At CCMN Workshop, Journalists Challenged to Blog

At CCMN Workshop, Journalists Challenged to Blog

It was on Friday June 29th 2019 that members of the North West Chapter of the Cameroon Community Media Network (CCMN) met at the Presbyterian Church Centre, Ntamulung, Bamenda  to lay down modalities for the effective commencement of the second phase of the Peace Journalism and Conflict Transformation Project being implemented by the Communication Department of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon through the Cameroon Community Media Network (CCMN).

The Cameroon Community Media Network (CCMN) is an association of community media houses and community media practitioners with the goal to promote the development of the community media sector in Cameroon and establish conflict-sensitive journalism as alternative to conventional reporting (Source: CCMN Facebook Page)

Participants pose for a family photo

After a welcome address from the network's president Obah Rose, working groups were formed in which members were tasked to do a situational analysis of the current Anglophone Crisis in the North West Region in the cultural, social, economic and political domains.  They were also charged to name and discuss the effects of the conflict on any case study community, outlining the actors involved, how and why they are affected. Lastly, attendees were urged to unveil challenges and opportunities brought by the conflict to the media and propose a way forward.

From the presentations by the various group leaders, the responses were almost the same. Culturally, there's been an escalation between the Fulani and Aghem community in Wum, palaces have been deserted as many fons have relocated to urban towns and annual traditional festivals like "Lela" in Bali, "Ngonnso" in Nso  are no longer organised. Socially, there's been heightened insecurity, poor waste management in the city of Bamenda, high death rate and absence of sporting jamborees. Economically participants affirmed that there's increase in cost of living, unemployment, dwindling business and heightened economic hardship. In the political sphere, findings revealed that politicking is now seemingly a taboo as party rallies and anniversaries plus campaigning and elections can no longer be freely staged. Politicians too have become a soft target reason why many have been forced to  relocate.

At the level of the media, the challenges are almost becoming unbearable. From frequent power cuts to no income, no salaries, high censorship and too much music than programs, the cry is same everywhere. However, in the midst of these challenges, there's a way out, reason why the media men and women were called upon to increase advocacy on the need for both parties to protect rather than destroy social amenities like electricity, water and thrash trucks/cans. In addition, they were encouraged to go in for projects, a good income gerenerstion source, protect and create new news sources. Lastly, they must be daring and responsible while upholding the ethics of the profession.

The major outcome of the workshop was a special presentation by Bakah Derick, North Bureau Chief of The Guardian Post Newspaper on Integrating Traditional Media into Social Media in which he encouraged all radio and TV stations plus newspapers to own blogs, Facebook pages and Twitter accounts reason being that the media landscape is fast changing and as such, outlets must update to current trends. A great part of his presentation was used for practical lessons during which the network members went online through their phones and laptops. Step by step directives were then given on how to create and customize a blog at the end of which about five new blogs were created.

Fon Quinta creating her news blog

Fon Quinta is a TV reporter. Amazed with the process, after closely following instructions, she successfully created her own blog, www.fonsnewsdiary@blogspot.com which she shall be using to report news. "Attending CCMN meeting in Bamenda today, it was exceptional because we had lessons on how to create a blog and the one I just created, I'll be using it for news updates" she said. Quinta hopes to always report on her blog at least four times a week.

Despite calls for journalists to create and effectively run constantly updated social media platforms like news blogs, Tweeter and Facebook accounts, many still limit themselves to WhatsApp forums. To Bakah Derick, the workshop facilitator, it's just an issue of personal organisation and lack of interest. "I think it's a cultural issue. You know it's not been our thing here and so we are only trying to incorporate that" he added. He also revealed that many of the international journalists we have as mentors do a lot of social media work yet most of his colleagues haven't noticed that radio, TV and newspaper reports have a very short lifespan but when such are put online, the lifespan becomes practically forever and that's where one gains international exposure. "A journalist in Cameroon is not different from a journalist in the U.S but we have opted to limit ourselves by our failure to use these social media platforms correctly" he opined.

Bakah Derick, N.W Bureau Chief, The Guardian Post, Resource Person 

One of the best and highly used social media platform is Tweeter yet very few journalists understand how to use it. Some created accounts there probably out of curiosity and can't even recall their passwords nor address.  The goodness and exceptionality of Tweeter according to Derick, the resource person is that it's the best platform to run campaigns around the world through hash tags and handles. He explained that hash tags are the key words or phrases that people use to build a conversation and helps users to situate all what's been reported around the given topic. For example #Journalism4Peace.  "If I want to address myself to the president of the United States, it just suffices me to know his Tweeter handle, e.g @DonaldTrump, tag it to a tweet whose subject I know will be of interest to him and he will read me. I don't need to write him a long letter or travel to America." Bakah Derick ended.

It is now left for the journalists to put into practice the lessons learnt. As the war in Anglophone Cameroon rages on, media persons have been intensifying the implementation of peace journalism principles in their reports in order not to escalate the conflict but rather construct and mend the broken society.

Armoured Cars Flood Mbengwi with a Drone

Armoured Cars Flood Mbengwi with a Drone

Commercial activities were going on normally within the Mbengwi municipality and its peripheries on Thursday June 20th 2019 when at about midday, a fleet of armoured cars, fully filled with armed to the teeth combat ready soldiers could be seen trooping into the town. It wasn't for any attack or intervention but for the installation of Captain Thimba Jean Pierre as new Company Commander for Momo Division. Their entry and subsequent exit had no interference on the smooth daily functioning of the divisional headquarters. Residents who saw the fleet went about their routine activities unperturbed. Gone are those days when just at the sight of a military jeep, an alarm will be blown in the quarters for inhabitants to flee for their dear lives.

Armoured Cars at Etat Major de Compagnie, G.R.A Mbengwi

The installation ceremony took place on the Mbengwi ceremonial grand stand in the presence of the Legion Commander of the Gendarmerie for the North West, the Senior Divisional Officer of Momo and his Etat Major, service heads and forces of law and order. Welcoming the personalities, the mayor of the Mbengwi Council voiced out the wish of the common man. Hear her, "In this very peculiar era, it is common to hear people expressing fears of uncertainty... CoCom (Company Commander), we pray that you will find ways to soothe rather than escalate the situation... We the people of Mbengwi are peace loving and we pray that the peace we seek, we will receive it."

Captain Thimba Jean Pierre, Newly Installed Company Commander, Momo

After the mayor's welcome address, Ministerial Order No. 1900 01 30/AM/MINDEF of 6th March 2019 appointing Captain Thimba Jean Pierre as Company Commander of Mbengwi by the Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defence, Assomo Beti Joseph was read out. The concerned was then handed over powers by the Legion Commander after which he commenced work immediately by reviewing the troops.

Drone hovering the ceremonial grand stand

As the military honours went on, a disturbing sound like that produced by a swamp of bees could be heard. Heads turned left and right as eyes went zooming the skies to see the producer of the strange sound and behold it was a drone. To some, it was their first time of seeing such a flying device and one could read wonder on their minds. A drone, otherwise known as Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is an aircraft or flying device which does not have a human pilot onboard. They are mostly used by the military and videographers to capture images of a scene. Thus the one that hovered the skies of the Mbengwi ceremonial grandstand was brought by the military probably to capture images for their reports.

Absalom Monono Woloa, Momo's S.D.O

Responding to the press on challenges that await the new commander, Momo's Senior Divisional Officer, Absalom Monono Woloa said "We know we are having a lot of challenges because of the crisis plaguing the North West and the South West Regions but we are also happy that with his coming, he's been working in synergy with the administrative authorities and others so that calm is brought to the division." According to Monono, for a very long while, they've been able to reestablish confidence amongst the population and forces of law and order, reason why Mbengwi has been relatively calm. He used the opportunity to continue "singing the song" of non state armed fighters should drop their guns.

Holdup at Ngyen-Mbo & Mile 20 as Mbon Booms

Holdup at Ngyen-Mbo & Mile 20 as Mbon Booms

It's a bright and fair Tuesday morning, June 18 2019. The sun rises from the hills as the birds and flowers welcome the rays with chirps and blooms. It's another promising day for economic activities to boom. Commercial motor bikes and township cabs alongside pedestrians hit the roads criss crossing one point to another. The liveliness is symbolic of the return of past hay days.

Little did forecasters foresee a fun spoiler that soon marked his undesired presence in some outskirt areas of the Mbengwi municipality. News soon went wild like the fires of California that "Amba Boys" (non state armed groups fighting for the independence of a state they call Ambazonia) are in a shooting spray with government soldiers at Mile 20. The exchange  halted movement of civilians from the suburbs to Mbengwi central town and vice versa.

Stranded Passengers at Sam Tabeng, Ngyen-Mbo Running Away as Military Trucks Pass By

Mile 20, Mbengwi has often been a battle fief in the course of the ongoing armed conflict raging on in Anglophone Cameroon, reason being that government soldiers have been mounting checkpoints there and even in Acha together with Tad market in Nyen. After using fetish objects like dead owls and coffins to chase away the soldiers from the area to no avail in the early stage of the conflict, the non state fighters finally resulted to using dane guns.

The soldiers finally abandoned Acha, Tad and Mile 20 and concentrated their controls in Mbengwi central town. New checkpoints were mounted around SAR/SM Mbengwi, the council hall, Njembeng junction. This went on for over half a year and calm reigned in Mbengwi. Soldiers became in charge of Mbengwi town and "Amba Boys" in charge of Side Down, an appellation for all the villages located in the Gutah, Medig and Tondig zones of the Meta clan.

Stranded Passenger Observing the Military Trucks Pass By

But of recent, government soldiers started testing the deepness of the waters with their legs again. They started descending to Mile 20 from time to time to mount checkpoints. Denizens have been complaining of how only their faith keeps them in church because almost every Sunday, each time they are in church, close to twenty soldiers usually come and start doing control only around the church house. Some even take cover in the quarters.

Analysts say the soldiers chose only church service time because for the sake of the innocent civilians, "Amba Boys" can't attack them. From Sundays, they continued descending to Mile 20 on ordinary days. The pull factor to such a said to be danger zone has been money as opined by an anonymous Mile 20 inhabitant. At the end of everyday, the money they return with, collected from bike riders and cars  without documents plus travellers without ID cards is seemingly worth the risk, he opined. Thus the "Amba Boys" had been attempting to prohibit the soldiers from crossing into their own "carved out territory" through few distant shots.

Halted Cabs Waiting to Hit Back the Road

Sensing that the government soldiers are gradually testing the grounds to mark a return to resume their control at  Tad and Acha, the separatist fighters, said to now be in possession of more sophisticated weapons decided to step up their game by reinforcing and launching an attack on the soldiers at Mile 20 last Tuesday June 18. The gun battle raged on for hours as birds, animals and humans took to their heels. We are yet to independently confirm if any casualties were recorded though it is highly alleged the firings were mostly in the air than at a target since both enemies kept a long distance from each other. The fear of death keeps you to fight the next day, a strong believe users of arms have.

Public opinion holds that if soldiers stay away from the outskirts and concentrate only in the central town, serenity will reign. However unofficial  opinion holds that government functionary will never ever be determined by commoners. Meaning soldier master what they were trained to do reason why they chose where to go and what to go do there not based on whether their presence will be welcomed or not.

Same day, at about 4pm, traffic was halted on the Ngyen-Mbo road. Gunshots were also reported to have been heard on the highway around Mile 17. From findings, it wasn't any exchange but soldiers returning from a mission in Ngie-Njikwa marking their passage by firing in the air. It should be recalled that on Sunday 19th May 2019, over eight fully loaded trucks and a caterpillar passed through Mbengwi to Ngie/Njikwa and returned on Tuesday. The purpose of their mission and if it was accomplished is still not known. Last Sunday, June 16, they passed again with same caterpillar herding to Ngie/Njikwa and like before, returned on Tuesday through Mbengwi back to where they came from.

Hearing the gunshots around Mile 17 yesterday, traffic became halted around Ngyen-Mbo. All cars coming from Bamenda were compelled to prematurely terminate rolling their wheels on the tar mark at a junction called Sam Tabeng. More than 10 cabs and close to 50 passengers became stranded here for close to an hour, metres away from the Wednesday Market Checkpoint. It was finally at about 5pm that the military trucks and their caterpillar made their "triumphant" exit out of Mbengwi back to where they came from. Traffic flow resumed on the road till evening.

All of this went on at the outskirts while deep in the heart of the municipality, Mile 18 Mbon, it was business as usual. Persons in Mile 18 only heard the news through phone calls and eavesdropping. Many received calls from their relatives in other towns saying they've heard Mbengwi is hot and they were like which Mbengwi? To them, nothing is happening here but to those at Mile 20, the story was true.

One certainty is that news about gunshots in and around Mbengwi is often exaggerated and the source is always "hearsay". I hear say it's hot in Side Down, I hear say it'd hot in Bome, I hear it's hot in Acha, in this and that place yet when one digs deeper to get the details of what was really hot, the reality will be that few gunshots were heard. Some Mbengwi sons and daughters resident out of home took to their social media handles with posts like "Pray for Mbengwi" seemingly passing across the amplified message of the worst has happened.

Today Wednesday June 19, Mbengwi inhabitants are all indoors as a ghost town is being respected. Who called for it and why are some of the questions yet to be answered. Till now no announcement of a ghost town has been seen on social media yet just by word of mouth, the news was spread and right now, it's fully being respected.

CAMASEJ N.W Strikes MoU Deal with Blue Pearl Hotel

CAMASEJ N.W Strikes MoU Deal with Blue Pearl Hotel

The North West Chapter of the Cameroon Association of English Speaking Journalists (CAMASEJ) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Blue Pearl Hotel, Bamenda. The deal was arrived at, Friday June 14 2019 in the hotel's executive conference room where members of the association first held their usual monthly meeting at the end of which the hotel's management stepped in for the signing proper. 

By the agreement, CAMASEJ and Blue Pearl Hotel will benefit from a mutual exchange of services for a period of four years renewable. CAMASEJ on her part will prioritize recommending the hotel to visitors and tourists within the region as well as to event organisers meanwhile the hotel will in turn  provide a 50% reduction to CAMASEJ members for lodging, laundry and event space. 

CAMASEJ N.W Chapter President & Blue Pearl Hotel's Financial Accountant 

The signing was done by Ambe Macmillian Awa, CAMASEJ N.W chapter president on behalf of his association and Fonchuh Nathaniel Aseh, the hotel's financial accountant, seating in for the manager,  Mr. Augustine Powege Halle who facilitated the deal. Upon dropping their pens, both personalities shook hands and exchanged copies of the MoU amidst cheers from the association's members.

Reacting to the signing, Lohshie Eugene, a member of CAMASEJ N.W said "This is a very laudable and appreciable initiative because we can't overemphasis the relationship journalists build with enterprises and institutions. This now offers an opportunity for CAMASEJANS within and without the region to be able to enjoy the litany of services a very reputable hotel like Blue Pearl offers." He ended by appreciating the hotel's management for having found it intricate to sign such an MoU with CAMASEJ because to him, it's a big win for both parties.

CAMASEJ N.W General Assembly Witnessing the Signing Ceremony

Asked to disclose what nurtured the idea and subsequent signing of such a fruitful agreement, Ambe Macmillian revealed that inspiration came after observing the number of national and international journalists that keep streaming into the N.W region to cover the ongoing Anglophone crisis and for other purposes. Usually, they will need the best of comfort in a standard and well secured lodging facility. Thus, after conducting a survey, Blue Pearl Hotel was found to be the best. Upon arrival at the receptionist, all a journalist has to do is to identify his or herself as a CAMASEJAN by presenting his/her membership card.

Before now CAMASEJ N.W had in the past signed MoUs with other institutions like the Bamenda Regional Hospital in which CAMASEJANS have been and are still benefiting from a 50% discount on all medical bills incurred by members when in ill health while the members themselves have as obligation to constantly be reporting about the hospital. This MoU was signed on the 20th of July 2017. For this, the current President extended a special vote of thanks  to the past executive council that was headed by Akah Rosaline Obah,  "It was a wonderful initiative which my office and members have also added some wood to the flames" Ambe opined. "It has helped us to be really strong and you can feel the strength of the help in the strength of our reports for it's only a healthy journalist that can produce a healthy report" he ended.

Both parties are now expected to begin meeting their terms of the MoU in  the days ahead so as to begin  reaping the benefits

M.P Wears Shoes of PWDs in Mbengwi, Feels their Sufferings & Intervenes

M.P Wears Shoes of PWDs in Mbengwi, Feels their Sufferings & Intervenes

The Member of Parliament for Momo East Constituency, Mbengwi has donated an economic empowerment package to persons living with disabilities in Mbengwi. Rallying at her office that also serves as a resource centre for research and computer literacy, after a welcome song, the close to 50 beneficiaries were first relaxed with another melody tuned and conducted by the M.P, Hon. Edna Enih Mbah  with the message; "We are one in the name of Jesus no matter where you come from."

When All Hope Seems Lost

Afterwards, they were schooled on the necessity to overcome their disability by engaging themselves in income generating activities like farming, poultry, pig rearing and petit business rather than relegating themselves to the position of beggars. In a thought provoking intellectual emancipation  address, the Member of Parliament told her invited guests to also desist from faking or exaggerating their inabilities. She discouraged the formation of more disability  associations for the sake of begging instead of empowering members. She rather encouraged that more members should register into the already existing Association of Persons with Special Needs, Mbengwi.

PWD Being Attacked by Epilepsy

Responding to questions from the press on what prompted her to assist persons living with disabilities in her constituency, Mbengwi, the honourable Member of Parliament, Edna Enih Mbah said "The struggle that has been going on for the past three years has caused a lot of pain and persons with special needs suffer more because they are unable to move to a better place that can be peaceful and because of the too many shutdowns, ghost towns and uncertainties, some who were engaged in some income generating activities have fallen out of business"

Hon. Edna Enih Mbah, M.P, Momo East Constituency, Mbengwi

A general package of buckets, rice and other basic needs was offered to all the persons with special abilities present including transport fare to take them back to their various homes while those already engaged in some income generating activities like shoe mending, stock breeding, agriculture had an extra special package like bags of animal feed, wheat flower and some financial capital based on their individual activities to assist them in their endeavours and also serve as inspiration to others who seem lazy. The beneficiaries had actually indicated their needs and they were provided

Agwe Eric Tata is the President of the  Association of Persons with Special Abilities, Mbengwi. Appreciating the M.PS gesture of thinking about  them, he thanked her for the initiative. He termed his peers as an endangered specie because of the ongoing crisis raging in the two English speaking regions. "Persons with special abilities need to be taken special care of too since they have a special way if doing their own things" he uttered.

Economic Empowerment Package Donated to PWDs in Mbengwi by the M.P

Mbengwi, chief town of Momo Division in the North West Region has over 50 persons living with disabilities organised in an association and their challenges are almost the same. To Tayong  Yerima Peter, a visually impaired, grazers often come and destroy their crops as they have no strength and means to fence the farms. Again, it's a difficult challenge for them to obtain a disability card and when they do, government education policy states that they and their children should be exempted from paying fees. This sounds good in the ears but ironically, Parents, Teacher's Association  (P.T.A) levy becomes too exorbitant, even far more than the school fees itself. Lastly he decried the practice where churches raise money to help them yet the practical help never comes.  "Instead of teaching us how to catch a fish, they are rather teaching us how to eat rice and the rice doesn't even last as very soon, we get hungry again." Yerima said, in a bitter tone.

Sign Board Leading to the M.Ps Office & Resource Centre

Apart from that, some of them suffer from terminal illnesses like a woman whose own illness, epilepsy, attacked her on the spot. Such have resulted to some of them sustaining broken legs, hands and scars of burns. Mbah Emmanuel Tita alias "Pope" resident in Mile 17 Mbengwi suffers from mobility impairment but this hasn't kept him down. He said he has seven agric pigs in his fence and also farms cucumbers, water melons and tomatoes. With this, he is able to pay his children's fees and sufficiently feed his family comprised of himself, wife, 5 kids and 3 other family children that he's taking care of giving a total of ten.

It should be noted that this isn't the first time persons with special abilities and IDPs in Mbengwi are receiving assistance in the course of the ongoing crisis. The state of Cameroon through the Emergency Humanitarian Assistance Package, some N.G.Os like Plan International  and the Meta Cultural and Development Association (MECUDA)  had carried out similar exercises in the past. All of this enhanced by the peaceful atmosphere that reigns withing the municipality

First MECUDA U.S.A Extends Big Hand of Fellowship to IDPs on Home Soil

First MECUDA U.S.A Extends Big Hand of Fellowship to IDPs on Home Soil

MECUDA (Meta Cultural and Development Association) is the umbrella body that takes care of the cultural and  developmental needs of the Meta people in Mbengwi central sub division. The association has branches dotted here and there, nationally and internationally. Almost everywhere there are Meta people on earth, there's a MECUDA branch too.

Amongst the many MECUDA branches in existence on planet earth, there's one that goes by the name First MECUDA USA. These are Meta sons and daughters that were fortunate to leave home for greener pastures in "the land of milk and honey", America. Despite the better life there, they've not been carried away to the point of forgetting about the land if their birth. They still think of home, sweet home.

IDPs & Affected Person Collecting Assistance at MECUDA Head Office, Mbengwi

With Mbengwi being one of the affected areas of the ongoing Anglophone crisis that escalated into an armed conflict resulting to fire exchanges, killings, burnings, kidnaps for ransoms etc, the after effect was increase in number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). At some point, the escape is from the suburbs to central town and at other points,  it's the reverse depending on where the exchanges are taking place. 

Soon Mbengwi became relatively calm and instead turned to be a safe haven as IDPs started escaping from other warring areas like Bafut, Bali, Nso, Mankon etc to seek refuge in Mbengwi. Then, non governmental organisations, aide groups, the state of Cameroon and other constituted bodies started stepping in with assistance to the victims. Sons and daughters from several villages raised money and sent back home for basic needs to be bought and distributed to their parents facing the heat. Such aide had been distributed in Ngwokwong, Sang, Bome etc though often, donors have to buy their way through the two fighting groups (soldiers and Amba Boys) before reaching the victims with the assistance. Cases were even reported of some donors being mistaken for state officials and molested by Amba Boys in some areas.

Bags of Rice

In the midst of all these happenings, First MECUDA USA couldn't be indifferent. The association of recent sent a relief package to Mbengwi worth 1.3 million francs. It was on Friday May 31st 2019 that close to 150 IDPs and affected persons in Mbengwi benefitted from First MECUDA USA's largesse. From the various villages that make up the Meta clan, mostly villages within and around Mbengwi central town, they came in their numbers, father's, mother's and children to take home their package. The donation was done in the conference hall of the MECUDA Head Office, Mile 18 Ku-Bome, Mbengwi. 

The items donated were 15 bags of rice, 10 cartons of vegetable oil, 3 cartons of soap, 1 carton of maggi, 15 bags of salt and over a hundred plastic buckets. Present to coordinate the distribution exercise were the mayor of the Mbengwi Council, Madam Tebe Beatrice, the national president of MECUDA, Mr. Ayaba David alongside some MECUDA national executive council members, religious authorities, the press and security forces. 

Expressing his impressions after the exercise, the MECUDA President General said "At first I was scared that I will come and not meet people but seeing the turn out, I became happy. I even wanted to shed tears because I could see a suffering people trying to die in silence" He went ahead to disclose that the gesture came from First MECUDA, Maryland, USA headed by Mr. Tazi. 

Mr. Ayaba David, MECUDA National President General

Expressing gratitude to the donor, Pa Chi Joseph from Ku fondom said "We thank First MECUDA USA for this love they've shown not only to us Meta people but all IDPs and affected persons resident in Mbengwi irrespective of their tribes" He wished their financial sources never run dry and requested they abroad intensify prayers for them back home because the crisis seem far from being over. He ended by also appreciating the administration of Mbengwi for all its efforts in controlling the conflict in Mbengwi not to escalate to unbearable limits like the cases in other areas where villages have been completely burnt, civilians massacred, rapes cases and other firms if human rights abuses recorded. 

These words of appreciation were corroborated by Madam Tifuh Helen from Mbengwi and Madam Amboh Prisca from Njindom. At the end, both recipients and donation coordinators went  back home fully satisfied. At press time, reports say MECUDA is currently making plans to reach out to Meta refugees in Nigeria

Gutah Family Meeting Assists IDPs in Mbengwi

Gutah Family Meeting Assists IDPs in Mbengwi

Gutah is one of the zones that make up the Meta clan in Mbengwi Central Sub Division. The classification of Meta into zones was done by the Meta Cultural and Development Association (MECUDA). Gutah is made up of villages like Ngwokwong, Acha-Tugi and Chup.

Gutah Family Meeting Members & Assisted IDPs

Within the Mbengwi municipality, there exists an amalgamation of sons and daughters from these aforementioned villages under the nomenclature of Gutah Family Meeting. For over four years now, they've been meeting monthly from one members residence to another for emancipation, unity, development and progress in their area though such has been at a very slow pace primarily because of its enclaved nature (thickly forested and hilly) that has forced inhabitants to go out in search of better life elsewhere.

Mr. Njohjam Alfred, President, Gutah Family Meeting, Mbengwi

In the face of the ongoing Anglophone crisis, Gutah zone has unfortunately been one of the highest hit areas. Several fierce fire exchanges between pro independence fighters and state forces leading to deaths on both sides and civilian casualties  have been reported in Gutah. Strategically located, Gutah is a transit zone between Mbengwi and two other sub divisions: Njikwa and Andek. The attacks are usually sparked each time government forces have to pass through Acha-Tugi to Njikwa or Ngwokwong to Andek for state missions. Nowadays, access to these two sub divisions by vehicle is almost impossible.

Donated Items

As such many villagers have had to escape to Mbengwi central to stay with their relatives. For this reason, moved by the plights of the disabled, Gutah Family Meeting, Mbengwi recently carried out a humanitarian gesture by assisting their mothers, father's and children that have been displaced from the village and are now residing with them in Mbengwi. 

They (the beneficiaries) were twenty five in number. It was during last Sunday's meeting of June 9 2019 in G.R.A Mbengwi that the gesture was carried out. The concerned were donated basic needs like plastic buckets and bowls, cubes of soap, dresses, rice and maggi. 

Madam Amuzang Alice Amboh, an elderly mother told us why she had to relocate from Ngwokwong to Mbengwi. As the story goes, from time to time they've been escaping into the valleys each time there are fire exchanges only to come back and meet their houses broken into, looted and walls perforated by bullets. But of recent, she had to carry her grand children and completely get out of the village for safety in Mbengwi after unknown armed men stormed the village, attacked a compound, shot to death a young boy, inflicted machete wounds on the family head and others after which they went away with some family items and money. 

Porridge Cocoyams (Nang Tari) Traditional meal of the Meta People

Mr. Njohjam Alfred, the president of Gutah Family Meeting, Mbengwi explaining why the group chose to carry out such a gesture said "We realised IDPs are people who are in need because they've been displaced from their places of origin so we decided to make this kind gesture because we feel for them." Before now, within the past years, members of the meeting had been reaching out to needy widows and orphans in the villages. Some weeks and months ago, IDPs in Mbengwi had received assistance from Plan International, the Meta Cultural and Development Association (MECUDA) and the government's Emergency Humanitarian  Package.

Blood Donation: Shortcut to Knowing Your Health Statues Free of Charge, Medic Explains

A healthy person isn't necessarily someone looking strong and normal. Only a hospital can tell how healthy one is, this after screening because not all infections manifest outwardly or immediately. Hardly do people in developing countries visit hospitals for check up because to many, looking strong means being healthy. Poverty is also a key factor. For example, in Cameroon, a basic screening for blood group, sickle cell, hepatitis, syphilis, HIV etc costs about thirty five thousand (35.000) Frs,  some one's monthly salary. 

Amidst this challenge, there's an easy way out. Ignorance they say is a bliss. The way out isn't far, it's simple, it's just near you. Go to any hospital and say you want to donate blood and by the time you are leaving, without paying a dime, your health results will be in your hands. These are findings I made after a one on one with a medic.

Dr. Ako A. Fidelis (Epidemiologist), Chief of Unit, Bamenda Regional Hospital Blood Bank

Dr. Ako Atabon Fidelis is an epidemiologist and the Chief of Service at the Bamenda Regional Hospital Blood Bank. Beginning with the functionality of his unit, he explained that they correct anaemia which is the shortage of blood in one's system, caused by accidents, trauma, malnutrition, severe malaria, child birth or chronic kidney disease.

The Cameroon health system has district hospitals, regional hospitals, referral  hospitals and parastatals. To Dr. Ako, every health unit that carries out surgical operations must have a blood bank. In the North West Region,  blood banks can be found at the regional hospital, Mbingo Baptist hospital, Saint Elizabeth Cardiac Centre Shisong and the Banso Baptist Hospital.

To make a blood donation, the concerned will spend about forty five minutes in the hospital. Upon arrival, he or she is received at the blood bank unit and asked questions about their health statues and behavioural pattern and other medical questions. Afterwards, a clinical evaluation is done during which the potential donor's vital signs are  recorded, that is, weight, haemoglobin concentration and blood pressure. If judged fit for donation, from here you are sent to the phlebotomy unit for blood sampling. Phlebotomy is the process of making an incision in a vein with a needle. If all the test results show negative, you are then qualified as safe for donation. When done, you take a rest for about fifteen minutes and that's it. Often, the hospital provides you something to eat, if available.

All of these screening of the donor are done free of charge but somebody will take responsibility and that is the patient. In his words, "We don't sell because blood is life that cannot be costed." Dr. Ako Fidelis went ahead to explain that a patient will pay a maximum of sixteen thousand francs not for the blood but as compensation to the hospital for the screening it carried out on the donor. This amount applies to internal patients, that is those who were diagnosed and found to be in need of blood in the said hospital. However, for external patients, that is those coming in from other hospitals, it will cost them about twenty one thousand francs.

He proceeded to encourage members of the public to make maximum use of this advantage especially would-be couples. Note must be taken that blood donation is restricted only to persons between 18 and 60 years old for females and 18 to 65 years old for males reason being that those below 18 have a still developing blood system while those above the maximum age certainly have weak blood. Blood is being produced in  bone marrows before being pumped into the circulatory system whose main engine is the heart.

Every year on 14 June, countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day (WBDD). The event, established in 2004, serves to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products, and to thank blood donors for their voluntary, life-saving gifts of blood. "We cannot achieve universal health coverage without people coming to make voluntary blood donation" Dr. Ako said. This year's theme of WBDD is, Blood donation and safe blood transfusion as a component of universal health coverage.

Statistically, on busy days, the Bamenda Regional Hospital receives approximately 25-30 donors. Monthly on average, the least number received is 220 and the most, 500 persons. Thus in a year, it's about 4500-5000 donors. Time to know your health statues by using the shortcut of donating blood.

Traditional Authority Rescues Falling Rainbow Radio with Phantom Mic

Traditional Authority Rescues Falling Rainbow Radio with Phantom Mic

In the town of Mbengwi, divisional headquarters of Momo in the North West Region of Cameroon, there planted in Mile 18 Ku-Bome, the heart of the municipality is Rainbow Radio, the voice of the community, broadcasting on 99.5 FM. Established in 2013 by its U.K based son of the soil proprietor, Tangoh Henry as gift to the land of his birth, the station has since then been vibrating the airwaves of Mbengwi and some areas in Bafut, Fundong, Mendankwe, Batibo, Pinyin, Bali Nyonga right up to Dschang in the West Region and Wabane in the South West Region from were calls are at times received from listeners.

New Phantom Mic

Before the coming of Rainbow Radio, others like Mbengwi Radio Network and Radio Meuyi had existed. Management difficulties later sent the former packing while the latter was purposely for a political campaign period and went off air after results were pronounced. In 2015, Planet FM later came and joined Rainbow Radio but again, her stay too was short-lived as barely a year after, she too closed down. Running a radio station in a rural area has never been a profitable business. It's more of benevolence. Only Rainbow Radio has been able to sail through the storms since 2013 till date.

In January 2018 when the current Anglophone Crisis began escalating and the effects deeply felt in Mbengwi, at a time when the state’s radar was on press freedom, the heavy arm of the law came falling on the station as its doors were sealed by administrative authorities after which a couple of its journalists went underground for being wanted. A month after, the doors were reopened for broadcast to resume. The runaway journalists too resurfaced though one (this reporter) was dragged to court. How the matter finally ended is story for another day.

New Studio Mic

Prior to this difficult time, the radio had been suffering from poor equipment, no income generation, no salary and shortage of productive staff. After the shutdown, the challenges persisted and got worst as some of the few remaining staff members either had to quite or relocated to other towns. Thus the radio has been sick and is still sick, yet will never die from its sickness.

Radio equipment started wearing and tearing. All this while the few remaining staff members have been "managing" the two remaining malfunctioning microphones. The studio console too in the technical room has gradually been breaking down as only few lines on it still function. At times bringing a guest into the studio for a live program was a problem because it will be unpleasant for he or she to see how mics and mic stands are tied with scotch tape, how studio mics are being hardly hit with the palms before they function and buttons on the music console harshly  twisted left and right for them to work, a common illness that affects most of the radio stations in the North West Region. Colleagues will testify the hurdles faced in studios with equipment.

Rainbow Radio's Technical Room

Fortunately, that was then. As said, the patient dog eats the fattest bone. Since what doesn't kill makes strong, Rainbow Radio after overcoming all the storms is now beginning to sail through calm waters. The cry of the radio has just been heard and answered by H.R.H Dr. Fomuki Walters, fon of Guneku village in the Meta clan, resident in Germany. In a recent financial package he sent to assist persons  living with disabilities in Mbengwi, (http://mbengwionline.blogspot.com/2019/06/when-all-attention-is-on-idps-who-cares.html?m=1) he also sent two studio microphones to Rainbow Radio.

Give me the Mic

The mics have been installed and the difference is now clear. Light has conquered darkness. After a long struggle, success has started coming. Broadcast now goes on smoothly and staff members testify they now enjoy their work. Any guest can now be brought into the studio for a live program without any fear of disgrace. The management of Rainbow Radio, FM 99.5 Mbengwi has been appreciating the fon for his timely and giant intervention to rescue the sinking ship. It continues to solicit for more aide in terms of headphones, recorders, new musical console and even financial to boost the morals of the few remaining staff members. When Rainbow Radio is on, Mbengwi is alive.

When All Attention is on IDPs, Who Cares about PWDs in Mbengwi?

When All Attention is on IDPs, Who Cares about PWDs in Mbengwi?

“I have heard of support to IDPs here and there but nobody has ever thought of persons with special abilities.” These were the words of Agwe Eric Tata, president of Mbengwi Association of Persons with Special Abilities. He was speaking last Tuesday June 4th 2019 at the premise of Rainbow Radio, Mbengwi during a ceremony to hand over financial support to persons with special abilities. The gesture came from the fon of Guneku village, H.R.H Dr. Fomuki Walters and his traditional council.

PWDs After Benefitting from the Fon's Largesse

In the face of the ongoing Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon, all attention seems to have been tilted only towards assisting Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) yet the situation of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) who are also victims of the situation is precarious. “People with physical challenges suffer more than IDPs because in the face of danger, an IDP can run but a visually impaired or physically challenged person can’t” opined Agwe Eric.

AGWE Eric Tata, President, Mbengwi Association of Persons with Special Abilities

How did the donation come about? Moris Tagyen is the Station Manager of Rainbow Radio. He explained that it all originated from a local language program that was broadcast over the station a couple of months ago. On the said program, Meta News, he zoomed into the plight of Persons with Disabilities in the ongoing conflict through a recorded interview he conducted with Tayong Yerima Peter, a visually impaired person resident in Mile 17 Mbengwi during which the concerned painted a gory picture of the experiences he’s been through amidst ghost towns, shutdowns, curfews and even fire exchanges. It was a pathetic story

Morris Tagyen, Station Manager, Rainbow Radio

Rainbow Radio has a WhatsApp group on which some of her recorded programs are often shared for connected indigenes round the globe to download, listen and be abreast with happenings back home. And so when this particular edition of Meta News was shared, it got to the ears of H.R.H Dr. Fomuki Walters, Fon of Guneku village, resident in Germany. From thence, he made contacts back home and was given every information he required about Persons With Disabilities residing in Mbengwi and when he learnt they have an association, it became a good opening for him to come to their need with a financial package of a hundred and fifty thousand francs (150.000), using the radio station as contact point.

Cross Section of Beneficiaries

They were twenty six in number that answered present, suffering from visual and mobility impairment. At the end, each person went back home with a financial assistance of five thousand Francs (5000). From findings, there are over fifty Persons with Disabilities resident in Mbengwi excluding those housed and taken care of by the Chistadaelphian School for the Blind and Handicapped, Kobenyang-Bome Mbengwi. The highest concentration of these persons is in Mile 17. Apart from basic needs like food and toiletries, some visually impaired complained of the need for a new white stick while others expressed need for crutches.

Ngwa Vitalis, Fon's/Traditional Council's Representative

Ngwa Vitalis, an elite from Guneku village, representing the fon and traditional council of his village told the disabled that “The cry of your colleague on your behalf has been heard by the village, the fon and the traditional council reason why the fon decided to answer you where the cry was made, at Rainbow radio. That’s why we are all here today.” He went ahead to appreciate them for braving the odds to be physically present despite their impairments and for being easily accessible through their association so that in case subsequent potential aide providers may want to intervene, a good database of persons living with disabilities in Mbengwi would be easily gotten.

A Visually Impaired Receiving his Envelope

At the end, the beneficiaries showered thanks on the fon and pleaded on others to emulate his example while affirming that the financial assistance received shall be of great help to them especially as in the midst of the ongoing Anglophone Crisis, many able persons don’t care about the disabled as if to say “Man for himself, God for we all.” When all attention is on IDPs, the fon of Guneku and his traditional council cares for PWDs in Mbengwi.

It Never Rains But Pours in Mbengwi: From Anglophone to Electricity & Water Crisis

It Never Rains But Pours in Mbengwi: From Anglophone to Electricity & Water Crisis

The town of Mbengwi in  Momo Division, North West Region has been hardly hit by a water and electricity crisis with the former being as a result of a leakage on the main supply pipeline in Tonmukomo, along the road to Njindom village while the cause of the latter remains unknown. Reports say last week, the main water transportation pipeline was completely divided into two after a sand transporting truck passed on it but locals managed to rejoin the broken pipe. Days after, since it still remained totally exposed, it was again tampered by another truck, this time around causing a leakage.

Leakage on Pipeline in Tonmukomo

George Tabeng, a bike ridder, narrating what happened said "It's due to the bad nature of the road and negligence on the part of the water company because ever since the pipe had been exposed on the middle of the road, nothing was done till of recent that a 20 ton tipper had to pass and damage it thus causing the whole of Mbengwi to be without water"

George Tabeng, Bike Rider

According to Madam Jem Judith, a Tonmukomo resident, this isn't the first time such a breakage is occurring. Expressing herself in Pidgin English, she warned that danger looms again as several portions of the pipeline are now completely above the earth surface with some joints already at the verge of dividing into two considering the dense traffic flow on the said road.

As a way forward, she proposed that a new trench must be deeply dug by the roadside or through the bush not in the middle of the road and the pipes buried inside else the worst is yet to come.

Exposed Pipeline

For over a week now, taps in Mbengwi have been void of the precious liquid. As such businesses and households have been greatly affected. The population now resort to rainfall, streams and wells meanwhile others now travel for long kilometres to neighbouring communities like Bome to fetch drinkable water. The water in Mbengwi is tapped from up the hills of Guneku village, transported through Njindom, Mile 20, Mile 19 to Wumngang where there's a treatment centre from where it's then distributed to households for usage.

Exposed Pipeline on the Road

Considering that this is the last remaining accessible road for cars transporting goods and passengers from Mbengwi central town to remote villages like Njindom, Nyen and Acha Tugi, concerned authorities must have to react fast to remedy the situation.

Danger!!! Next Potential Joint to be Broken

Apart from water crisis, Mbengwi town has also been suffering from rampant power cuts. Hardly does the town enjoy electricity for a full day. For over a month now, electricity supply has been epileptic. At times some quarters have light others don't. Businesses with heavy equipment like grinding and carpentry mills are down, cold store dealers are no longer stocking frozen fish, butchers now resort to smoking beef for conservation and even the lone community radio station that keeps the town lively is off air.

Many inhabitants have now been compelled to seek other energy sources like generators and solar rechargeable lamps while some persons are making gain out of the situation. For example 200Frs is the charge one now pays to recharge a phone or power bank using someone's generator and by the end of the day, more than 5000Frs is made as profit.

All of these happening at time when the population  is yet to be free from the violations and abuses of state forces and non state armed groups in the ongoing anglophone crisis.