Ta Nformi Gerard Ngala Ignites Hope in Donga Mantung

Proverbs 29:18 is abundantly clear that, “Where there is no vision, the people perish. It is no exaggeration to say that the people of Donga Mantung Division have wandered in the political wilderness for long, led by octogenarian politicians that had neither vision nor the will to lead the people to the Promised Land. They relied on the British system of divide and rule through clannish tendencies. The breed of opposition leaders that struggled to replace the octogenarians did not only imbibe this obnoxious clannish tendencies but equally went ahead to confuse the people; blur their vision with sterile promises while their personal pockets kept on bulging day in day out. It took the tack and foresight of Dr Fuh Calistus Gentry to point light towards the end of the tunnel to Donga Mantung people and thus started destabilizing the nefarious consequences of clannish politics to the chagrin of opposition politicians that were reaping on the backs of the people. The move of Dr Fuh Calistus by launching his scholarship scheme in Nkambe and doing most of his major political activities in Nkambe central served as an eye opener and youths that had long wanted to act as purveyors of development but were prevented by the egoistic opposition politicians decided to take the cue.
According to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. Imbued with this knowledge, Gerald Ngala, a very proactive, soft-spoken, foresighted, goal oriented and daring youth decided to put a permanent halt to the balkanization of politics and development in Donga Mantung division, thus igniting hope in the people that a new dawn is at the horizon. But instead of following where a path leads, Gerald Ngala has decided to go instead where there is no path to leave a trail.

Like Albert Schweitzer, Gerald Ngala fervently believes that, example is not the main thing in influencing others, it is the only thing. He serves as an example to many of the youths as he is very humble, hard working, industrious, trustworthy and exceedingly serviceable. He is ever ready to sacrifice for others and discuss development issues. No meaningful politics or discussion for far-reaching reforms can be embarked on today in Donga Mantung without Gerald Ngala who has in a twinkle of an eye left indelible marks in the politico-socio-economic domains of the division.

John Quincy Adams says that if your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. Gerald Ngala is a leader with exceptional leadership qualities. His actions are litmus test of what leadership ought to be. Though a youth still in his prime, his actions speak volumes of wisdom. And the final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men, the conviction and the will to carry on. Many youths in Donga Mantung today look up to Gerald Ngala as their role model and the incarnation of hope and a better future for the entire division. But what makes Gerald Ngala exceptional and exemplary that all and sundry are behind him in Donga Mantung division?

Gerald Ngala has become a household name in Donga Mantung by his own right and not by favour. He has become a man of action, as action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility. And a new position of responsibility will usually show a man to be a far stronger creature than was supposed. When Gerald Ngala decided to bail Donga Mantung division out of its development quack mire, many selfish politicians laughed at him, arguing that he was just a young excited inexperienced politician that was going to fade out in no distant time. Some even went ahead to mount groups behind his back to derail him from his goal, yet he remained steadfast in his mission of improving the livelihoods of his people. Today, most of the politicians that thought he was a novice and will easily break are revising their notes, as Gerald Ngala has turned the tables. The worst of it is that they are multiplying physical and metaphysical methods to eliminate him from the political scene given his souring popularity amongst the population. He has impacted positively in all sectors of public life in Donga Mantung Division and his billboard alone is making old politicians to develop fever.

Donation Of Drugs To NKambe District Hospital

It is a universal truism that health is wealth. And Gerald Ngala is abundantly aware of this. In 2009 he donated a consignment of drugs to the Nkambe District Hospital worth millions. His intention was not only to compliment government’s efforts of ensuring the health of the population but to make sure that the population of Donga Mantung is healthy enough to embark on their development. His action to donate the drugs was void of any intention; reason he wanted the entire population to benefit from it. Unlike other politicians that make donations and stand on roof tops to thumb their chests, Gerald Ngala believes in action and not words. He has put a smile on most faces and restored lost hope through his philanthropic gestures. As a human being he fervently believes that love comes to those who still hope even though they have been disappointed, to those who still believe even though they have been betrayed, to those who still love though they have been hurt before. In fact the welfare and happiness of others remain his principal occupation. The drugs he donated saved numerous lives and the multiplier effect of his donation cannot be measured.

Donation Of Zinc To GSS Binka

Ngala Gerald is a youth who knows the importance of education. Like G.K Chesterson, he knows that education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another. And like Peter Brougham, he knows that education make a people easy to lead, but difficult to drive: easy to govern, but impossible to enslave. It was because of this and the love for the development of his division that he speedily went to the rescue of GSS Binka with roofing sheets when he learned that students were studying under an open roof. Ngala Gerald is of the opinion like Charlotte Davis that whether or not you have children yourself, you are a parent to the next generation.  If we can only stop thinking of children as individual property and think of them as the next generation, then we can realize we all have a role to play. He is ready to support any endeavour that improves the welfare of God’s people without having any anterior motives.

Apart from donating zinc to GSS Binka, Gerald Ngala has through his Organisation for the Improvement of the Standards of Living equally donated tonnes of books and didactic materials to 90 primary schools in Nkambe Centre; a thing no politician of contemporary times has ever done in Donga Mantung.

The Donga Mantung Youth Forum

One of the successful come-together ever held in Donga Mantung division was the Youth Forum sponsored by Ngala Gerald. It was a crowd puller and brought the sense of conviviality and togetherness among Mbum youths. This was because Ngala Gerald is of the school of thought that, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success”. This is why he is vehemently against the clan politics practised in Donga Mantung that greatly retards development. He is in favour of the spirit of togetherness that exists amongst the Mbum students under the umbrella of WISU but absent amongst the elite as WICUDA is not serving as an umbrella development association for the Mbum people. This is why he has exhorted youths to shun the clannish tendencies adopted by politicians to hoodwink them for their self aggrandizement.

Not only has Gerald Ngala supported the holding of the forum but has equally supported Mbum women during celebrations marking the International Women’s Day. He supported the women with clothe, drinks and food, thus galvanising their celebrations.

Gerald Ngala The Politician, Traditionalist And Award Winner

 If Gerald Ngala is turning all the political tables in Donga Mantung division, it is simply because he has greatly departed from the old-fashioned politics of hatred practiced by most Donga Mantung politicians. He practices the politics of social inclusion void of rancor. A great apostle of President Paul Biya and the ideologies of the ruling CPDM, Gerald Ngala has convinced Donga Mantung youths that the CPDM is a large enough umbrella to shelter them from the rain. He has convinced many youths to dump the opposition which has fed them with empty promises for 21 years. He is gradually becoming an acclaimed political strategist of Donga Mantung division. He is an aspiring MP, but to him it is not a do or die affair. His intention to go to parliament is to serve his people better and not to make money. Without being a parliamentarian he has done in record time what many Donga Mantung politicians put together have been unable to do for close to two decades.

Gerald Ngala is a respecter of tradition. His trappings as a traditionalists warranted his knighting as a Ta Nformi. His generosity towards the traditional institution knows no bound. He was the centre of attraction during celebrations marking the achievements of the Fon of Nkambe as he doled out bank notes to the dancing groups and masquerades. Equally, his proactive nature and dynamism attracted votes from readers of The Eye Newspaper nationwide to vote him the 2011 Man of the Year.