Nfon V.E Mukete, the paramount ruler of the Bafaws, has been nominated for the post of president of the South West Chiefs' Conference - SWECC prior to a stormy elective assembly of the association on May 30 in Kumba.
Mukete was nominated by the general assembly of the chiefs of Meme division on May 27 at the Kumba city council hall. His nomination came after he was overwhelmingly elected president of the Meme Chiefs' Conference.
His nomination greeted with a thunderous applause, however, came after a moment of pandemonium, following an objection from the chief of Bakwa Supe, Motase Ngoh, who nominated himself to challenge Mukete. But Motase's self-nomination was immediately crushed by the moderator; Chief Ekong who rejected a proposal by Motase that an election be conducted to decide who among the two candidates be retained as candidate.
Ekong stated that it was important that any candidate chosen should be one who would not be rejected by SWECC general assembly. He said Nfon Mukete was the best choice for the post, given that he possibly could paddle the activities of the association more successfully than any other.
Meanwhile, Mukete would be assisted in his divisional bureau by Elango Akama Sona of Dikomi village as vice president. The post of Secretary General went to Eseme Mbonji of Nganjo Titi and Motanga Frederick of Foe Bakundu as assistant. The post of Treasurer went to Ndedi Penda of Pete Bakundu. Other executive members elected on the same day include Esambi Peter Ngoh of Malende, who retained the post of financial secretary and Eseme Ellias of Kokobuma. He was voted publicity secretary.
Mukete who takes over from Ekong William Sakwe as Meme chiefs’ leader will be installed alongside his new team on June 7. The election of the new executive follows the dictates of the constitution which states that the presidency of Meme Chiefs' Conference rotates from one village to the other. Mukete's election, therefore, came after a thorough deliberation among the 11 villages that constitute the Bafaw tribe.
Bafaw produced the president and vice while the rest of the executive members were voted at random. The outgoing president who is also the current mayor of Mbonge urged his peers to collaborate with the new team the same way they did during his tenure.
The Meme chiefs reiterated their appreciation of President Biya for creating a higher institution - the Higher Technical Teachers' Training College, HTTTC in Kumba.
"We cannot afford to end this very important meeting without thanking the head of state for creating the HTTTC in Kumba."
The chiefs also used the forum to re-evoke the absence of a minister from the division which they said is rich in economic resources.
Nfon Mukete the new president, promised to channel all the problems of the association to the appropriate quarters for action. He praised the other chiefs stating that the fact that they elected him as their president prove that they want to strengthen the development of Meme.
Mukete, if confirmed as President of SWECC, would be taking over from Fon Fontem Lucas Njifua of Lebialem, who passed in April.
