOBA UK was represented by Mr. Moma Awah. SOBA Ireland was represented by Mr. Stephen Njonguo. These groups stood shoulder to shoulder with SOBA UK as they have always done. Other overseas guests included Mr. Edwin Ndoko and Mr. Jean Jacques Tayou from SOBA America.

The coolness and class, music & dance acts

All through the night, in Masterchef-esque fashion, Karen Eban, co-MC for the night announced the dishes “Ladies and gentlemen you are having a smoked salmon with a cream cheese topping and a prawn” as starters were ushered out by the Hilton kitchen staff. Many thanks to the kitchen staff at Hilton St George’s Park, for the wonderful dishes served with delicious teas and coffee to finish off the meals.

SOBA UK Sponsors also weighed in on large screens to engage the guests. CEO of SellamQuick, Leo Fonfe and Founder of Vic’s Kitchen, Victoria Dioh provided snippets of their businesses. Karen Eban confirmed that Vic’s Kitchen pepper source were supplied on all tables.

There were also jokes from Mr. Likambi and dance performance by JBanks.

The Synergy Music Band‘s light Makossa and soulful music had filled the airwaves as guests took to their seats for almost thirty minutes before the MC’s Kun Galega and Karen Eban’s grand entrances and through the night until Deejay Eko took over the dance section at midnight.

Sunday barbecue and retreat

Some guests took an early morning swim after a night of hard partying. For those who missed breakfast, a mouthwatering barbecue was served around 1pm as other guests strolled and enjoyed the grounds around St. George’s Park. An international football game between the England and Croatian under 21 teams was taking place at the main stadium at St George’s Park,as some guests departed, whilst Mr Likambi stole the SOBA UK President and Vice President for a 30mins interview to reflect on the Convention success and the state of SOBA UK.