Those Celebrating Nkwenti’s Departure?

Conventional wisdom and the Holy Book recommends, “Never speak ill about the dead” This implies that we should show respect to people who have died by not saying anything bad about them. Since dead people can no longer hurt us, or defend themselves, it is better to forget their bad actions and remember only their good ones. Simon Nkwenti is no more. He was a human being and a mortal and like all mortals had his own weak points, since perfection is not of this world. However, we know that, “Misfortune tests friends, and detects enemies.” Simon Nkwenti’s passing unto eternity is generally very painful to a number of people. Yet it will not be uncommon if some people are surreptitiously celebrating and rejoicing for his departure. This is so because Simon Nkwenti in his fearless surge forward in diverse domains inadvertently stepped on the toes of some people. And rightly or wrongly these categories of people would obviously celebrate his departure. This only goes to prove the adage that the unhappy derive comfort from the misfortunes of others.

The education family is mourning the passing away of a colossus that has made a mark in Cameroon. Teachers and stakeholders in the education sector in Cameroon cannot pretend to ignore the contributions of Simon Nkwenti as an individual to the development of the sector. Simon Nkwenti on many occasions put education authorities in Cameroon on hot seats with his declarations and actions. Although his departure is greatly felt by all and sundry, it would not be surprising if some education authorities in the country are happy of his departure as his stance on most issues relating to education and the teacher’s plight used to put their hierarchical positions at risk. In fact, Simon Nkwenti used to put them at the edges of their seats.

 Amongst a plethora of groups that are shedding crocodile tears for Simon Nkwenti’s departure are some teachers who often accused him of holding the English education subsystem hostage by influencing the appointment of education officials and principals. In fact this group of teachers muted in subdued tones that Simon Nkwenti ‘pocketed’ the Minister of Secondary Education. These teachers would obviously celebrate his departure. In the same light, some dissenting voices were often heard from a handful of teachers complaining that Simon Nkwenti hijacked CATTU and they could not form their own trade unions. With the departure of Simon Nkwenti these teachers would obviously fight to occupy his position in CATTU or form their own teacher’s trade unions that have been lying fallow in their minds. However, while still alive, Simon Nkwenti had always encouraged the creation of other teacher’s trade unions, arguing that if there were many trade unions that fought the same fight of improving the plight of teachers, the situation could be better.

Another group of people that would celebrate Simon Nkwenti’s departure are corrupt officials in public offices in the North West Region. As an activist of the Civil Society, Simon Nkwenti used to conduct yearly surveys of public offices in the North West Region in a bid to determine how user-friendly they were and how corrupt the officials in these officers were. After the surveys the results were always published in a public ceremony and services that were found corrupt during the surveys were put to public ridicule. More than once, his publication of the corruption index met with indignation from the officials of such corrupt services as their offices were often raided by whistle blowing public to shame them. It is obvious that with his departure these corrupt officials will heave as sigh of relief from being further put to public ridicule by Simon Nkwenti.

Some Civil Society Organisations were uncomfortable with Simon Nkwenti’s popularity that catapulted him to the post of coordinator of Civil Society Organisations in the North West Region. This was so because these budding leaders wanted to make names by their own rights but the overbearing personality of Simon Nkwenti eclipsed them. These budding leaders should be celebrating his departure as he has left a virgin field behind for them to compete and conquer.

Simon Nkwenti was a thorn in the flesh of thieves in Bamenda town as he organised vigilante groups that checked their activities. It was even alleged that when Simon Nkwenti planned and put in place the security strategies in Bamenda, most thieves moved out of Bamenda and elected residences in other major towns. His departure will sure please them and perhaps most of them will return if things are equally hard on them outside Bamenda.

It is common knowledge that Simon Nkwenti never tolerated injustice in his life. The former Governor of North West Region, Abakar Ahamat would never forget his stay in the North West Region as a standoff between him and Simon Nkwenti nearly cost him his job of an administrator. The genesis of the matter was the annulment of regional transfers of teachers done by the Regional Delegate of Secondary Education. The NW Regional Delegate had deployed teachers throughout the NW Region and some had moved with their families to their newly transferred schools only for Governor Abakar Ahamat to cancel the transfers. His move caused a lot of confusion and CATTU during celebrations marking the World Teacher’s Day lambasted the governor for such an act. He took it as a personal affront between him and Simon Nkwenti and used any given opportunity to pour invectives on Simon Nkwenti. He went as far as suspending Simon Nkwenti’s salary and Nkwenti fought him back. When the governor again suspended CAMCCUL and its affiliate, Simon Nkwenti fired back through the press and called him an anti-Northwesterner. This did not go down well with Governor Abakar Ahamat who was later transferred to the Adamawa Region. Given the very tense and strained relationship that existed between the two, chances are that one should be happy with the departure of the other.

Another group of people that is happy with Simon Nkwenti’s departure are politicians. Rightly or wrongly, politicians have often considered the popularity game to be their sport but Simon Nkwenti often beat them at this game to their discomfiture. Most politicians were Lilliputians in front of Simon Nkwenti in the North West Region and this did not please them Simon Nkwenti was a crowd puller and opinion leader that could sway the crowd to any direction and politicians dreaded him because he could destroy their political careers if they misfired.  With him quitting the scene, these politicians would surely rejoice as they would regain their declining popularity due to their unrealistic programmes and unfulfilled political promises.

Thus while many will be mourning the departure of Simon Nkwenti to the world beyond and the vacuum that his departure has created, some hypocrites would be shedding crocodile tears while laughing under the armpits and celebrating his departure. That is life but no person can replace another here on earth for each person is unique and God had a purpose for that person here on earth. None should rejoice for the downfall of another. God forbid!