LIFESTYLE: Eden's NW Bureau Chief Solemnises Seven Years Old Marriage

Bamenda, Cameroon—They kept trickling in. Soon the Tubah council had become an assembly of journalists that Friday, March 27, 2015. English speaking journalists in Bamenda had gathered to witness the court wedding of their colleague Igna Nji aka Bob Ben who is Northwest regional representative of Eden Media group. Igna and his wife, Meroline Njinso, with whom he had been living for seven years, tied the nuptial knot in the presence family and friends from around the country.

Igna & Mero pose with mayor

Just like the arrivals, the procedure for Igna and Mero to obtain the ‘precious’ certificate was slow. The mayor of the Tubah council who had confirmed he will personally preside over ceremony could not be seen at the time it was slated to begin.

It took the groom several phone calls to locate the mayor who was unavoidably absent. He then mandated one of his deputies, who also took time to arrive the council.

Mayor Barnabas V. on arrival reignited the smoldering hope of the couple, their families and friends. The mayor, before declaring them husband and wife, grilled the couple in an open counseling session, though similar sessions had been held.

There’s no marriage without problems

The counseling session was tough with the officiating registrar (mayor) firing questions at the groom.

“Have you gone, seen the parents of your spouse?”

Igna responded: “I have done so. That is why all of them are here”.

Igna carries his "burden"

After what observers described as a tough moment, the mayor laughed when the groom declared they are going in for monogamy but will have separate properties. This was probably the first time the mayor was hearing this marital regime.

Before calling on the bride and groom to sign on their marriage certificates, the mayor had the following words for them; “there is no marriage without a problem. But the important thing is that when you have a problem solve it. If you want your marriage to be in peace, it will be. And if you want it to be in pieces, it will be.”

The M-Moment

The much awaited moment came with Igna and Mero exchanging marriage vows. When the mayor gave Igna the green light to kiss the bride, he (Igna) took a moment to show the about 100 of his guests and wife the feelings he doesn't often put into words amidst shouting and galling applause.

At a reception that followed at ‘Spee Arts Bukaroo’ in Nkwen, successive speakers like Pa Nfor Henry (for the newlyweds), Choves Loh, Northwest regional representative of SOPECAM (who popped the wedding champagne), Gwain Colbert aka Mr Bamenda (who gave a toast), all wished the newlyweds well in their marital life.

Liquidation Committee

As guests gradually retired, the groom’s colleagues created a “liquidation committee” headed by Fon Keneth of Afrique MediaTV and Akamancho Ambe MacMillan of Afrique Nouvelle Radio. The committee accompanied the newlyweds’ home where ‘part three’ of the wedding ceremony continued to the early hours of Saturday March 28.

Igna and Mero solemnized their ‘new life’ at the Catholic Church Bayelle on April 4; the eve of this year’s Easter Sunday.

Happy matrimony!!

By Ndi Eugene Ndi in Bamenda

Uncertain Fate of Over 1000 Cameroonians in SA Worries Youth Leader

Yaounde, Cameroon—Youth leader and activist, Ndansi Elvis, has said he is shocked by government’s silence a week after deadly attacks on foreign nationals began in South Africa.

Ndansi addressing journalists

“It’s embarrassing that Cameroon has remained quiet up till now despite the fact that over 1000 of its nationals are in South Africa,” Ndansi told journalists in a press briefing in Yaounde on Saturday April 18. 

He said government should denounce the spate of xenophobic attacks in South Africa  with the same energy it has used against Boko Haram,

Cameroonians have expressed disgust, mostly via social media, at the loathsome attacks, joining their voices to a massive international outcry.

Officials at the ministry of External Relations (foreign affairs) were unavailable for comments at the time of this report.

Some Cameroonians living in South Africa told News Watch they are not sure government will offer to protect and repatriate them like the governments of other African countries are doing for their citizens trapped in the country.

“Malawi and Zimbabwe are repatriating their citizens based in South Africa but our High Commission here is not doing anything,” a Cameroonian based in South Africa told News Watch.

“I called the High Commissioner and he told me he was in a meeting. He has since not called back like he promised,” another South Africa-based Cameroonian said.

Ndansi (dark suit) expressing anger over gov't silence

Rumours that a special flight would ferry Cameroonians back home spread within the week, raising the hopes of fretting Cameroonians. But nothing of the sort has happened and it remains unclear if government is making such plans.

Government should tell us what its plans are and measures it has taken to ensure the safety of our brothers and sisters in South Africa, Ndansi told journalists.

He said Cameroonian youths will not repay violence with violence but insisted that a boycott of South African businesses present in the country would not be ruled out if the attacks on foreigners continue.

By Ndi Eugene Ndi

Buhari in Cameroon Before Inaugural!

Yaounde, Cameroon—True to Nigerian political tradition, president-elect, Mohammadu Buhari is expected in Yaounde ahead of his May 29, 2015 inaugural in Abuja. Then president-elect, Olusengun Obasanjo, made a stop over at Etoudi on March 16, 1999 and held talks with Biya ahead of his inaugural. The late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan were also received at Etoudi ahead of their inaugurals in 2007 and 2011 respectively.

Buhari

Although top on the agenda of such audiences has always been to invite Biya, one of Africa’s longest serving presidents to their inaugurals, public affairs analysts opine that such audiences would hardly ignore talks on the proceedings of the normalization of relations between Nigeria and Cameroon over the territorial disputes on Bakassi.

However, since it is not a written law and coupled with the complete handover of the oil rich peninsula to Cameroon, political analysts say the Buhari is not under any obligation to follow the lane of his predecessors.

Yet, whether Buhari is received at Etoudi before his inaugural or not, president Biya will undoubtedly be invited to his inaugural in Abuja come 29 May 2015. With controversy surrounding his (Biya) health situation, critics are pessimistic about Biya’s physical presence in Abuja. Though government denied allegations of Biya’s ill health as alleged by French daily newspaper, Le Monde, pundits still hold that Biya’s long stay on a ‘short’ private stay in Europe could have been orchestrated by ill health.

President Biya and wife, Chantal however returned home apparently healthy and strong after their ‘short’ vacation in Europe.

In a congratulatory message to the Nigerian President-elect, Paul Biya has wished Buhari success in the discharge of his duties at the helm of Africa’s economic giant, promising they will work together.

“You maybe rest assured of my constant readiness to work with you towards maintaining and consolidating the excellent multifarious relations existing between Cameroon and Nigeria, as well as between our brotherly peoples”, Paul Biya assured Buhari in an official telegram, also published on the website of the Unity Palace.

By Ndi Eugene Ndi

National Assembly: CPDM Dominated Committee Throws Out SDF Private Members’ Bill

Yaounde, Cameroon—Declared admissible by the chairmen’s conference, private members’ bill N° 068/PLL/AN to law down rules governing the protection and preservation of water catchment areas, watersheds and wetlands in Cameroon that was initiated and presented to the National Assembly for consideration and adoption by Hon Awudu Mbaya Cyprian and members of the SDF parliamentary group has been rejected.

Hon Awudu Mbaya initiated the bill

The bill was thrown out by the CPDM dominated production and trade committee of the National Assembly during debate. By the time of this report, our efforts at getting to the president of the production and trade committee of the national assembly for reasons why the bill was thrown out were unsuccessful.

In a press conference at its party’s parliamentary group secretariat at the National Assembly on Wednesday April 1, 2015, SDF legislators expressed disappointment over the refusal of mostly their CPDM colleagues to endorse the adoption of the bill that was previously judged admissible by the chairmen’s conference.

“We thought that the adoption of this bill by the national assembly is going to give Cameroonians water on a permanent basis and pave the way for a sustainable progress in their development endeavours”, disillusioned Hon Awudu told reporters at the press conference.

Presented at the threshold of the climate change summit to take place in Paris, France, Hon Awudu said an endorsement of the bill by the nation’s representatives would have been very essential contribution to the summit.

“We are going to participate at a very high world summit in Paris in December this year, what is Cameroon going to table as its own contribution when we throw out a bill like this?” Hon Awudu questioned.

The SDF lawmaker claimed that the bill has not been rejected because it is bad, but because it has not been initiated by someone else—probably referring to someone from the ruling CPDM party. “Water has no colour, so when you protect water, it is for everybody, it is not for a section of our nation, it is not for a political party, neither is it for an individual; it is for each and everyone”, Hon Awudu stated.

The embittered SDF MPs used the press conference to appeal to their ruling party colleagues to move beyond party lines and support bills which concern the general interest of Cameroonians.

By Ndi Eugene Ndi