A SEQUEL TO ‘AS WATERS GONE BY’ BY BIDE ASOME

    “To Anna (Dr. Bide Asome’s wife) and to the rest of Pa Lang’s surviving children I say ‘ashia’ for the enormous losses you have all suffered. I am truly sorry and you should all accept sincerest heartfelt sympathy from my family” Jackson Nanje

By Jackson W. Nanje

    Bide Asome summarizes his book, As Waters Gone By as, “a reminder of the fragility and resilience of human life in the face of disaster”. True, when confronted with disaster of the magnitude of the Limbe landslide and Flood, humans are basically defenseless and rendered insignificant. However, survivors become resilient by developing coping skills to deal with the aftermath of the disaster. This is what I gathered from the author’s summation of his work.   He is right to think of the book in this way. However, this writer of A Sequel to As Waters Gone By, after reading the excellently written book by Asome arrives at a slightly different conclusion---that of a chaotic government (of Cameroon), which operates without an Emergency Management Plan that ought to address disasters of any kind, if and when people are confronted by them. What is intriguing about the Cameroon government is that, one would think that after so many notable disaster occurrences in the country such as the violent Lake Nyos disaster that killed 1,700 people and more than 3000 livestock  some thirty (30) years ago, and the repeated Mt. Cameroon volcanic eruptions that has, on several occasions, chased inhabitants of Sanje, Batoke and Bakingili villages from their homes and equally destroyed farmlands, it should have been lessons learnt by the government of Cameroon to put in place a concise Disaster Management Agency to prepare for, and mitigate disasters, before and when they occur. Rather, a policy of wait-and do-nothing has been put in place. Good governance enables preparedness for disaster and not to react to it when it occurs.

     The Sequel lays emphasize on some of the boiling issues the writer eloquently writes about which, in my opinion, depict the ineffectiveness of the government of Cameroon that lacks the capabilities or the aforethought in enacting policies that would safeguard its people against disasters. We shall likewise take an in-depth look at the South West Region, which is situated on the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean and with rivers Ndian and Mungo and three mountains---Mt Cameroon (13354ft), Mt. Kupe Muanenguba (6772ft) and Mt. Rumpi (5801ft) with a notable history of volcanic eruption. Furthermore, we shall discuss the social issues or myths which the author writes about that almost sent the central character (Pa Lang) to early death (even though the governments’ inability to rehabilitate the victims was the primary cause of Pa Lang’s death years later) and explore ways (by way of education), of diffusing such myths which is quite pervasive in our primitive Cameroonian communities from ever reoccurring. It is here, too, that we shall discuss the merits of the book and suggest a pathway for Cameroon and the South West Region on ways that disaster can be mitigated, prepared for, and if they do occur, how the response team can respond to disasters and so too to rehabilitate the victims of disasters.

https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781632688316

Dr. Bide Asome
(Author)

Scientists have always for good writers make. The late Peter K. Palangyo of Tanzania who wrote Dying in the Sun is one of such excellent writers who traded his profession as a biology lecturer for a successful career in fictional writing. I can see Dr. Bide Asome, a Pharmacist, making a similar career transition, trading medication for penmanship. Asome has captured the imagination of the readers in his first literary work by creating literary suspense throughout the book. As Waters Gone By is indeed a traveler’s handbook. It is difficult, even to those who do not have the appetite for reading, to shelve the book to engage in something else once they start reading it. There is intense curiosity to want to know what he has written in the next page and page after next. Asome’s fluidity and excellent penmanship reminds me of another excellent Cameroon writer, Mongo Beti, who wrote Mission to Kala. The language is simple and soft and the author is artful in bringing the storyline and language to an elementary level in order to enable 'the rolling stone to gather moss' to reverse the idiomatic expression of Publilius Syrus or for the general understanding and appreciation of his narratives.

https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781632688316



The award-winning narrative by Bide ASOME

The main plot of As Waters Gone By is set in Limbe, Cameroon with subplots in Maryland, USA and Bu village in the North West Region of Cameroon. The disaster happened in Limbe, the news about the disaster was delivered to Pa Lang and children in the United States where they held memorial services and finally, Bu village was the place of Pa Lang and his wife’s birth; and, it was their final resting place. The writer begins the book with the protagonist, Pa Lang, traveling to the United States of America to visit his daughters, grand children and son-in laws for the first time ever with his wife intentionally staying behind to look after their other children. He was unaware of the misfortunes that nature had preserved for his family which, he was later accused of having used mystical powers (powers he never had) to wipe away his beloved family. Curious of bringing back new stories of the much talked about journey from United States of America to his wife when he returns to Cameroon, he was confronted with a problem which, the constant reflection of it was the ultimate cause of his own death.

     Families desperate for land to live and farm had built homes in the hills of Mabeta New Layout in Limbe and in total defiance of government building codes, exposing them clearly at risk of a possible disaster. However, an irresponsible, poorly-trained code enforcers at the Limbe City Council did nothing to enforce the code. Had the Limbe City Council enforced the building codes Pa Lang and several others would have been aware of the risks involved in building in the area. But they did not do so thereby exposing many hundreds at risk. When the heavy rains came through Limbe, it was evident that what many had thought (feared) about (of the land collapsing on the homes of residents in Mabeta New Layout) was indeed what happened. Most of the houses collapsed and many families lost their lives.

    One thing that we should all know is that human beings would settle even in high risk areas if they face no resistance from government authorities; however, this type of risky settlement patterns should be prohibited by an effective government which should be capable of assessing those risks and enforcing the necessary codes in the books. It is rather unfortunate and regrettable for the Limbe City Council authorities to blame its citizens for settling in vulnerable areas of the city when the council has the law on their side to prevent such risky settlements. The council is culpable or should be held responsible for exposing its citizens at risk.

                    Myth of the Bu People of the North West Region

     In a country like Cameroon, with hardly any known system of organization in place to inform, prepare and educate the population about the destructive nature of environmental hazards the natives will always seek solace in outdated and retrogressive beliefs that continue to plunge the society further into medieval ages. Ill-educated people, relying on their old redundant customs and traditions as a testament of justice for all have, in many cases, have been responsible for the faith of innocent people. Yes, it is absolutely true that Pa Lang was exonerated from charges that he’d killed members of his family who were clearly victims of the flood and landslide. They contend that he’d carefully planned this wizardry to leave his family behind (in Cameroon) and ‘escape’ to the United States of America while they perish behind. It is the belief that those who implore such mythical powers to kill members of their families do so because of their desires to get-rich-quick and usually, the killers themselves are hardly in the scene of the crime. What a backward way of castigating people of crimes they did not commit! Why would a man who has spent so much of his life-savings, to educate his children to some of the finest universities around the world, indulge into such acts against them? It completely defuses the thinking of Bu villagers, Pa Lang’s accusers.

     A man who’d suffered great loss was rejected and transformed into a caricature of human vice by his people who could have implored some degree of reasonableness by empathizing and sympathizing with his family and search for ways to rehabilitate them from their terrible loss. The ill-effect of over-reliance on superstitious beliefs continues to drench us into backwardness; and, it is the root cause for our lack of social progress. The response to disasters such as the Limbe landslide and flood is treated quite differently in developed countries. The lives of the survivors are considered the most important during and after a disaster. They usually always implore the last phase of the emergency management system, that is, rehabilitation of the victims to normalize their lives unlike what obtains in Cameroon, where accusation of “nyongo”or the use of mystical powers reigns supreme amongst village-thinking folks.

      As a way forward, the government should make considerable efforts to diffuse these unfounded myths which exist within our society by educating them about the causes of disasters and what should be done once disasters occur. It is the responsibility of the government to introduce disaster management courses in our high schools and universities which are centers for reformation.

The roles of the Cameroon and South West Regional governments in addressing Emergencies

     Why can the government of Cameroon and that of the South West  Region not look into the foreseeable future and put plans in place aimed at minimizing disaster re-occurrences all over the national territory, stretches my understanding of their approach of confronting this problem beyond belief. The emergency or disaster management has four phases worthy of any government’s keen examination and implementation: Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Rehabilitation.

a)      Mitigation: What the Cameroon and the South West Regional governments ought to know is that, disasters can happen anytime and anywhere even in places least expected. It is therefore imperative for these governments to start preparing now as oppose to doing so after a disaster has occurred. Once disaster best practices are put in place, it reduces the likelihood of loss of life and property when disaster does occur. It also reduces the burden of the tax payers and other members of the community who are always the ones to shoulder the financial responsibilities of any disaster because the losses shall be minimal. And knowing that Cameroon and the South West Region have been too prone to disaster, best practices to minimize losses of life and property should be central in policy formation.

     There should be efforts made at establishing emergency management agencies in many of the vulnerable areas of the country and adequate funding should be given to such agencies.

b)     Preparedness: There is a thin line between preparedness and mitigation. While mitigation involves the putting of disaster mechanisms in place to reduce loss of life and property before disaster occurs, preparedness is how society’s coping mechanism ones disaster has occurred. Knowing that disaster can occur anytime and anywhere, the ability of how prepared the government and the people are to face it, is crucial? We know that in the Limbe landslide and flood disaster, just like the Lake Nyos disaster, the government and the people were not prepared for these disasters. Lessons learned?

     If any lessons have been learned by the Cameroon government and the regions where these disasters have occurred done to prepare the citizens from future disasters? Education is the least and the most potent effort governments can take to sensitize citizens who would be equipped with the necessary tools to prepare for it. Keeping adequate food supplies and fortification of their homes to withstand the adverse effect of disaster are some of the things that citizens can do if the government fails to take the first step to educate society.

c)      Response: This is the phase after the disaster has occurred. What do you do to rescue survivors or victims of a disaster and their property? It is a critical phase of any disaster. The author indicates on page 75 that, “during the Limbe disaster, it took over twenty-four hours for a disaster relief team to come from Douala, some fifty or more miles away.” He lamented by stating that, “more lives would probably have been saved had help come sooner." This is an indictment of the system in place in Cameroon which is vastly ineffective. The governments of Cameroon and the South West Region must set up emergency response agencies, equip and train the emergency response team on best practices to enable first responders to a disaster scene save lives and property. The benevolence of citizens is usually a vital addition to the emergency management first responder team; but the trained team of any government is vital.

     In As Waters Gone By, Asome chronicles the chaotic state of the makeshift response team to the Limbe landslide and flood disaster. It is important to underscore the importance of this makeshift team acting as first responders as the writer opined; however, such makeshift team can never substitute a well organized professional team if the governments had one in place. Professionals in any field are always the answer to many of our problems not untrained individuals who are littered all over the surfaces of Cameroon.   It is therefore the recommendation of this writer to the government of Cameroon and especially to the region of the South West, which is prone to disasters, to organize their priorities towards setting up an emergency management agency.  This is particularly critical to the South West Region which is surrounded with disaster possibilities (several mountains with fault-lines, the Atlantic Ocean, rivers Ndian and Mungo, lakes Muanenguba and Barombi and an Oil Refinery which may risk a combustible explosion).

d)     Rehabilitation: This is where the scars of the disaster victims ought to be handled by professionally-trained individuals hired and trained by the government. Citizens want to be assured that their safety shall be in good hands if they were to be victims themselves, tomorrow.

     The total cost to rehabilitate the Limbe landslide and flood victims was estimated at $3.000.000 (1.5bnfca). And huge sums of donations came from individuals and international relief agencies all over the world. There was also ten (10) additional new housing units donated by the Limbe based Oil Refinery company, S.O.N.A.R.A, as a genuine rehabilitation initiative to the victims. It is sad to know that of all these grandiose generosity by relief agencies, none of the victims benefited from it and no Limbe Council City authority in charge with the distribution has ever been questioned for misusing or stealing the funds meant for the victims to the consternation of the Cameroonian citizens and the world’s relief agencies. It is painful to even mention that, Pa Lang who was hit the hardest received a total sum of $540.00 (270.000fcfa) even though enough funds had been raised to take of him and others. Some received as little as $80.00 (40.000fcfa). A corrupt system and corrupt people at work! Even the housing units which were donated a couple of years later by the Oil Refinery company was refused the victims for reasons completely appalling to them. Yet, thieves of the Limbe disaster are still walking scot-free and the disaster victims have been dying one after the other of frustrations caused by governments that failed its survivors. It was the same faith suffered by the victims of the Lake Nyos disaster in the North West Region of Cameroon who recently received some exercise books from the government as compensation of the heavy losses they suffered thirty years later. A government shouldn’t be this cruel to its citizens.

     Thievery and misappropriations of funds of this magnitude by the Limbe City Council charged with the responsibilities of ensuring that disaster victims are properly rehabilitated as Asome stated in As Waters Gone By should not be accepted by any one. The government of Cameroon and that of the South West Region should establish an Investigatory Commission, to look into the issues and bring culprits of this gross misappropriation and thievery to face justice.

          What must be done to improve disaster management in Cameroon

     On page 75, the author did a remarkable job in providing some recommendations to the government of the South West Region especially on what must be done to somehow arrest disasters, prone to the region. He stated that since the region is vulnerable to flood, landslide and occasional volcanic eruptions, it is therefore imperative for the government:

1)     To establish a permanent presence of a local emergency management system in the region as this would be of tremendous benefit to the citizens of the city. This agency would identify and assess the potential risks to the local community, enforce building codes and zoning, and possibly provide an early disaster warning system to citizens.

2)     To establish academic courses on emergency or disaster management procedures in high schools and universities not only in the South West Region but in academic institutions throughout the land. Since mitigation, preparedness, response and rehabilitation are integral components of disaster management, it is imperative that these teachings are obtained in an organized system.

3)     To ensure that institutional corruption is contained by an established agency it is imperative to recruit professionals who will project a positive image of the new agency. Institutional corruption should be thoroughly investigated and culprits brought to justice. Like many Cameroon government establishments, accusations about corruption and corrupt practices are foundational and should be contained  

4)      By creating an emergency management agency throughout the country, it will reduce the likelihood of corruption and increase the possibility of accountability because picking people from street corners to assist in disaster management is the wrong way to handle any crisis. The street wanderers turn disaster personnel overnight, do not protect the lives and property; they are only there to loot as much as they can. It is the testimony from the author and several other investigative interviews conducted by Nanje School of Creative Thinking that there was gross misappropriation of donated gifts by these so-called volunteers.

5)     To ensure that the public is informed on emergency management safety methods, education should be rigorously pursued as an essential component of the system.

     The governments of Cameroon and that of the South West Region should study the critical issues that Asome raises in his award-winning As Waters Gone By and gradually look into ways of creating Disaster Management Agencies and provide full funding for the agencies.

To get a copy of this award-winning book by Dr. Bide Asome click the link below
https://www.amazon.com/As-Waters-Gone-Asome-Bide/dp/163268831X/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1511477414&sr=8-5&keywords=as+waters+gone+by



Like Abraham Lincoln's letter to his son's teacher, Justice Divine Njikang Metiege writes to the Principal and Staff of G.H.S Nyasoso

                       

By Justice Divine N. Metiege

      Dear Principal and staff of G.H.S   Nyasoso,

 

We, the Parents of your students, hereby commit our students in your hands to teach them good morals so they can become responsible citizens in our society,

                                                                                                                                                                                   They     will l have to learn, I know,
        that all men are not just,
        all men are not true.
        But teach them also that
        for every scoundrel there is a hero;
        that for every selfish Politician,
        there is a dedicated leader…
        Teach them for every     enemy there is a
        friend,

      Steer them away from envy,
      if you can,
      teach them the secret of
      quiet laughter.

     Let them learn early that,
     the bullies are the easiest to lick… Teach them, if you can,
     the wonder of books…
     But also give them quiet time
     to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky,
     bees in the sun,
     and the flowers on a green hillside.

    In the school, teach them
    it is far more honorable to fail
    than to cheat…
   Teach them to have faith
   in their own ideas,
   even if everyone tells them
   they are wrong…
  Teach them to be gentle
  with gentle people,
  and tough with the tough.

 Try to give these children
  the strength not to follow the crowd
  when everyone is getting on the band wagon…
  Teach them to listen to all men…
  but above all, teach them also to filter
  all that they hear on a screen of truth,
  and take only the good
  that comes through.

  Teach them if you can,  
  how to laugh when they are sad…
 Teach them there is no shame in tears,
 Teach them to scoff at cynics
 and to beware of too much sweetness…
Teach them to sell their brawn
and brain to the highest bidders
but never to put a price-tag
on their hearts and soul.

Teach them to close their ears
to a howling mob
and to stand and fight
if they think they are right.
Treat them gently,
but do not cuddle them,
because only the test
of fire makes fine steel.

Let them have the courage
to be impatient…
let them have the patience to be brave.
Teach them always
to have sublime faith in themselves,
because then they will have
sublime faith in mankind.

This is a big order;
           but see what you can do…
           they are such fine fellows,
           Our students of G.H.S NYASOSO!

Nanje Music Production and the Making of the “Etapo na Money” album by Ndinga Marvingaye wa Mbakwa Supe

 

By

Jackson Nanje

      As we celebrate the completion of the audio project (with the video project now in

Jackson Nanje (CEO of NMP)

progress) of "Etapo na Money" by Ndinga Marvingaye wa Mbakwa Supe, the creative thinkers at Nanje Music Production, Inc. are grateful to the Oroko people for the confidence they have placed on us over the years as the premier production company of the more than 300,000 Oroko people worldwide. We have always believed that, in order for any music to possess its intrinsic value, it should be message-driven. That is what we did with “Ngomo Ya Malle” by the legendary Betondi James, and, that is what we have done with Ndinga Marvingaye in "Etapo na Money" which has some scintillating beats.

     Our goal when we sign any artist on our coveted label is for them to compose lyrics that will educate the Oroko people and guide them in changing old practices that have held us back, and also lyrics that provide hope for my people to understand that (minya ma m’erori ma beri obosso) better days are still ahead for the Oroko people. The joy that our people had with the release of the Ngomo Ya Malle album is going to be similar, if not, more for this Etapo na Money album.

                 Who is Ndinaga Marvingaye?

Ndinga Marvingaye (artist)

Godwill Obase Ngoe is his birth name however; Mr. Ngoe has decided to add more value to his name like most artist do by assuming the name “Ndinga Marvingaye wa Mbakwa Supe”. Mr. Marvingaye is a native of Mbakwa Supe, a village along the Kumba-Mamfe road in Meme division, South West Region. Mbakwa Supe is one of the villages that make up the Bakundu clan. He is married to Betondi Marian (from Dikome Balue) with whom he has three (3) children. He also has three other children from his previous relationship. He is 39years old. His first album titled “Maluka” was released some years ago but hardly did he break in into the mainstream with the album. Etapo na Money (2014) is the album that holds a lot of his promises for his fans and, we sincerely believe that like Betondi James, he too shall become the talk of the town. If Nanje Music Production, Inc. did not have confidence and trust in Mr. Marvingaye’s ability, they could not have signed him on their coveted Music label. He is gifted in the language.

                      The Making of Etapo na Money

M1 STUDIOS in Buea, Fako division The Premier Studio in the South West Region

     The Etapo na Money album, which will soon be in the market worldwide, could not have been possible without the prowess of the M1 Studio in Buea with the commanding intelligence of Mr. Emil Ngumbah Molindo and ably assisted by Mr. David Njayo Mesombe. Mr. Ngumbah for instance, who masterminded four tracks (Ngomo Ya Malle, Ngomo Ya Dior,

Emil Ngumbah CEO of M1 Studios 

Dinyangi and Ituka Ya Mokoussa) in Betondi’s Ngomo Ya Malle’s album, has again proven himself as the best engineer in making traditional beats. In addition to the M1 Studio staff, we hired one of Cameroon’s powerhouse female, Monique Moka (a non-Oroko native) from Douala, to sing chorus. Many of us believe that to sing chorus you must be a native of the particular language of use. Not true. A professional is a professional who can do anything when trained.
We also want to thank Moh-Koukouri Eyong Eyong Ebot of E&E designs, which is an extension of E&E Productions for designing the artwork of this album. Nanje Music Production, Inc. shall always be indebted to you and your causes. 

 Cost of Production of the album

With the Etapo na Money project, Nanje Music Production, Inc. has spent a little over $7000.00 (3,500.000fcfa) as cost of production of the audio soundtrack only, which includes actually composition and engineering work in the studio, transportation of the musicians to and from the studio, hotel bills, feeding, and phone calls, design of the album jackets, and replication and duplication of audio cd). We oftentimes hear fans say $10.00 is very expensive but if they are comparing and factoring our cost with that of Pirates, who do not spend any money on any type of production of an album but only engage in copying and selling the products that artists and producers like me have spent so much money to make, they are right. However, they should understand that if these pirates spent just half of the money we spend on producing an album, they will never again sell their music at the dump-down price they often always sell our products for. It is our obligation to explain these intricacies to the buyers for them to make independent judgment on product evaluation and costing.

     Furthermore, we are explaining the costing involved in making an album because of the need to educate the public that always find any justification for the disparity in products sold by the producer-made (original high quality ultra violet coating CD) and pirated copies (poor quality, low resolution CD) with pirates bearing no cost in production and replication of the album. In conclusion, with a pirated CD, no sooner did you buy it that it will begin to skip because, the ultra violet coating that protects the music from evaporating from the CD, is absent. But with the original CD, they are made to last forever, that is, if you handle the product with great care.

New album by Ndinga Marvingaye

The Etapo na Money as well as the Ngomo Ya Malle CDs shall be available online and in all major outlet stores such as Cdbaby, itunes, spotify, facebook page, youtube, amazon, and target stores etc, and from Nanje Music Production retail sale outlet. To get a copy of any of the two albums, you can call 404-834-1710 or reach the production house by email at nanjemusicproduction@gmail.com.  We shall equally provide additional vendors as they become availabe.



Cameroon: Open Letter to Bruce Wrobel, CEO of Herakles Farms in Response to his Open Letter of September of 2012

By Albert Motale

This letter was written and sent to Bruce Wrobel (then CEO of Herakles Farms) in 2012 (May His Gentle Soul Rest in Peace). It has become imperative to us now to make public the contents of the letter in extensor, to remind the Management of Herakles Farms that they have a social contract with the people.

 

Dear Mr. Bruce Wrobel,

I write in response to your open letter in response to Oakland Institute letter and to commend you most sincerely for the letter. My commendation is borne out of the fact that, it is extremely rare in this part of the world for a Chief Executive Officer to  write and explain issues.

I have read the Oakland Institute report and averse with all the issues and concerns raised by the various NGOs, Environmentalists and all the local stakeholders. 

According to the CEO, Herakles Farms is a wonderful organization committed to worthy causes (from poverty alleviation and human rights to education and environmental stewardship), to the press covering the issues of human development and/or environmental concerns in Africa
The Oakland Institute report portray Herakles Farms (“HF”) and its oil palm initiative as a massive project which threatens to level the Cameroonian rainforest while negatively impacting the lives of tens of thousands of formerly happy and content indigenous hunters and farmers in the South West Region of Cameroon.

The submissions of both parties are reminiscent to that of the famous story book play `Nchanga and Enoma` and my conclusions will be same as that of the King whom, after listening to the submissions of each of the parties,  declared---` All what you say is true`

Invariably all what both parties are saying are the truth depending on which side of the divide you wish to stand. The focus of my letter to the CEO is not delved into the legal and scientific gymnastics but to share a few concerns as a native of the locality (Ndian division).

The CEO in his open letter vividly describes the local people of the affected area of HF operations and by extension, Ndian Division, as, “one of the poorest regions and peoples in Cameroon”. Maybe out of politeness or diplomacy they could have been best described as the poorest, most deprived and abandoned in the world based on their natural resources, exploration and exploitation of its natural resources in the area in the last one hundred years and more. This particular statement of yours, sir, is the most absolute and the best truth l have ever read.

With your pedigree and academic credentials and as the CEO of Herakles Farms, coupled with your tract records in developmental projects and fight against poverty in some of the most deprived communities in the world, your assertion and conclusion on the level of poverty of our people is the kernel of all the agitations, apprehension, reservation, bickering, resistance and litigations.

                                      PAMOL PLANTATIONS

Mr. CEO, You will recall that, PAMOL has been in existence and operating in Ndian Division for close to a century. The question any sane mind could have asked is, how can a region hosting an agricultural conglomerate such as PAMOL, with plantations across the division, still harbours one of the poorest and most deprived natural land owners in the world?

The answer is straight forward and simple. Pamol  from inception had adopted the approach of the proverbial `chichi dodo` bird in the Novel `The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born`  that survives on eating maggots  but will never allow the excreta  to touch its legs.

·       Pamol has never thought it necessary or expedient to be an active agent or catalyst for the development of Ndian, largely as a result of the docility of the indigenes and this general fear of being killed by witchcraft if you open your mouth.

·        Delegations of` weeping` mothers are sent to any so-called activists to dissuade him from challenging the status quo.

·       Regrettably, Pamol is one of the biggest tax defaulters to the local councils.

·       Most people are oblivious of the fact that, Palm Oil business is even more profitable than Crude oil.

·       Palm oil throughout 2012 sold for $500-$700 (350 000FCFA) per metric ton.

·       Conservatively, PAMOL produces about 16 000 tons per annum which translate to a projected estimated revenue of over $8 million USD or 4 billion FCFA.

·        Why can`t Pamol dedicate $50 (25 000FCFA)  per Metric ton for every palm oil sold for the developmental projects such as;  construction of roads, modern health facilities, markets, communal ovens for drying cocoa beans , fish and shrimps, community libraries and sporting arenas in the division.

·        The conservative estimate of $50(25 000FCFA) per mt shall translate into $8 million dollars (400 million FCFA) annually dedicated to the development of Ndian.

·       These amounts shall be able to construct and paved the Mundemba-Ekondo titi- Toko Road, Mundemba-Isangele Road, Ekondo-Dikome Balue Road or Toko –Nguti Road?

·       The meaninglessness, purposelessness, parasitic  nature  of PAMOL in the lives of the indigenes and communities have made a lot of youths to adopt a self help approach by `helping` themselves through stealing of palm fruits with impunity.

·       These are natural fallouts in communities where there is lack of social justice and exploitation of the people’s resources with impunity.

                                                                         PALM OIL IS NOT NEW TO NDIAN

Mr. CEO, Palm oil is not new to the Ndian people and palm oil l can categorically state, is the least needs of the people and inhabitants of the Ndian Division. You will recall also that, before 1967, when Ndian Division was created from the Kumba division, Plantation PAMOL DU CAMEROUN served as the de facto `government ` of Ndian Division. PAMOL provided all the social and welfare services and infrastructures only within its operation area and cared less about neighbouring villages. For decades our people were subjected to trekking on foot to commute from one village to the other. PAMOL was, and has still been unable to construct a quarter-long bridge, to link the people of Ndian Town to PAMOL, a community that was within the catchment area of their operations, deceived and relocated across the River and has since been detached from any economic gains generated by PAMOL.

You will also recall that the Ndian people are very much aware of the employment profile and composition of staff in PAMOL over the years. Research and available statistics have shown that the Ndian indigenes are hardly groomed into Upper Management positions in the company. As soon as the whites were leaving, they were being replaced by migrant workers from faraway lands and ironically to those whose forebears had vehemently refused to sell or give their lands away for such a giant project. The white management claimed these non-natives were being compensated for their loyalty. That loyalty is yet to be defined; however, a plaque has been constructed at PAMOL Ndian Oil Mill `Dedicated to the Bamendas for the construction of the Oil Mill`

Regrettably, the sand used for the construction of the Oil Mill was excavated at no cost to PAMOL from our land and the Oil Mill constructed on our land. Yet, the management decided to appreciate and give gratitude to only the immigrant workers, whose services were already paid for through salary allocations with native labour which sacrificed their land on which the project was established.

The gratitude and goodwill towards the labourers from the North West Region, in total disregard and disrespect to the indigene labourers, is the reason why the dynamics within PAMOL has changed for the worst. The management staff of PAMOL, over time, was composed of entirely of non natives. Also, about 90% of the clerical staff is also non natives.  The bulk of the harvesters and Labourers (who do the hard menial labour) are natives. These are evident in the camps they lived---because---one’s accommodation defines your class and status in the company. It will interest you to know that a vast majority of the natives lived in Mana, Makeke, Centre, Ikassa, Mundemba camps, whilst most of the migrant workers lived in Bula camp. Bulu camp had electricity, water and a labour and staff clubs. Whereas the Labour clubs in other camps were reserved for harvesters and the general public, the labour club in Bulu was for drivers and low level technicians and clerical staff.

It will interest you to note that, Ndian Town was less than 15 minutes walk (a mile away) from Bulu camp but has no electricity, pipe-borne water or even a school built by PAMOL.

For decades, the only means to get to Ndian Town was by canoe provided by the Local town council. Yet, PAMOL against all odds was able to provide a bridge with electric lamps across Ikassa River to Ikassa camp, but had never given it thought to  grade or rehabilate roads in Ekondo Titi or Mundemba Town not to talk of constructing  roads into the hinterlands, which are critical for development.

It is even sad to note that all our traditional shrines, farmlands including the sacred cave that housed the founder of Ndian according to oral tradition are in PAMOL land.

If  after almost 100 years of the operations of PAMOL in Ndian and the CEO, Herakles’ Farms could still describe the area and its people as one of the poorest , which l agree entirely, should serve as the score card and the gravitas of our peoples concerns, which the people hope Herakles Farms should not replicate PAMOL.

For your information, Mr. CEO, the Ngolo people under the auspices of NCUDA led by. Dr Reuben Osih, Dr Elias Meboka, `General` John Osih, Njabe (SG), Chief David  Epupu and many others galvanized the people to adopt a self help approach in the construction of the Mundemba-Toko road.

PAMOL over the years had constructed roads to link the remotest parts of its vast plantation estate across the length and breadth of the division and in some cases provided water transport and ferries to facilitate the transportation of its produces. .

It is a truism that, if PAMOL had taken that social responsibility ab initio to provide at least a road to link PAMOL to the rest of the division by constructing just five kilometers of earth road every year, the people of Ndian could not have been described as the poorest or the most backward and deprived community 70 years after.

                           EXPLOITATION OF CRUDE OIL

Mr. CEO, you will also wish to recall that, oil exploration started in Ndian division in the early 1960s. And as we speak, there are over 15 oil wells being drilled in Ndian division. However, despite the enormous wealth and revenue generated from oil extraction in the division, Ndian is being taunted daily as the treasure of the entire nation, but has not a single filling station in the entire division or a single tarred road which is a byproduct of the oil.

According to one of the leading politicians, Ndian is so blessed and the only division in the country with economic and political capitals viz Ekondo Titi and Mundemba respectively, so what do we need again from the Government?

We were also told that, the former ruler and dictator persistently bullied one of our politicians and constantly reminded him the oil in Ndian does not belong to our fathers. The current regime has also informed us that, the matrix used to calculate barrels is so complex and complicated and it is not the preserve for the common man. So it will be wise, prudent and politically expedient not to comment any further on this subject matter.

                                KORUP PROJECT AND OTHER RESERVES

The KORUP Project, like the Herakles Farms, generated a lot of excitement from the indigenes. There were deliberate and genuine efforts by the WWF to implement the action plan and road map of the project.

For the first time in the history of our people, the locals were recruited and some given opportunities to equip and sharpen their skills. Korup workers became the new brides in towns and were like noisy neighbours that kept the local economy going.

KORUP Management team had a more complicated and arduous tasks in my view than HF.

·       Their mission and tasks were even more daunting as they had to enlighten and sensitize our people on the need to preserve the forest;

·        Dissuade them into abandoning their age-old profession of hunting; provide alternative sources of income

·       Deprive the populace  from eating our delicacies of bush meat (NJOKOBI); and,

·        To relocate the natives from their ancestral homes to new sites.

The Korup project won the hearts and minds of the people because they were on the ground and a part of the community. The historic visit of Prince of Wales to inaugurate its office and his one kilometer trek into the Korup forest was legendary. And that particular visit brought Mundemba and Ndian to the limelight as sights of Ndian adorned for the first time the cover page of the Famous BBC Focus of Africa Magazine. For the first time, the world could read and see the plight, difficulties and challenges in pictures of our people. That publication and Korup brought enormous goodwill, researchers, tourists, journalists from around the world.

That period also witnessed concrete interventions by external donors in Ndian as we witnessed the construction of a bridge across the famous Ndiba Mana, the dreaded river that had claimed so many lives of our people in the process of transporting cash crops and goods to Mundemba.

                                            KORUP LIKE PAMOL

Korup Project like PAMOL suffered the same Dutch disease. when the white managers were exiting, the Korup project was handed over to migrant workers or better still public servants from elsewhere, who had no clear idea or understanding of the vision and mission of the project.

The Korup project, like many other public enterprises conceived in Southern Cameroon and handed over to migrant workers, have either collapsed or remained relics or pale shadow of their former selves.

Korup Project is under an intensive care unit with a paltry annual budget of about $20 000. . The rough road leading to the Korup forest reserve tells the whole story about the project. 

Korup forest is now like an evil forest and an albatross on the neck of the Ndian people. It is a source for prison for so-called poachers, a source of woes and misery for farmers as the marauding elephants are destroying farmlands, a source of dead as the elephants keep killing the people, whilst the project itself remains a white elephant, that has deprived the people of Ndian cheap and easy access road to Nigeria and Eyumojock via the forest.. 

It is inconceivable for such a landmark project to exist anywhere in the world without the Government providing the enabling environment to encourage tourism?

WWF and associates were so much in a hurry to hand over the project and never attracted the necessary support services or establishing conditions precedents that could grow tourism in Ndian.

                 The False Starts of Herakles Farms

 The objectives and mission of HF as espoused by the CEO are brilliant and wonderful but absolutely not new as l will consider them a déjà vu.

(a)    HF has failed to draw lessons, or willing to learn, from the story of PAMOL du Cameroun.  

(b)    HF has equally failed to understand that palm plantation or palm oil is not a new concept or crop to the Ndian people.

(c)    The Ndian people have simply gone weary of the smell, colour and sights and sounds of palm trees and nuts.

(d)   The Ndian people detest what PAMOL have done to them and to their lands. They know that the project benefited more non-indigenes than indigenes.

What most people are saying is that, “if gold could rust what of iron?” That is, if PAMOL and KORUP could deceive and enslave the indigenes, why not Herakles Farms? Can they be wrong this time around, Mr. CEO?

Herakles Farm, unlike Korup project which was under the WWF from inception, had visibility in Mundemba. They cited their office in Mundemba and were involve in the day to day activities of our people.

Currently, Herakles Farms’ head office in Cameroon is based in Limbe rather than in Mundemba or Toko. The key staff operate from Limbe and only visit Mundemba and Toko as tourists, strangers and on ad hoc basis. The white farmers who established Pamol did so from the fields of Ndian Division and not from the comforts of their off shore offices elsewhere.

Furthermore, the Limbe office has already recruited staff working in an environment that has no bearing to its field operations.

HF staffs based in Limbe are receiving salaries on a project based in Mundemba-Toko and are using such capitals to contribute to the economic activities of another town-Limbe and by extension Fako not Mundemba-Toko in Ndian.

Neither PAMOL nor Korup Project did that, except the Oil companies which are considered too elitists and sophisticated for any local to commend or comprehend.

The HF should tell the Ndian people the rationale behind the citing an office in Limbe rather than in their areas of operations?

The current Management structure of HF to say the least is akin to that of PAMOL. Our people can simply not identify any of their sons and daughters in a project that will deprive them of their land for the next 100 years.

Mr. CEO, where are the sons and daughters in the scheme of things? It is also very condescending for you to ask us to applaud you for recruiting two sons of south west region into the fold.

It would be useful and instrumental to publish the list of the management staff of HF and their job profiles.

The CEO will recall that, even in his home country (USA), where the UN is located, The UN Protocols and Conventions require that there should be equity and justice in the distribution of posts and appointments within the UN Systems. It is a convention which is religiously applied to all positions below the level of G5 (General Services staff include; clerks, nurses, Typists, Secretaries, security personnel, drivers, junior accountants, Protocol officers, Gardeners, in short all junior staff) SHALL BE GIVEN TO INDIGENES OF THE HOST COMMUNITIES.

According to the UN Conventions, Protocols and common sense approach, Professional, Managerial or statutory appointments SHALL BE RESERVE FOR MEMBER STATES ONLY, IN THIS CASE AREAS OF HK OPERATIONS. HF should understand that, in Africa there is a difference between ours and mine.

We (the Ndian indigenes) as a people will be happier and more appreciative if, we could see our sons and daughters as drivers of the projects and not just passengers.

2.       Based on the foregoing, HF should, as matter of urgency, review its criteria for employment and make sure that, except under exceptional circumstances, and with consultation with the Chiefs, all the relevant positions are allocated to communities within the operation areas.

The people of Ndian will sincerely appreciate if Directors or Management staff are recruited mainly from areas where HF operational area.

It is also disingenuous for the CEO to keep on reiterating that, employment is being given to the local youth in the area.  These youths are casual workers engaged in the planting of seedlings. Granted; they are paid something, but the total package for these 500 young boys and girls working at the nursery is simply measly sum compared to fat salaries paid to four of your management staff sitting in the head office in Limbe.

The CEO should understand that such a giant project cannot be achieved or developed through propaganda.

When PAMOL was established almost a century ago, there were probably no awareness concerns of concern to the natives who were not opportune to attend even a primary or elementary school.  

Today the situation has changed. Even though the area is still backward and the poorest in the region, it is blessed with some of the best minds in the country, equipped to accommodate the labour demands Herakles Farms needs.

Though a backward region, the literacy level is appreciable for the people to watch and recognize New York. Paris, London or Beijing on a film or documentary, and appreciate what modernity means, and would wish to see their hamlets and villages transformed into modern township with portable water, electricity, descent accommodation , health facilities and value and good returns for their lands.

HF should understand the African adage that says that, “the traders will know if business will be good on the eve of the market day.” Invariably, our people will know if the HF project will be beneficial to them by your works on the ground and not on the pages of newspapers.

 9. We have seen Pamol from inception. Pamol was able to bring light aircraft planes to Mundemba and Lobe. They were able to construct water reservoirs, hospitals, schools, camps, roads, river ports, even though these have been allowed to deteriorate and even go fallow. These were all done within their area of operations to the exclusion of the division.

To quote the CEO, “HF is also a newcomer and foreigner to the area, and so we have to earn local trust.”

To this end, we strongly appeal to the CEO to urgently relocate HF office to Mundemba and constitute a crack team to conduct a SOCIAL NEEDS ASSESSENT OF THE PEOPLE or areas that require urgent social intervention.

That Mundemba and Toko should be the ideal place for such need assessment to take place and not Limbe.

I will suggest that, HF should stop the cosmetic services which are currently being provided.

HF should embark on concrete and visible projects to make meaningful and significant impact on the lives of the people, especially in the areas of road construction, provision of educational and health facilities not only within the catchment area but to the entire region.

The CEO and his team might have observed that most of the schools in that region do not dispose of modern toilet facilities or places of conveniences.

There are no dining sheds for the pupils /students to have their meals or lunch during recess.  It is gratifying to note that, textbooks were donated to some schools in the region, but where will these books be kept? Most of these schools don`t even have a functional library room or a study room talk less of textbooks.  

One of the ways that HF can make an immediate impact on the lives of the children of school going age, is to embark on what l describe as `school feeding programme` .

The children should be served at least a meal a day whilst in school. This project is being done in a wider scale elsewhere.  l see no reason why such a project cannot achieve success for an area with a population of less than 200 pupils.

This will have a trickle down effects on the local economy, as a few women will be empowered as cooks, it will provide market for the local farmers; boost school enrolment and make a HF a family member the indigenes have been waiting for years.

Mr. CEO as we speak the Mundemba Hospital does not have a morgue.  In spite of the bad roads our people still have to convey corpses of their beloved ones to and from kumba.

The pains and trauma for both the families and dead could be better imagined than described as they navigate in bush taxis on roads akin to abandoned landmines.

Mr. CEO, an intervention in this direction will be a mighty relief to all and sundry as such intervention will bring HF closer to the hearts and minds of our people.

HF should also be exploring the possibility of setting up HF Vocational or Skill Acquisition Training Centre. The benefits of such a Center of Excellence which could be tailored towards meeting the basic needs of HF now and in the future will be phenomenal.

The center which should focus on the training of medium skills workers, artisans and technicians such as plumbers,  fitter machinists, machine operators,  wielding, constructions, builders, carpenters , bulldozers operators, harvesters and even drivers etc.

In the area of health, the current efforts of HF though commendable is meaningless if urgent solutions are not taken to enhance the capacity and facility of the General Hospitals in the region, whilst awaiting the construction of HF hospitals in future.  There is general absence of ambulance services which could enhance the quality of health of the people.

In conclusion: l believe that, the Herakles oil palm project in Cameroon has the potential to transform a poor and underdeveloped region of the country and bring tremendous economic, social and environmental benefits to the people around it, if the management gets its foundational priorities right at this initial stage.

Mr. CEO, I will plead with you to use your expertise, connections and   network to attract other cottage industries or factories that will provide ancillary services or rely on the byproducts of Palm oil. 

African politicians and elites are more at ease stealing money from Africa and stashing it abroad instead of investing at home.

Mundemba should be its operational base; not Limbe.

***Mr. Albert A. Motale is an Investment and Management Consultant. He lives in Accra, Ghana***