Ayah Paul tipped to become new SCNC leader this month

The Journal has been reliably informed that one of the major outcomes of a historic constituent assembly of the Southern Cameroons National Council, SCNC, scheduled for Mamfe, Manyu division; July 27, will be getting a replacement for the late Chairman of the council, Chief Ette Otun Ayamba.

An inside source briefed CJ on conditions of anonymity that besides the reunification of all the factions of the SCNC, Ayah Paul Abine, former CPDM MP for Akwaya, who now chairs the People’s Action Party, PAP, would be handed the leadership baton of the movement.

Making the case for Ayah’s choice for the movement, our source said that though Ayah has shown very little interest in the SCNC top job, they would convince him to take the movement’s leadership position.

He stressed that Ayah Paul for now remains the only Anglophone at home with the bravery to take over the SCNC leadership and free Anglophones from the fangs of La Republique du Cameroun.

Meantime, Cameroon Journal has also confirmed that officials of the SCNC carefully planned the reconciliatory assembly to coincide with the ‘state’ funeral decreed by the movement for its fallen national chairman, Chief Ayamba, who passed on June 19, this year at the Full Gospel hospital in Mamfe.

The SCNC leadership is currently touring all the sub-divisions of the North West and South West regions, to mobilise members to massively attend Chief Ayamba’s funeral and to take part in the announced constituent assembly that will hold in Mamfe shortly after the former SCNC chairman’s corpse leaves for his native Eyumujock sub-division for burial.

The organisers of the constituent assembly claim foreign dignitaries and SCNC Diaspora delegations, have already indicated their presence in Mamfe come July 27.

As for Chief Ayamba’s funeral programme, a statement states that he will be buried on July 28, in his Eyumojock native land in strictly Bayangi tradition.

In addition, he will be buried in Southern Cameroons’ colours of blue and white stripes with thirteen stars in the middle of the flag; representing the thirteen counties (divisions) of Southern Cameroons.

It is alleged that the SD party is contemplating postponing its NEC meeting that was scheduled for Bamenda on July 27 to enable its leaders, including Chairman John Fru Ndi, to attend the funeral.

Chief Ayamba came to the limelight of the struggle for Southern Cameroons self-determination on December 30, 1999 when in the company of Justice Ebong and Pa Sabum; they stormed the CRTV provincial station in Buea and declared the independence of Southern Cameroons.

He and his peers were arrested at the Centenary Stadium in Victoria and detained at the Kondengui maximum prison in Yaounde for close to two years.

On their release, while Justice Ebong went on self-exile to nearby Nigeria, Chief Ayamba remained steadfast and naturally sailed in as the national chairman of the SCNC; replacing the late Martin Ngeka Luma who died April 13, 2003.

Ayah Paul recently confirmed in an interview granted to a local newspaper that there has been mounting pressure on him from different circles to take over the leadership of the united SCNC movement.

In the interview, Ayah summarily disqualifies himself stating that he’s not a registered member of the SCNC and that the constitution of the movement might not permit him to be chairman.

He, however, quickly added that he would not hesitate to finance the SCNC if he has the means and to take up any position that would liberate Anglophones from the suffering and marginalisation they are going through in Cameroon.

He regretted that he cannot finance the movement because he has gone for 10months without a salary and thinks going to court with the government will be a waste of time.

“Biya is the head of the judiciary, head of government, head of state, head of armed forces, head of the national football team” he complained.