Fighting Unhealthy Competition Among Elites and Building Peace in Noni

 "Noni is at daggers drawn with itself"

-Honourable Barrister Ghun Felix Mburi.

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Honourable Barrister Ghun Felix Mburi has in a moving interview on development trends in Noni hit the nail on the head. He amongst other things declares that Noni is at daggers drawn with itself. He decries the sterile politics of self aggrandizement and condemns the selling of illusions at the expense of development in Noni. He describes in glowing terms the recent moves towards peace in Djottin and calls on all Noni Leadership to follow suit.

Hon. Ghun Felix Mburi

He begins this interview with an appropriate self introduction. 

Excerpts

I am a member of the North West Regional Assembly. A Barrister at Law and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Cameroon. I was born in 1978 in Noni, and attended Primary school at Government School Nkor from where I went to Government Secondary School Nkor. I eventually attended the Cameroon College of Arts, Science and Technology CCAST Bambili.  Next I went to the Higher Teacher Training College ENS Bambili where I was trained as a Geology Teacher. Upon graduation I taught Geology at Government High School GHS Jakiri in 2003 while awaiting posting. I eventually taught Geology at GHS Limbe from 2004 to 2010.

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You were trained as a Geology teacher. How did the legal tag come in?

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Yes, while teaching Geology, I developed a keen interest in the politics of Noni. I did a lot of findings and decided to get involved in politics. To do this, I had to be adequately equipped. As a result, I decided in 2007 to enroll at the University of Buea to study Law and Political Science. I studied Law and minored in Political Science. I graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor degree in Law in the second class upper division and with a diploma in Political Science. In 2010 when I graduated, I got seconded in the Ministry of Mines where I worked up to 2014. In that same year I wrote the Bar 1 exams and did my pupillage. Afterwards I wrote and passed the Bar 2 exams. That’s how I became a Barrister at Law and I took my oath at the Court of Appeal in Bamenda. I became Barrister at Law, Solicitor and Notary Public.   With the advent of the 2019 code on Decentralization and Local Authorities which ushered in Decentralization, I postulated and got elected on the platform of the CPDM. I got elected as the Divisional Representative for Bui to the North West Regional Assembly.

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You are a Bui representative at the Regional Assembly. What specifically are your responsibilities?

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I am a development stakeholder in Noni and  I am prepared to put in my own input towards its development.

I joined the ruling CPDM Party in 2007 and participated actively in the twin elections during which I served as chair person of the Nkor Cooperative Pulling Station. I choose the CPDM because my research and findings guided me to conclude that the efforts, fruits and development strides in parts of Noni were thanks to the efforts of the then CPDM Section President Nformi Alfred Forgwei who was my role model. He held and took me along and gave me the necessary impetus, courage and fortitude to move on with the CPDM knowing that it was the party with the greatest chances of bringing development to Noni.   I come from Noni but the law states that a Division is a constituency and representatives are voted from the constituencies who then sit at the Regional Assembly. In keeping with the 2019 law on decentralisation, I am a Divisional Representative for Bui. I am from Noni so it is possible to see me as a Noni representative. I am not the lone representative from Noni. We are three of us. There is Honourable Karamoussa Gagari and His Royal Majesty the Nfon of Nkochi in Nkor. My responsibilities at the North West Regional Assembly are multifaceted. There are responsibilities to the North West Regional Assembly, to Noni where I come from and to my electorate cum Counselors and militants of the CPDM. In respect to the Regional Assembly, the primary responsibility is to attend all the ordinary and extra ordinary sessions and actively participate in the deliberations. This involves bringing my expertise and know-how to bear on the decisions, resolutions and activities being carried out. My responsibilities  here  also include ensuring and promoting the rule of law and equity to ensure that the dividends of decentralisation are equally and evenly distributed all over the North West Region. I am a member of  the Administrative and Legal Affairs Standing Order Committee. The major activity that we carry out has to do with the drafting of the standing orders of the North West Regional Assembly. My responsibilities as a member of this committee has to do with the legality and regularity of the activities.

At the level of Noni, I ensure that the Subdivision should have its own fair share. My responsibility is also to take to the Regional Assembly the development predicaments of the Noni man in terms of infrastructure, educational facilities, health, farm to market roads, electricity amongst others. Noni is the least developed Subdivision in Bui Division. We will use the instrumentality of the North West Regional Assembly to address the development issues of the Noni Subdivision.

I also have the responsibility of carrying out the crusade for the delimitation of the boundary of the Noni Subdivision.

It is important to note that the text that created the Noni Subdivision stated that the limits of the Subdivision would be defined in a separate and subsequent text.  This text is yet to see the light of day. It is my responsibility to mobilize the forces that be to continue to push. It is true that the former Section President for Bui V, Nformi Alfred Forgwei met in Douala with some elites and transmitted some requests to Government through the Multi-cultural and Bilingualism Commissionon the question of the non delimitation of the boundaries of the Noni Subdivision. We are going to follow up on this file. I, with the support of the vital forces of Noni introduced this file at the level of the Public Independent Conciliator who has the locustandi to receive complains from the general public on how they are affected and discriminated upon. It is important to know that this non- delimitation affects the collection of revenue. The third responsibility is to the Counselors of the Nkor-Noni Council and to my political party the CPDM. In this case, it is a responsibility of accountability. It is equally a responsibility of communication. I have to be constantly present and available to the people who elected me as a representative of Bui Division at the Regional Assembly. I seize this opportunity to duff my hat in gratitude to the Lord Mayor of the Nkor-Noni Council, Shey Dr. Ndi Germanus Nchanji and the counselors of the Nkor-Noni Council who voted for me. I am also grateful to the CPDM, the political party that made it possible for me to be elected into the Regional Assembly. This responsibility is pretty huge especially when viewed in the light of the upcoming Senatorial Elections.  That aside, all of us have the responsibility to make sure that peace returns to the North West Region. It is also our joint responsibility to see that peace returns to Noni. The objectives of the North West Regional Assembly cannot be attained if the situation doesn’t return to normalcy. I have been visiting the various segments of Noni preaching the advantages of Decentralisation and explaining the necessity for us to give peace a chance.

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You certainly encounter challenges in the execution of your duties.

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The powers devolved to the North West Regional Assembly are limited. There are still a lot of powers to be devolved. This piece meal devolution of powers makes it difficult for the North West Regional Assembly to function normally. For now the North West Regional Assembly cannot raise money for it’s development activities. It still relies heavily on the Central Government for disbursements from the Common Discentralisation fund. The North West Regional Assembly is hampered by the absence of peace.

At the Divisional level the challenges are enormous. There’s the problem of the lack of means. As a Divisional representative, we were expected to receive development grants that will permit us identify, execute and deliver development projects in the Division. The lack of means has made our job a difficult one. The expectations of the people, students, IDPs amongst others cannot be satisfied as a result of limited means. Despite the absence of means, I have dedicated a large chunk of my sitting allowances to help IDPs and the needy and to buy English language readers which I put at the disposal of Secondary Schools in Noni. At least one is supposed to begin from somewhere. I will be judged from what I have done with nothing rather than on the complains of lack of funds. Another challenge is that the people I have to work with are dispersed and difficult to reach. I cannot go to Noni when I want.

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There are indications that Noni is no longer in the red zone as far as the crisis are concerned.

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With regards to the return to normalcy in Noni, I want to salute the compromises that have been made in Djottin in this direction through the leadership of DADA and the good and peace loving people of Djottin. They have set the pace for a return to normalcy in Noni. I thank all the actors like the religious and traditional leaders, the youth groups and women groups, farmers' groups for adopting the option of peace.

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Any special message to the Traditional Rulers and elite?

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I use this opportunity to salute their Royal Majesties the Nfons of Djottin who represented their brothers and Royal Highnesses; the ten Nfons of Noni here in Yaounde during the DADA Elective General Assembly that saw the creation of the coveted post of Nfon Nkwantè. I was overwhelmed with joy that the Nfons of Noni in their infinite wisdom could be at the center of such an endeavor which is aimed at taking the culture of the Noni man a step ahead.  The creation of the title of Nfon Nkwantè came at the right time. It came at a time when the hitherto title of Ntumfon did not make any sense again in the entire grass field.  In many occasions, the learned Barrister Nico Halle had down played it and it no longer commanded the grandeur it was meant to command. This new creation of Nfon Nkwantè is a wonderful and most welcome initiative. When the Nfon of Laan(Lasn) visited the Noni Community recently in Yaounde he endorsed that creation. It is my understanding as a legal practitioner that the Noni Community should get ready to register this creation with the Intellectual Property Rights because before long people will want to twist it and lay claim that it is their creation. It is a Noni creation which was conferred on Dr. Nfii Kangong Ndikintum. Before the creation and some time after, I didn’t know Dr. Ndikintum. I'd heard of the father and I remember visiting Djottin on many occasions and dropping at the father's compound at Bunti; a building constructed with Stone and concrete in front of the compound. I remember seeing the father’s grave adorned with marbles and tiles. I had an opportunity to sit on it but it ended there. I didn’t know him. So after the creation and conferring of the title on Dr. Nfii Ndikintum I opened consultations and came to the realization that there was something in the offing and that the tidings were tilting and that the scale of Social Justice and Compensation was tilting in the direction of Noni. Nfon Nkwantè Dr. Nfii Ndikintum has my blessings and encouragement and I call on all and sundry to rally behind this illustrious son of Noni so that through him, with him and in him, we can rightfully be Noni and claim what is rightfully ours in Cameroon.

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How has the creation of the Noni Subdivision and the Nkor Council affected Development in the area?

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The creation of the Noni Subdivision and the Nkor-Noni Council has greatly enhanced development Initiatives. These two structures have given the Noni man the leverage to carve out his Identity in Bui Division. The Noni man, culturally and traditionally speaking is different from the Oku and the Nso man. He is a Noni man, defined as such and should be seen as such. The Noni man before the creation of these structures had to go to Oku or to Kumbo to get certain services. Today, the decision making apparatus has been given to the Noni man and if there’s any failure, the Noni man should blame himself and no one else. We cannot afford to fail but should rather take full advantage of these two structures that have been put in place.  The Noni man now has a chance to carve out a future befitting of him alone.

We should therefore shift aside this tendency of political apathy. Let us be politically aware and get ourselves involved in politics. This will permit us to take informed decisions and make us better armed to design and execute development projects. The jurisdiction of the Noni Subdivision should be defined.

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What are the major hindrances to development in Noni?…………….

The major hindrances to development in Noni are numerous. Firstly, there’s the absence of knowledge of things that are purely Noni. There’s also the indifference and inertia that has been demonstrated among Noni elite.  The Noni Political Landscape is besieged by sterile politics. It’s rendered unproductive by people who seek for self agrandizement and interests at the expense of the general growth of Noni. There are sellers of illusions in Noni. These people are selling illusions to Noni People in exchange for their development. Multiparty politics is good but in a community like ours with lots of development issues still to be addressed, my understanding is that we should rally behind the party entrusted with the National Treasury. I am of the opinion that Noni youths should be able to take vital decisions and choose political options that can bring development to the area. Noni is at daggers drawn with itself. As we speak now, Noni has two umbrella associations; NODECA and ANODA. Such a situation can only be decried.  The split of a dissident group and the creation of ANODA can only be described as unfortunate and accidental. At a time when we are building and assembling our forces, such divisive tendencies should be discouraged. But again it is their inherent right to belong to any association since they are operating within the context of freedom of association. The lack of communication, interaction, socialisation and lack of team work among the educated Noni elite   is to be decried. There’s the spirit of unhealthy competition amongst them. The modern man elects team work and not competition. Last but not the least is the dwindling spirit of Community Development.  

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How far do you think the Reconstruction Plan for the North West and South West Regions can take care of the urgent needs of Noni?

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Two years ago, the government put in place a Reconstruction Plan for the North West and South West Regions. An assessment was made of all the houses and property destroyed during the crisis. The plan is to Rehabilitate the destroyed structures. The same thing took place in Bui Division and is still ongoing because a lot destruction took place in Bui even after the concept was implemented. As such the plan is being updated continuously. Destroyed structures and property in Bui and Noni have all been earmarked for reconstruction and rehabilitation. The Presidential Plan has been saddled with a lot of hurdles. Famous among these hurdles is the double standards of our development partners. They pledged to support this plan but so far the support is short in coming. However, consultations are still going on. A return to normalcy will pave the way for an effective implementation of the Reconstruction Plan for Bui Division. A close look at the projects of the Nkor-Noni Council and those of the North West Regional Assembly shows that they are fashioned in such a way that is favourable to the Reconstruction of the area.

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You and other sons and daughters of Noni recently met with the creation of a Noni History Society on agenda if I am not mistaken.

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In December 2022, I invited a group of budding Noni intellectuals  to a meeting in Bamenda and unveiled to them my thoughts on the “New Noni Project”.  The aim was to urge them to give meaning to this project among their rank and file. I also expected them to take up the project should they find it plausible and feasible. The project focuses on the traditional cultural setting of Noni which has been challenged and taken further by the Nkor Council Development Plan which is not mastered by many of us sons and daughters of Noni. The Nkor Council Development Plan has carved out 45 villages which are growing. What we erroneouslycall Noni  villages are simply communities. Djottin for example is a community of villages with two Fondoms. Din just like Laan are communities of villages with Fondoms. These are some of the issues I put in front of the Noni intellectuals with whom I met in Bamenda. I observed in passing, the urgent need for a Noni History Society. I pointed out that all existing write ups on Noni history were largely reactionary and that it was time for Noni researchers and intelligentsia to start writing an assertive history of Noni. I am a Barrister at Law and I leave the task of creating a Noni History Society in the hands of people with the appropriate intellectual capacity.

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Some recent declarations indicate that Noni is no longer in the red zone as far as the Anglophone Crisis are concerned.

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Yes there are indications that Noni is no longer in the red zone as far the crisis are concerned. This is because Djottin which was the epicenter of the crisis is experiencing peace. The credit for this peace goes to the Djottin Community, the good willed and hard working people of Djottin, the entire Djottin elite in and out of the country and the Djottin Traditional elite who have all chosen the option of peace. People have come back to their senses and decided to give the children a chance to go to school. The situation in Din, Ngeptang and Bamti is more peaceful and we call on them to follow the footsteps of Djottin. It is true to say that Noni is no longer in the red zone, but Noni is not yet in the green zone either. We still have much work to do. We should stay away from manipulators and denounce people from out of Noni who come into Noni to seek for a safe haven when they find themselves in trouble elsewhere. Noni has now chosen the advised option of peace. We can’t enjoy the fruits of decentralisation without peace. The lofty projects of the Nkor Council cannot be executed if there’s no peace.

Interviewed By Francis Ekongang Nzante

 

Noni Herald

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