The Fall Of The Baobab Nkwenti Simon

The fall of a baobab tree always almost depopulates the entire forest if what remains in that particular forest consists of mere twigs and weed.  The education trade union baobab, Simon Nkwenti, emblematic National Executive Secretary General of the Cameroon Teacher’s Trade Union, CATTU is no more. The baobab has fallen, leaving the surrounding trees with no shelter and protection. The cold hands of death snatched Simon Nkwenti on Tuesday August 21, 2012 after two weeks of sickness in the Bamenda Regional Hospital. News of his departure to the world beyond spread like a wildfire in the dry season as his demise has left a gaping vacuum in the education family in the North West Region in particular and Cameroon as a whole.

Nevertheless, the solace in the sorrowfully heavy-laden hearts of Simon Nkwenti’s acquaintances is simply the fact that those who have lived a good life do not fear death, but meet it calmly, and even long for it in the face of great suffering. But those who do not have a peaceful conscience dread death as though life means nothing but physical torment. The challenge is to live our life so that we will be prepared for death when it comes. Simon Nkwenti lived a fulfilled life, though death has plucked him at the prime of his life. According to Benjamin Disreali, “The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example.” Simon Nkwenti left behind both.

How Simon Nkwenti Will Be Remembered

Creation Of CATTU

Henry Wadsworth opined that, “When a great man dies, for years the light he leaves behind him, lies on the paths of men.” Simon Nkwenti was a great man and his deeds impacted positively on the society as he was a role model in many spheres of public life. Simon Nkwenti was a trained Secondary School teacher and his name started becoming a household name in Cameroon in 1999 when he created the Cameroon Teacher’s Trade Union, CATTU to fight for the upliftment of the plight of the Cameroon teachers. Through CATTU, Simon Nkwenti employed unparalleled tact and social dialogue to lobby and bargain for the improvement of the working conditions of teachers. He argued strongly that government as a matter of necessity needed to grant documentation and research allowances to teachers to permit them cope with the fast changing environment. In his arguments, he often posited rightly that many students had access to internet in their homes and were better informed than most of their teachers to the point of challenging teachers in class. To empower the teachers to meet up, he suggested documentation and research allowances to be accorded the teachers by government. His bid was already bearing fruits as government had heeded to his demands and was already negotiating with teachers to agree on the amount to be fixed for documentation and research.

The creation of CATTU and the manner it work for the improvement of the plight of the Cameroonian teachers through seminars, workshops and refresher courses gave an impetus for students to aspire to be teachers. Equally, teachers in the private sector and conventional schools tried to copy the shining example of CATTU and came up with similar trade unions, though the Catholic Education authorities vehemently opposed such a move in the catholic schools. Today, PEATU a trade union is functional in the Presbyterian Educational system and has greatly diffused the professional tension that used to exist between Presbyterian education authorities and teachers.

When Simon Nkwenti created CATTU and was very vocal about the plight of teachers, many of his detractors argued that he was only using CATTU to browbeat the powers that be to appoint him to posts of responsibilities. These detractors received their shock when Simon Nkwenti was appointed principal and he declined the appointment, arguing that it was an attempt to stop him from fighting for the common course of teachers. If he wanted any post in the central administration of his ministerial department he would have obtained it, but he decided to remain a trade unionist to fight the cause of teachers and education in Cameroon.

The imminent education forum to hold in Cameroon is Simon Nkwenti’s idea. He often argued that Cameroon by dint of her history had two educational subsystems. And that these two educational subsystems could be harmonized by picking the good points from each subsystem to harmonize in a better educational system. In the sidelines, Simon Nkwenti stated that Cameroon could not develop with its present educational system tagged to pre colonial exigencies that did not favour professionalism. In this light, Simon Nkwenti wanted an educational system that could develop a curriculum that took into account the development needs of the nation. And he was very upbeat about the imminent holding of the Education Forum, where he had earmarked to present revolutionary educational reforms that were going to prepare Cameroon for an emerging economy in horizon 2035. Unfortunately Simon Nkwenti would not be present during this Education Forum to see his dream materialized.

Monitoring End Of Course Examinations And Certification

Simon Nkwenti is going to his grave knowing that he gainfully sacrificed a greater part of his life working relentlessly for the improvement of the educational system in Cameroon and to uphold the educational standards. During the end of course examinations like the FSLC, GCE and Baccalaureate, CATTU has always trained volunteer monitors that are deployed to the examination centres to curb fraud and collusion that could compromise the standards of the said certificate examinations. This singular act has in many cases deterred fraudsters thus giving credibility to the certificates obtained through such examinations.

The English sub system of education has gained its credibility thanks to the efforts of Simon Nkwenti through the auspices of CATTU who ceaselessly fought to stop it from being polluted. Anglophones that pursue technical education can do so now with some ease thanks to the efforts that Simon Nkwenti deployed to task government to ensure that technical education examination questions were and are properly translated from French to English for Anglophones. Before then, Anglophones used to go through hell as technical examination questions were often translated in approximate English or pidgin for Anglophone candidates.

Encouragement Of Teachers, Improvement Of Schools

Simon Nkwenti like Jim Stoval was abundantly aware that, “You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encourage them in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everybody wins.” For these reasons, Simon Nkwenti who fervently believed that “Correction does much, but encouragement does more”  was always ready to appreciate the teachers who despite very difficult situations braved the odds to teach the eager children who longed for knowledge. Instead of staying in a posh office to prick government to act, Simon Nkwenti himself was often afield to encourage teachers. He was not an administrator, but he personally travelled to the Bakassi peninsula to have an on-the-spot appraisal of the working conditions of teachers there. He encouraged those who were working there and gave them some food and incentives. Upon acquainting himself with the situation of teachers in the Bakassi peninsula, he called on government to give incentives to teachers who work there in a bid to permit them perform the teaching and learning process properly.

It is on record that for his selfless sacrifices, Simon Nkwenti was often recognized by the media with Achievement Awards. Instead of taking the Achievement Awards for personal aggrandizements, Simon Nkwenti dedicated them to teachers and students. He even used one of the Achievement Awards to raise funds to reconstruct a dilapidating Primary School in Alanki in Mankon Bamenda.

The Louis Bapés Bapés Football Tournament

It is often said that work without play makes Jack dull, so too does teaching without recreation make teachers ineffective. This is why Simon Nkwenti, aware of the role of sports in education, decided to put into play a football tournament dubbed Minister Louis Bapés Bapés Football Cup. The tournament brought together educational institutions that competed against each other for trophies and prizes. The Louis Bapés Bapés tournament did not only improve on the physical wellbeing of teachers but encouraged solidarity and conviviality amongst them. Minister Louis Bapés Bapés himself attended the launching of the tournament and used to send his personal representative whenever he could not be personally present. It could only be a baobab like Simon Nkwenti to pull a cabinet minister to the North West Region with the accompanying advantages that such a move entails for the region.

Granting Of Second Cycle Of ENS Bambili, HTTTC And University Of Bamenda

With all said and done, there is no gainsaying that Simon Nkwenti contributed enormously for the granting of the Second Cycle of ENS Bambili, the creation of the Higher Technical Teacher Training College, HTTTC and the granting of the University of Bamenda. It was a courageous Simon Nkwenti who rallied some North West CPDM MPs to storm the office of the Higher Education Minister, Jacques Fame Ndongo in Yaounde with a strongly worded memorandum requesting for these institutions of higher learning to be granted to the NW Region. And it came to pass that his move came to fruition.

When President Paul Biya visited Bamenda on the occasion of celebrations marking the 50^th Anniversary of the Cameroon Armed Forces, he announced the creation of the University of Bamenda and this was received with thunderous applause. It took the proactive nature of Simon Nkwenti to again swing into action by threatening street demonstrations before the officials to run the University of Bamenda were appointed, thus rendering the University functional.

 Simon Nkwenti And Civil Society Activities

Simon Nkwenti was an ambidextrous individual that could manage a multitude of assignments without blinking his eyes. His impact in the Civil Society was enormous. He was a member of Transparency International and coordinator of Civil Society Organizations in the North West Region. He spent a greater part of his life correcting the ills of society and fighting for the plight of the voiceless.

However, Simon Nkwenti was not an ingrate or a trade unionist that spent all his time complaining. He was always ready to descend on the streets to thank government for any positive decision, though politicians called him names. Consequently, when President Paul Biya appointed a son of the North West, Philemon Yang as Prime Minister, Simon Nkwenti in a spontaneous move rallied some Northwesterners and they matched through the streets of Bamenda in appreciation. Yet Simon Nkwenti could be very unbendable in front of injustice being done to individuals or the population.

When authorities of AES SONEL in the North West Region embarked on continuous power cuts that plunged the entire region in darkness and constant blackouts, Simon Nkwenti warned the authorities that if they persisted in such moves he was going to rally the population to march to their headquarters and siege it. This warning made the authorities of AES SONEL to sit up and redress the disservice they were doing the population of the North West Region.

Also Simon Nkwenti greatly reduced the incidence of bribery and corruption in the North West public administration. Under the auspices of the Civil Society Organizations, Simon Nkwenti used to publish the corruption index of public administrations in the NW. The most corrupt public service was publicly shamed with whistle blowing in front of their services. This act changed the corrupt mentality of those who used to embark on the vice.

It is on record that when dirt colonized Bamenda at one time, it was Simon Nkwenti who launched an SOS on radio and the entire population of Bamenda town mobilized to clear the dirt that had littered all the main streets of town. And when thieves were wrecking havoc in Bamenda, Simon Nkwenti came up with an innovative idea of proximity vigilante groups that deter the thieves and security returned to Bamenda.

And when former North West Governor, Abakar Ahamat suspended the activities of CAMCCUL and its affiliates, institutions considered the life wire of the North West economy, Simon Nkwenti did not have kind words for him.  

Although Simon Nkwenti has gone to the world beyond, it can be stated without fear of contradiction he has sufficiently written his name in marble in the sands of time through his selfless action and positive legacy. Adieu Simon.