Officials Fear Boko Haram onslaughts will Halt Back to School

Yaounde, Cameroon—The 2014/2015 academic year in Cameroon will begin on Monday September 8, 2014.

Pupils/students of the Northern regions may not return to school

Ahead of the day, officials of the ministries of Basic and Secondary Education have been holding meetings to review the just-ended 2013/2014 school year, the conduct of its certificate examinations and draw up strategies to ensure a hitch-free return to the classrooms for the 2014/2015 academic year.

According to the Minister of Secondary Education, Louis Bapes Bapes, the 2013/2014 school year was generally satisfactory but for some problems like abandonment of duty posts by some teachers and misuse of examination fees in some schools amongst others.

These problems, the minister hoped, would not be repeated in the next school year.

“The school at the service of human development through quality education”, is the theme of the 2014/2015 school year.

But education officials are concerned that Nigerian militant group, Boko Haram will prevent schools in the northern regions of Cameroon from attaining this lofty goal.

Louis Bapes Bapes

“We are worried by the insecurity situation in the Far North region, but we are hopeful that by the time the school year begins, it would be possible that our children go to school”, Secondary Education minister, Louis Bapes Bapes told News Watch.

In the Northwest region, the 2013/2014 academic year was very successful with save for a few strikes, some unrest caused by trade unions as was the case in previous years, says Northwest regional delegate of secondary education, George Sunjo.

But the performance of students across the country at certificate examinations was not very satisfactory.

Compared to previous years, success at the GCE ‘O’ Level for general and technical education candidates dropped to a meager 35%.

This poor performance, according to George Sunjo, is due in part to the fact that “this is the batch that was combined in the primary school; classes six and seven”.

The educationist explains that the class six pupils missed out on something which they were suppose to have in class seven.

This batch, Mr Sunjo added, wrote the GCE for the first time and could not have performed the way people would have expected.

In the meantime, as the pupils and students prepare to hit the road for the 2014/2015 academic year, the minister of trade has maintained that the prices of text books will not be changed.

After an announcement by the minister in a press conference in Yaounde recently, officials from the ministry have been deployed to the field to ensure the ministerial decision is respected by book sellers.

By Ndi Eugene Ndi in Yaounde

Indomitable Lions: Samuel Eto’o Shown The Door

Yaounde, Cameroon—The head coach of the national football team of Cameroon, the indomitable lions, Volker Finke has published the list of 25 players to face the DR Congo on September 6, 2014 in their first qualifier  for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

Samuel Eto'o has not been shortlisted by Finke

Curiously, the team captain, Samuel Eto’o Fils and twelve others who represented the four-time African champions at the 2014 world cup in Brazil are not part of the squad.

Finke published the list Friday evening shortly after a ministerial decision maintained him as head coach of the Indomitable Lions.   

The decision by the minister of sports and physical education also retained Ghanaian born Ibrahim Tanko as assistant coach while two Cameroonians; Belinga Alexandre and Bonaventure Djonkep, were appointed deputies. Former Indomitable Lions goalkeeper, Alioum Boukar, was appointed goalkeeper trainer in replacement of Jacques Songo’o.

Meanwhile, CRTV sports editor, Vincent De Paul Atangana was appointed team press officer. He replaces Raphael Nkoa.

Finke has left out 13 of 23 players who were in Brazil

By leaving out many of the players who were part of the world cup debacle in Brazil where Cameroon was ranked last amongst the 32 participating teams, Finke yields to the hopes of many Cameroonians who since the world cup have been calling for the old players to be dropped and new blood injected into the team.

See complete of players called by the head coach

Goalkeepers

Ndy Assembe (FC Nancy)

Abogo, Pierre Sylvain (Tonnerre de Yaoundé)

Ondoua, Joseph Fabrice (FC Barcelona)

Defenders

Djeugou, Cédric (Coton Sport de Garoua)

Guihota, Jérôme (FC Valenciennes)

Matip, Joël (Schalke 04)

Nkoulou, Nicolas (Olympique Marseille)

Bong, Gaëtan (Olympiakos)

Bagnack, Frank (FC Barcelona)

Oyongo Bitolo, Ambroise (New York Red Bulls)

Midfield and attackers

Enow Eyong -

Mbia, Stéphane -

Loe, Raoul Cédric (C.A Osasuna)

Salli, Edgar (A.S Monaco)

Zock, Guy Christian (Cosmo de Bafia)

Mandjeck, Georges (Kayseri Erciyesspor)

Kibong A Mbamba, Marc (Konyarspor)

Choupo-Moting, Eric (Schalke 04)

Nguemo, Landry -

Moukandjo, Benjamin (Stade Reims)

Aboubakar, Vincent (FC Lorient/Porto)

Dongou, Jean Marie (FC Barcelona)

Kweuke, Léonard (Caykur Rizespor)

Njie, Clinton (Olympique Lyonnais)

Etoundi, Franck (FC Zurich)

Waiting list

Kom, Franck (Etoile Sportive du Sahel)

Mougang Mbassogo (Lion Blessé De Foutouni)

Bana Moussa (Coton Sport de Garoua)

Tabekou Ouambe (APEJES de Mfou)

Nlate Ekongolo, Brice (Olympique Marseille)

The team will begin camping at the CAF football training centre in Mbankomo, near Yaounde from September 1, 2014.

By Ndi Eugene Ndi in Yaounde

Neighbours Jubilate as Fire Renders CPDM Secretary General Homeless

Yaounde, Cameroon—A value common to most Africans is sharing with the less privileged.

 It seems this coveted African value is not practiced by former deputy prime minister of Cameroon and current secretary general of the central committee of the ruling CPDM party, Jean Kuete.

Jean Kuete, CPDM Secretary General

Neighbours have stopped jubilating a week after fire razed his residence near the Omnisport Stadium in Yaounde.

Besides several furniture and other household equipment, CFA 120 million was also lost in the fire, it is rumoured in the neighbourhood .

Alex, Nkuete’s neighbour, said they (the neighbours) are happy that fire consumed the residence of the CPDM scribe.

The CPDM scribe is a very stingy member of government who has never invited neighbours join him during feasts in his home, he said at a bar a stone’s throw from the scene of the fire.

‘Am happy the fire consumed his house on our behalf’, Alex says.

 Like Alex, Cyrille, another young neighbour to the CPDM scribe said, in other neighbourhoods, ministers invite neighbours during feasts like Christmas, New Year, Ramadan…but “their own minister” has never done so.

‘We do not enjoy being neighbours to a minister like our peers in other neighborhoods’, Cyrille says.

Many more inhabitants of the Omnisport neighborhood who News Watch met claim Jean Kuete is very reclusive and stingy.

Other inhabitants of the area, who do not share the views of the aforementioned, hold that the fire was the result of “crimes” Nkuete committed while serving as minister of agriculture and rural development, a post he held at the same time with that of deputy prime minister.

Talking on grounds of anonymity, a neighbour who watched the fire incident said the fire could be ‘following’ the minister since peasants are peeved  because he  embezzled funds that were meant for them while he served as minister of agriculture.

Eye witnesses said the fire would have started around 10:15 p.m. (21H15Gmt) on the roof of a room in which Nkuete’s niece was sleeping in on August 12, 2014.

Kuete's residence a day after fire incident

"The boss was about to receive a guest in one room, the children were in the living room and with their mother watching television when the girl alerted them of fire in the room", a source revealed.

Our source adds that fire fighters at Mimboman; not too far from Omnisport were called but could not arrive the scene on time.

“Before their arrival, we went there and helped them in removing some articles from the house”, explains André, another neighbour to Jean Kuete.

 André adds that after putting out the fire, they had drinks for free including champagne.

The jubilation by Jean Kuete’s neighbours following the mishap could be a warning to most wealthy Cameroonians who rather than help the poor prefer to invest in mansions, some of which they may not know all the rooms.

By Ndi Eugene Ndi in Yaounde

WISU Secretariat Will be My Immediate Priority—President Elect

Bongom, Cameroon—The Wimbum Students Union (WISU) may soon have a permanent secretariat as the union’s new president general, Ngwan Derrick Tawe Nyah has said the much trumpeted secretariat will be his immediate priority.

“You know WISU has existed for the past 35 years and many Wisuans both within and out of the country have clamored for a secretariat and my immediate challenge will be to see into it that the secretariat project is realized”, Mr Tawe said.

The new president general of WISU was talking to this reporter at the end of the 35^th annual convention of the union in Bongom village on August 10, 2014.

When the secretariat project would have been realized, Mr Tawe added “we are going to install internet through which we are going to interact within Wimbum students, friends and well wishers. We are also going to sign partnerships with mobile telephone networks to ease communication within and without Donga Mantung”.

The new president said he is counting on the support of Wisuans and the out gone executive to realize his vision for the union. “I know that my people are behind me, the out gone executive also, has promised to always be there with support and all the resources will be harnessed so that the secretariat project is realized”.

Notwithstanding, projects started by the out gone executive will not be abandoned; “my predecessor had started a library in Mbiyeh, that is a good project and I congratulate him for the idea but I want to go above that by saying that it does not just suffice to sign a partnership with the Ndu council to renovate and use their building as a library, why not have a WISU library constructed by Wisuans themselves”, the new president questioned.

His vision, Mr Tawe said is not aimed at challenging any body as an individual “but I will challenge the shortcomings of our union in general”

Mr. Tawe wished that people (wisuans) who are out of the country will not only send support but that one day the union should have delegations from USA, South Africa, and Nigeria etc to it convention.

Quizzed on the distance between him (the president) and his secretary general who is in Kumbo, Mr. Tawe said “we are in a modern world, being in Bertoua and my secretary General in Kumbo will not constitute any problem with the functioning of the union. We will delegate powers to those at home to carry out tasks back home just like those in other regions but I have been leaving the East region and coming home, so why say I am far”.

The new president general of WISU added that his predecessor has always been in contact with people in the USA, Canada and other countries whereas he has never been there, “I am just in the East region in Cameroon; so I can always be in contact with members of my bureau wherever they are”.

Ngwan Derrick Tawe Nyah, hails from Kieku in Tabenken. The eighth-born in a family of ten is a second year student of the Catholic University of Bertoua reading management. The new president general of the Wimbum Students Union is also proprietor of Revised Standard Evening School; the lone Anglophone evening school in Bertoua.

Wisuans are looking forward to the new president to put his managerial savvy in the administration of the union. Others fear that he may be too rash in taking decisions that may end up stalling the union’s vision.

However the dynamism with which Mr. Tawe is promising Wisuans is what most of them count on most-given his ears would be open to advice.

By Ndi Eugene Ndi, back from Bongom

At Last, Old WISU Executive Surrenders Power, Counts Achievements

Bongom, Cameroon—The 35^th annual convention of the Wimbum Students Union (WISU) has ended in Bongom village in Nkambe central subdivision with the Nfor Dieudonne Nkeh-led executive that has ruled the union for five instead of four years surrendering power.

Dieudonne Nkeh has ruled WISU for five years

Ngwan Derrick Tawe Nyah from Tabenken, a second year management student of the Catholic University Institute in Bertoua who was formerly the socio-cultural master of the union was elected as the new general president of the union for a two years mandate renewable once.

According to the constitution of the union, an executive is elected for a two years mandate renewable once. But the Dieudonne Nkeh-led executive that was elected in 2007 and reelected in 2009 for the last mandate did not relinquish power in 2011 during the 34^th annual convention in Taku village in Ndu sub division. Observers have since been criticizing Mr. Nkeh for clinging onto power.

“For those who know WISU, they will know that constitutionally, you need a two-third majority of registered members in the hall to conduct an election. The issues you will want me to address are simple; that there was no two-third majority in the hall at the time elections were to be conducted, and so we, the outgoing executive today by interim (covered by the constitution though) continued to see that we do what we have done (elections) in Bongom peacefully”, Dieudonne Nkeh told this reporter at the end of the 35^th WISU convention in Bongom.

To the out gone president of WISU, ruling the union for more than four years is not a new phenomenon.

“For those who have been in WISU, they will know that in 2006 it happened like that in Mbot village where because of the lack of a two-third majority, elections were postponed. That very government of Mr. Kwalar Dieudonne Tamnjong continued and handed over power in 2007 in Ntundip in a peaceful way”, Mr. Nkeh said.

Dieudonne Nkeh’s five years legacy

Though criticized by many observers for refusing to relinquish power after his four years reign, the outgone president general of WISU says he is leaving the union as an accomplished President.

Citing some of his achievements, Mr. Nkeh said he has successfully sustained the union for the past five years. “For the past five years, the union has not gone into disarray, you will understand that to keep a youth association like this for five years without misunderstanding that can cause the union to fall apart is already a mark”, Mr. Nkeh opined.

“We have professionalized the minds of the students at home through sensitization into professional schools yearly by the Tubah branch, donated some generators to GHS Tabenken, GHS Taku and GSS Njila. These are schools back at home where preparatory classes would be organized with ease. We also donated books to GHS Binka”, Mr. Nkeh added.

To encourage the fight against cholera, the out gone WISU president general said “we have constructed a modern ventilated pit toilet in Mbaa village to serve as an example to our community”

In a bit to encourage Wimbum students to get interested in the activities of the union, the union produced a movie; WISU At All Cost, “the intension behind it was not profit making but to sell our culture and advertise the union’s activities to those of us who are out of the village. In that movie we try to highlight the various things we do at the convention and also to identify talents in acting” Mr. Nkeh hinted.

Through a partnership with the Ndu council, the out gone executive has been able to realize the WISU library in Mbiyeh. “Today we are counting 500 books in that library which can serve the Wimbum students writing the GCE ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels, competitive exams and for research”, Mr. Nkeh revealed.

According to the out gone president, within the years, WISU has joined the campaign against climate change and planted environmentally friendly trees in some villages of the Mbumland like Taku and Wowo amongst others.

According the out gone president general of WISU, celebrating the 35^th annual convention of the union in Bongom village is a great achievement. “The hall that you and I are seeing is a legacy that WISU is leaving because I was contacted by the owner to host WISU in Bongom and I told him there is no hall and he promised and built what you and I are seeing”

To crown his achievements, the out gone president says “you know what happened in the union last year in Taku village. We have succeeded to bring back unity in the union and you can see from the 35^th convention here in Bongom. We have conducted transparent, free, fair and peaceful elections.”

 By Ndi Eugene Ndi, back from Bongom