Fako chiefs renounce protest, denounce foxy colleague

The brittleness of the Fako Divisional Chiefs Conference has once more been brought to the fore. The latest is the August 4 2014 letter addressed to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development in Yaoundé, with the subject; Annulation of the press release and memorandum of 16 July 2014, from the conference of Fako Traditional Rulers.

In the aforementioned memo, the Fako Traditional Rulers have denounced the deceitful scheme orchestrated by Chief Njie Mandenge of Wonjia village in Buea municipality and associates, “who presented an outdated letter No: 566/MINADER/SG/DDLC/COOP/GIC of April 11 2006, from the Ministry of Agriculture, which had been invalidated by prior Court Rulings and a final judgment in Arrete No: 02/A/2013 of June 2013 from the Administrative Bench of the Supreme Court,” the memo continued.

Chief Daniel Kaka Esowe of Bokwai village Signed by Chief Epupa Ekum, President, Fako Chiefs Conference, after deliberating with the rest of his members on the subject; ‘ press release and memorandum of July 16 2014’ and conscious of a final Supreme Court Judgment that brings to light the true information on the Bakweri Cooperative Union of Farmers Real Estate and Housing Cooperative Society Limited, BCUF, a private entity, the Fako Chiefs resolved amongst others; “We respect the judgment of the Administrative Bench of the Supreme Court and the wisdom of justice rendered in the case giving legitimacy to the BCUF.”

The Fako Chiefs distanced themselves from one of theirs, Chief Mandenge in the intrigues he planted in the July 16 2014 press release and memorandum, noting; “We recognise the BCUF Real Estate and Housing Cooperative Society Ltd as the only legitimate organisation to manage its affairs and denounce Chief Njie Mandenge’s use of Fako Traditional Rulers Conference as a canopy in trying to bail out himself for personal charges and denounce the purported impression that Fako Chiefs are disrespectful of court judgments.”

They will exonerate the BCUF Real Estate and Housing Cooperative Society Ltd from any involvement in the CRTV Buea programme; Press Club, stating; “We wrongly alleged that they (BCUF) called for violence, genocide, secession and public disorder in relation to surrendered lands in Fako Division and accuse Chief Mandenge for misleading the conference of Fako Traditional Rulers to sign the communiqués that tarnished the image of the said cooperative, its management and its personnel.”

The Fako Chiefs showed remorse on any harm that the said press release and memorandum would have caused on the image of the BCUF, its members and the management.

Some traditional rulers of Buea at a meeting This turnaround from their initial position by the Fako Chiefs stems from the July 16 2014 press release and memorandum addressed to the Governor of the Southwest Region.

These documents were signed by the following Fako Chiefs; Mokoto Njie, President, Muyuka Chiefs Conference, Njie Mbanda of Lysoka; Vice President Buea Chiefs Conference, Njie Mandenge; Acting Secretary General, Fako Chiefs Conference, Molive Molungu Otto of Batoke-Limbe, Epupa Ekum; President, Fako Chiefs, Kombe Ndike; President Tiko Chiefs Conference and Chief of Mondoni, Linonge Kinge of Bwiteva Village and President, Buea Chiefs, Patrick Ikoke Moli of Bonjuva Village, Dr Ekoka Molindo, Daniel Kaka Esowe of Bokwai, Johnson Njoke Njombe of Wokaka, George Dikanjo Malumbe of Wovia, Samuel Motulu of Kie and Kama Esimboe of Ewongo.

The Fako Chiefs claimed that Barrister Ikomi Ngongi of the Bakweri Land Claims Committee, BLCC, has arrogated to himself the status of the Secretary General of BLCC, which gives him the opportunity to go on the CRTV Buea programme, Press Club and stir the peace-loving people of Fako Division against the government, the local administrative officials and advocate for a situation of genocide.

Their memo described Barrister Ngongi, Ndemba Endeley of BCUF and Matute Menyoli of CRTV Buea as gangsters, who are out to destroy Fako Division. It partly reads; “We respect the dignity and right of others.

This marriage that is seemingly entrenched between these disillusioned members of the Texas-based BLCC and those of the Ndemba Endeley led BCUF Real Estate and Housing Cooperative Society Ltd is one that may lead to chaos and disrupt the peace that reigns in our Division.”

It will continue; “Ndemba Endeley and his group would want to seize this opportunity to arrogate land in collaboration with Barrister Ikomi Ngongi, Matute Menyoli of CRTV Buea and liquidate as he did when he sold BCUF Ltd property at Dibanda-Buea to the Cameroon Baptist Convention for FCFA 300 Million and more. These gangsters, who are apparently suffering from cultural assimilation, cannot be allowed to destroy our Fako Division.”

The Chiefs of Fako Division saw in the aforementioned individuals; secessionists, who have a plan to intoxicate the population and lead them towards genocide by using the media to propagate their campaign.

“If we allow these devils with their secessionist plans and smear campaigns to continue, we shall be sad witnesses therefore, to the extinction of our heritage, our legendary hospitality and legacy,” the memo read.

The custodians of Fako culture in their letter said Ngongi, Ndemba and Matute are; “deceitful and treacherous individuals in all their ramification and style,” while adding; “we considered these manoeuvres as calculated attempts not only to frustrate and tarnish the image of our government but a resolve to destabilise the institutions of this Region and stir trouble.”

The Fako Divisional Chiefs Conference in their memo to the Governor of the Southwest Region requested that government should; “suspend the CRTV Buea programme, Press Club and sanction the moderator and panellists, the activities of BLCC be banned as per the Fako High Court Judgment of Friday, September 26 2003 and the activities of the BCUF Real Estate and Housing Cooperative Society Ltd be stopped as per the instructions contained in the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development’s letter No: 566/MINADER/SG/DDLC/COOP/GIC of April 11 2006 addressed to the Governor, Southwest Region.”

As we pursued our investigation in this BCUF saga, The Post Newspaper stumbled on a confidential letter from Chief Samuel Epupa Ekum of Dikolo Village, Bimbia and President, Fako Chiefs Conference to Barrister Ikomi Ngongi in Buea, dated July 17 2014.

On the subject; I signed a letter and a press release against your team under duress, the Chief Epupa letter partly reads; “This memorandum(that of July 16 2014 to the Governor of the Southwest Region) was prepared well in advance by the Buea Chiefs and we were made to sign.

I hesitated to sign but the atmosphere was so tensed that I had to placate them by signing the memorandum and the press release. Mola Ikomi, I am a member of BLCC. I led the BLCC team to the court in Banjul, The Gambia in all the three sessions. I still belief in BLCC and what they stand for.

As a bona fide son of this soil of Fako, I am against the irrational manner in which our land is being controlled by our New Landlords, who are not indigenes of Fako.”