Town crier No 319

Country people,

Barka da Salah in arrears. I am sure you enjoyed this great Moslem feast like myself. As usual it was hectic at El Hadj Lawan Bako, the great philanthropist. Of course, those of you who have been there before remember the usual warmth and hospitality of Nawain. Everything went on hitchfree. Luckily, there is no Moslem/Christian conflict here. No Boko Haram. The warmth and merriment at El Hadj’s place directly contrasts the bitterness at John Ntarinkon’s especially when the name of your town crier is mentioned. Not to shorten his days, although he is already living on bonus time (he is 73 and above) I have decided to pipe down on him. This I have done partly to please those of you who are his fanatical supporters. But please, those of you who are close to him should remind John Ntarinkon that criticism is the price he must pay for the position he occupies. Look at Popoul. What sort of insults have not been heaped on him? In fact, Popoul is the most insulted president in the world. Except for late Pius Njawe which he was surely misled to jail, all those who have insulted Popoul in the vilest terms imaginable are going about their normal duties. Through his tolerance Popoul is telling fellow politicians that if they are not ready to be criticized, they should quit politics. We of the press don’t criticize out of hatred or mischief. We are only doing our duty as watchdogs of society.

Back to Popoul. He returns to the country next week and it is the wish of all Cameroonians that he comes back form Geneva with their much cherished Mama Chantoux. I am one of those absolutely sure Mama Chantoux will bounce back to take her place as First Lady. If you doubt me your eyes will be your witness. Proof that Popoul and Mama Chantoux are still together is that for the first time Popoul sent a condolence message following death of one reverend sister in Yaounde on his behalf and those of Mama Chantoux. There can be no smoke without fire. There was actually problem between the two. Mama Chantoux reportedly said “to hell’ or as frogs usually put it’ ca gate, ca gate’ after a better quarrel ensued between them. Of course, there is no marriage or any relationship where disagreement doesn’t take place.

But Popoul’s real headache is not Mama Chantoux. It is his former collaborators now turned opponents. I am not talking about Marafa or Yves Michel Fotso. That is an old story. I am talking about Professor Maurice Kamto who has decided to launch his party named Cameroon Renaissance Movement, CRM. He did so during a press conference at Hilton. Police stormed the occasion, Kamto sneaked into his car and vamoosed. The police came after the event was over. It was attended by an impressive number of persons including journalists and members of other political parties. But why did the police have to behave this way? The party had been registered by MINATD or was it because as I heard, the former minister delegate at the ministry of justice didn’t register the party in his own name? But I am not yet done with Hilton. I hear the management of the prestigious hotel has been sued. Kamto had paid for the hall and of course for the facilities the hotel provides. But there was no AC (air conditioner) and no light in the hall. Proof of the regime’s discomfort is Rene Sadi’s complaint on air that the press conference addressed issues other than those it was intended to. This is where I hate this regime. It creates heroes out of nonentities. If gendarmes didn’t shoot and kill in Bamenda on May 26, 1990, John Ntarinkon would not have been the hero he is today. Maurice Kamto’s press conference wouldn’t have been still a topic of discussion if police never stormed Hilton to disrupt his press outing. Popoul’s growing discomfort is heightened by the Marafa/Fotso court outing. The heavy turnout at court each time Marafa appears and worse of all, the shouts of ‘our president’ addressed to him show the unpopularity of the Popoul regime. Scores of security forces have to be deployed each time around the Mfoundi court to maintain order. Sometimes the suspects are smuggled in through the backdoor to avoid the crowd.

But that is not the main source of Popoul’s discomfort. The recent statements from Marafa and Fotso implicating Popoul is the real source of the president’s headache. Marafa says Popoul knew and even teleguided every move taken in the process to purchase a presidential plane. He denies disbursing the $29 million whose misappropriation is the core of the trial. Yves Michel Fotso disclosed that he was appointed for a mission. The way in which the trial is going suggests that at a point Popoul himself can be issued a subpoena to appear in court. But we know the judges can’t dare. I even hear the judgment is already locked up in a special drawer and that the proceedings are just a formality. Like elections in Cameroon. The results are known in advance. That is why we call Cameroon’s democracy ‘Advance democracy’. But we are comforted by the fact that some of our judges still have consciences. Magistrate Kenmoe, the man who slammed a life sentence on innocent Forjindam has resigned. He complains that everything was being dictated to him from above. He has therefore decided to hands off all Epervier cases including that of Nguini Effa. He says the fact that the verdict was dictated to him against the tenets of his profession is why he is quitting. But the deed has been done. What he has done. That is medicine after death. He should have cried foul and even granted a press conference when pressure was mounting on him.

Welcome to North West Mr. Epervier after your frightening mission in the centre and littoral regions. I am pleased that you have picked up stingy, headstrong and swollen headed mayors like Tenoh and Co. Tah George Mbh, and Awanakam Godloce a serving and former ‘S’ mayor respectively, together with ‘C’ mayor Agogho Johnnie and Ahmandong Godwill, assistant S mayor have spent their first four days in jail. But what puzzles me is that they are in the Mbengwi production prison, whereas Tenoh who is from the same Momo jurisdiction is at the Abakwa central prison. Another puzzle is why all 3 Ngoketunjia mayors implicated in the communal stamp racket have so far, not been arrested. I mean the fake professor, Ntoh Daniel, the mayor-turned teacher, Tikanjoh Stephen and that conceited fellow, that ingrate, Wasum Augustine in Balikumbat. I hear they will be picked up either today or tomorrow.

Congrats to those who attain leadership genuinely and not through manipulations. Therefore, congrats to Batonier Francis Sama who says he will work better for those who didn’t vote for him. That upstart at the helm of North West CAMASEJ should copy the good example of Batonier Sama and also resolve to work for the 20 people who voted against her instead of threatening to make an issue of remarks about her questionable accession to North West CAMASEJ leadership. A big congrats to ELECAM. I hear biometric machines are already around. Who can doubt Fonkam again? Registration starts in September and I advise all of you to register and get ready to vote. Otherwise, you will end up being ruled by the likes of Njingum and those embezzling mayors already behind bars or on their way there. The experimental phase takes place in Yaounde. Training next and full exercise to ensue. At least 7 million voters are expected. “opposants’ are surely cracking their brains on where to pick holes in the electoral process. I want to see how far they go. I also want to see how far the likes of Barrister Nkom will go in their fight to instill homosexuality and lesbianism in Cameroon. I am pleased with the recent condemnation of the practice by Yaounde archbishop, Tonye Bakot. He didn’t call names, but he left nobody in doubt about the fact that those practicing it are those in high places who want to keep power at all cost or those wanting to attain it. I don’t want to revisit my hit parade of homosexuals. I just want to let sleeping dogs lie.

Country people, I seize this opportunity to remind us that before doing anything it is essential to reflect on its consequences. We should not behave like ‘S’ politicians who speak without first reflecting. Agitators all of them who speak to cause excitement. That is why I have suppressed my list of homosexuals and lesbians. I also caution my compatriots which most of you are not to believe everything we hear or read on the net. For instance, the claim that Bakassi has declared its independence. This is something a few sensation loving youths just wrote and posted on the internet. Many people took it for gospel truth until South West governor, Okalia Bilai Bernard cleared the air dismissing everything as rumours. He disclosed that development infrastructures were fast going up in Bakassi. We encourage other administrators to follow the example of the South West governor and dispel all rumours before they are mistaken for facts. Concerning Bakassi, your town crier was and remain one of the patriots who rejoiced when Cameroon finally took possession of it. Some Cameroonians have lost their lives defending it. Some before and others after. For those after I am thinking about my brother Lekunze who died 3 years after Cameroon took control. I fear for my other brothers, Peter Tien Ndeh SDO for Ndian where Bakassi belongs. I pray God that he shouldn’t be kidnapped as has been the case of other administrators. I equally feel for fellow Cameroonian journalists of Le Jour newspaper which belongs to Haman Mana. Within two months, Le Jour has lost two journalists. I am not parochial in thinking, not superstitious of mind, the word ‘famla’ would have quickly come to mind considering that the proprietor of Le Jour is Bami. Sad as it is, life has to go on. I enjoyed Salah yesterday at Nawain’s as I told you earlier. Thanks to Barca da Salah Monday was a public holiday. So like all Cameroonians, I had a free day. Afterall, who cares to work? Why Saudi Arabia and Qatar were the ones which announced the appearance of the moon before the feast was ordered is not my concern. I am happy it fell on a Sunday for the reason  I have just explained. There is however at least one person who never enjoyed Salah with the same gusto. It is the large buttocked ex-wife of our former Newman’s confidante Joe. I mean Philomena of the ‘grand debat’ who was sacked as principal of a school in Ndop central. You can guess. You see how tough Ntumkwifon is although sick. Serves her absolutely right. Her mind should now be in turmoil like that of Ali Bongo Odimba, the parvenu who rigged elections to become Gabon’s president. Sleep, I hear has vanished from his eyes following the return of opposition leader Andre Mba Obame who left the country in 2010 criticizing Ali’s electoral fraud. Obame’s return sparked demonstration resulting in the imposition of a curfew in Gabon. Popoul is surely scared of such a thing happening here. Reason subsidies on petrol haven’t been taken away. France ruled by Ali’s new protector is also in trouble. Not people initiated but the work of nature. Scorching temperatures in the South of France is threatening have imagine 21C^o at night and up to 40 ^oC during the day. Toulouse, the scene of a recent bloody drama where a psychopath slaughtered people, is the most affected. The elderly are the most vulnerable. 15.000 people lost their lives in 2003 due to the scorching heat. Is it just climate change or France is paying the price of electing a divorced man as President? This reminds me of something, Francois Hollande has spent his first 100 days at the Elysee. Lucky man. Heat can’t kill him because of the sophisticated ACs at the French presidency. But the majority of French men are not happy with him because he has not kept his campaign promises. The issue of retirement age reduction and improvement of unemployment. Rate 54% are unhappy with him while 51% say France is heading for the worst. Serves the French right. They voted out Sarkozy who advised them to work and improve their economy the way the Yankees do instead of relying on their former colonies, the tradition of De Gaulle, Mitterrand etc. If Sarkozy were still in power the days of Popoul and other Methuselah presidents would have been numbered. I like the Egyptians better than the French. They voted a foresighted leader. Mohammed Morsi is doing the right thing- trimming top military personnel to size. He retired the all mighty Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi . I never knew there were still Field Marshals in Africa after Idi Amin the brute. I wonder what war Tuntawi fought to become field marshal whereas great yankee soldiers like Swazkov and Collin Powel ended as generals.

Talking about the Yankees, Mitt Romney, republican candidate has chosen Paul Rione as his running mate; 3 months to the yankee presidential election. Obama and supportes are quaking because of the landmark fundraising conducted by Romney’s supporters. Obama’s wife, Mitchel is campaigning vigorously for her husband. The gap in the polls is still narrow, but it is my wish that Romney wins. I hate the democrats. Rwanda in 1994 witnessed the slaughter of 800.000 people with the Yankees under Clinton. Now Obama has watched the slaughter of over 20.000 Syrians. He permitted gay marriages just because he wants to be reelected. Obama threatened endgame for sit-tight African leaders. Today, the likes of Popoul are still mischievously seated in the high places of their kingdoms. I am pleased with the setback Obama suffered in his attempt to have Julien Asange extradited by Britain to face trial in yankeeland. Asanga has finally been granted asylum in Equador. I don’t want to hear anything about the organization of American states forcing Equador to hand him over. The Yankees never heeded to Argentina’s call for the adherence to the moroe doctrine when Britain attacked and defeated that South American country over the Falkland islands. Britain had as that time iron lday Margaret Thatcher as prime minister.

Still on the wikileaks genius, he was supposed to face trial in Sweden for sexual assault. In yankeeland he faces the death sentence. Reason why I support Equador for saying the country is keeping him in the interest of freedom of expression. I love wikileaks for exposing  very important world secrets including those of Cameroon. Great whistler blower wikileaks is and a source of journalistic scoops.

As I said earlier, I hate the Yankees under Obama. If it were a republican in power, the rubbish in Syria would have since stopped. Obama talks only of financial support. A republican would have since sent B52 bombers and F16 fighters to get Bashir al Assad out of the Syrian presidency. The 300 UN observers should leave Syria quickly as it is already doing, as the fighting intensifies. Kofi Annan steps down finally in august. So Algeria’s former foreign minister Ruadar Brahimi takes over. I want to think he just wants to make a name and chop the heavy gombo the UN provides. If he thinks he can bring peace to Syria with Assad still president, he is grossly mistaken. China and Russia have messed everything up by vetoing resolutions which could have ended Assad’s bloody leadership. But while all eyes were focused on Syria something appalling happened in Democratic South Africa. Police opened fire on striking mine workers killing 34. The mine workers whose dispute sprang from a disagreement between two trade unions over pay rise, were brandishing clubs, and clubs. Two policemen had been hacked to death by the demonstrators one of whom had a gun. You see that police fired not so much in self defence as in retaliation, call it revenge. South African president, Jacob Zuma had to cut short his participation in a regional summit in Mozambique. He has set up a commission of enquiry saying it is not time for blame. Vladimir Putin Russian leader is no longer at ease after the three women that engaged in the pussy riots were sentenced to two years in prison. They had staged a song in the Russian orthodox church calling on the Virgin Mary to rid Russia of Putin. The court accused them of hooliganism. Thousands gathered outside the court protesting. Police arrested some. Demonstrators have held in more 30 European cities against the verdict. The 3 women were arrested in February. Kofi Olomide’s sentence for three months also led to protests by his supporters. He was charged with rape by a Paris court. Olomide who had a row with producer over his dancers has always been a controversial musician.

I end the gist for this week on a note of disappointment with YOSA which now behaves like P- Tonton. Shem on them. How can they allow themselves to be beaten at Abakwa after raining horse?