Fako SDO rejects MINATD letter over Batoke chieftaincy

“……Batoke is peaceful, there is no problem, Chief Molive Molungu Otto Chief of Batoke, said stressing on the fact that no consultative talks needed to be held”.

This is the statement of Fako SDO Zang III, regarding the circulation of a letter from the ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation, requesting that urgent consultative talks be held on the 3rd class chieftaincy stool of Batoke village, Limbe II sub division, Southwest region.

The letter which is dated August 19 2014, signed by the Secretary General of MINAT, Essomba Pierre, and copied SW Governor, came up with a copy of another letter signed by the then Minister, Marafa Hamidou Yaya and dated April 20, 2004, and which reads…… "I wish to request you to repeal prefectoral order no. 185/2003 of 5th June in relation to the appointment of Mr. MOLIVE OTTO MOLUNGU as 3rd class chief of Batoke, on the ground that the consultative talks which led to his designation were carried out by the Senior Divisional Officer of Fako in violation of the provisions of decree no. 77/245 of 15 July 1977 to organise chieftaincy.

The Divisional Officer of Limbe should thereafter carry out fresh consultative talks between the LONGONJE and MBUA NGOTTO families to select a new chief for the village.

For as it appears, following the examination of the file on the above subject matter, both families had once ruled Batoke village.

In accordance with Prefectoral order no. 362/2004, the then SDO, Bernard Okalia Bilai, repealed that the June 5, 2003 appointing Mr. Molive Molungu Otto, on grounds of irregularity in his designation, and ordered for fresh consultative talks to be carried out in conformity with the customs and tradition of the people to designate a chief of Batoke Village, to be conducted by the Divisional Officer of Limbe Sub division.

After the consultative talks, Chief Otto emerged as Chief of Batoke, though not without much wrangling, but the squabbles finally subsided in 2006, when prefectoral order no. 007/2006 of 10/01/2006 confirmed him as 3rd Class Chief of Batoke village, a seat he has been occupying since then.

But after 8 years since Chief Otto Molive was confirmed traditional ruler of the Batoke people, the most recent letter from MINAT has sent tongues wagging once more.

Chief Otto has preferred to remain quiet about the issue, as he explained to The Sun that he has had information about the said letter, but he has nothing to say because the matter is presently being handled at the necessary quarters.

Fako SDO, Zang III, who is the competent authority, has, in an exclusive chat with The Sun, expressed surprised, disappointment, confusion and annoyance over the issue, which he says had already been laid to rest for years now. “For me, I was very confused and surprised when I received this letter.

The problem had been solved by my predecessor, who is now Governor. He had implemented the decision of the minister in reorganising consultative talks regarding the chieftaincy stool in Batoke village, after which chief Molive Otto emerged chief and he has been the traditional ruler since then. There has never been any squabble in Batoke since then” Zang said.

The SDO, after presenting documents to show that the consultative talks were successfully carried out, said “Those who are claiming that they are going to reorganise consultative talks should forget and think of another thing to do, and anyone who wants to create problems in Batoke will be taken by hierarchy. The chief is the chief, he remains the chief and no consultative talks will be organised”.

From the SDO’s reaction, one may think that he is disregarding the letter to reorganise consultative talks, but this is not so, as “I contacted the SG at the ministry who also expressed surprise, as he cannot recall how come he signed the letter”, Zang III explained.

In his opinion, Fako SDO says it is possible that the SG must have been misled by his collaborators, “May be he was not aware that the problem had been solved since 10 years ago or he possibly signed the letter without carefully going through its contents”.

As the SDO explained that the SG has requested a report from him on the issue, he vehemently maintained that no consultative talks will be reorganised, as Chief Molive Otto Molungu is the legitimate chief of Batoke Village.