South West, Fako chiefs bury hatchets

South West and Fako chiefs have decided to shelve aside their differences and work together for the development of the chieftaincy institution in the region.

This was one of the resolutions arrived at in Buea, Monday, April 28, after a troubleshooting meeting between the leadership of the South West Traditional Rulers’ Conference (SWECC) and the Fako Chiefs Conference.

Jerry Nkemtaji, Fon of Bechati village and President of the South West Chiefs Conferenceheaded the SWECC delegation, while Samuel Epupa Ekum, President of the Fako Chiefs Conference headed the delegation of Fako Chiefs.

Nkemtaji: Acting President of SWECC

Epupa presented the grievances of the Fako Chiefs that caused them to withdraw their membership to SWECC. The grievances included, “the abandonment of the SWECC secretariat project in Buea, lack of solidarity from SWECC during the University of Buea crisis last year, Fako chiefs sidelined from greeting the Head of State during the reunification anniversary celebrations in Buea, no account of the money offered bythe presidential couple and lack of transparency in the management of food money during the event”, among others.

According to Epupa, the South West Chiefs did not assist them in their time of need, especially when there were student uprisings in the University of Buea last year. Epupa regretted that SWECC made no official statement on the issue.

On February 20 during the fiftieth anniversary celebrations of Cameroon’s reunification, Fako chiefs were denied the opportunity to shake hands with the President Biya. They were allegedly referred to as porters and carriers during the celebrations.

Dr. Atem Ebako, Chief of Talangaye village allayed fears that the SWECC secretariat project has been abandoned, insisting that Buea is the natural host of the secretariat. He said at no point had there been a thought to move the secretariat out of Fako.

After the heated in-camera meeting, the chiefs resolved that consultation and dialogue should prevail if ever differences arise among the chiefs. For a more successful South West Chiefs Conference, they called for the revision of the constitution to include provision for the management of crisis among other lapses.

Executive members were also called upon to exercise their functions without the influence of the council of the wise, composed of chiefs like Senators V.E. Mukete and Tabetando, who had become all powerful.

Nkemtaji expressed satisfaction on the resolutions arrived at, promising that they will be handled soonest.

Given that the South West Chiefs will be meeting on May 30 for their elective general assembly, it is speculated that some provisions of the constitution will be revised.

Fontem Njifua’s funeral

SWECC President, Senator Lucas Fontem Njifua, who died last April 2 in Yaoundé, we learnt has been reserved a 7-day funeral from May 8 to May 15.

The Acting SWECC President, Nkemtaji confirmed that the chiefs are gearing up to give their deceased president a befitting funeral.

With the general assembly of the chiefs come May 30 and May 31, in Kumba , a new president will be elected to run the activities of SWECC, given that the demise of Fontem Njifua came at the end of his two-year mandate.

The mayor of Mbonge, Chief Ekong William Sakwe is said to be on pole position ahead of the elections, given that the next SWECC president must come from Meme.

As Fako Land crisis deepens: Fako chiefs chide Human Rights' Tiku Tambe

       - Accuse him of blackmail, threats and intimidation to get land

         - Say ‘Fako lands not subjected to Human Rights’

BY ATIA TILARIOUS AZOHNWI

Fako chiefs have risen against Christopher Tiku Tambe, South West Secretary General of the National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms for being vocal about the management of land surrendered to them by the Cameroon Development Corporation, CDC.

In a strongly worded communiqué, April 16, signed by Samuel Epupa Ekum, President of the Fako Divisional Conference of Traditional Rulers and the Presidents of the sub-divisional chiefs’ conferences, the chiefs say Tiku Tambe is hiding under the Human Rights office to extort land from them.

Tiku Tambe

“Following the recent utterances over CRTV Buea on Saturday, April 12, 2014, during the “Press Club” programme by a certain Christopher Tiku Tambe of the Human Rights Commission castigating Fako Traditional Rulers over the lands surrendered by the state, we, the traditional rulers of Fako wish to draw the attention of the general public that the said Christopher Tiku Tambe has never been mandated to speak on our behalf or on any matter concerning our lands,” the communiqué reads in part.

According to Tiku Tambe, land matters in Fako have become a human rights problem because “we are talking about deprivation, the right to own property, the interest of women and youth. If women and youth are dispossessed, it becomes a human rights issue. If land meant for the community is sold, it becomes illegal. It means the chief is no longer serving the interest of his people; he’s serving his personal interest. He testified here that he sold land, even though he claimed it was just three plots of land. We want to put it to him that it is illegal and he has to take responsibility.”

Tiku Tambe insists that they are ready to name and shame any administrator involved in this business of illegal sale of land. On the said edition of CRTV Press Club, Tiku Tambe said a certain Zang III has grabbed several hectares of land in Fako. He wondered if the said Zang III was the Senior Divisional Officer for Fako, adding that if it happens to be the case, then the said Zang III would have used his position to get the land and will be brought to book.

Chief Kaka Esue Daniel of Bokwai Village, Thursday, March 27, confessed that he is under pressure from the Fako administration to sell land surrendered to his community by the Cameroon Development Corporation, CDC.

But Fako chiefs say “we are distancing ourselves from all those unwarranted and castigating statements directed to certain personalities and authorities and clearly state here that Fako Lands are not subjected to any human rights interest stories by Tiku Tambe, whose Manyu elites and traditional rulers expect a better decorum at the head of the South West branch of the Human Rights Commission.”

They go on to call all the chiefs of Fako “not to give any credence to Tiku Tambe’s invitations which are geared towards extorting portions of their surrendered lands through intimidation, threats and blackmail.”

Talking to Cameroon Journal from Yaoundé, Tiku Tambe said “the Fako chiefs don’t have the intellectual capacity to judge my action and to draw the line between the workings of the commission and my person.”

Tiku Tambe maintained that as long as Fako land is sold illegally by chiefs in complicity with administrators and if the populations keep on complaining to his office on the issue, he will seek justice.

“I don’t summon on my own merit. I summon when I receive petitions against them…I summon to get their own side of the story. Since they started giving them land, how many have I asked from them? I have enough money to buy land. I’m from Manyu, but I’m the regional secretary of the commission which has jurisdiction to handle such issues. I’m a Cameroonian and can work anywhere,” Tiku Tambe said.

He described the disclaimer by Fako chiefs as the last kicks of a dying horse. He said if ever a chief violates any summons from the commission, the provisions of the law creating the commission will come to play.