After the disavowal by gov’t:

Where will AtangaNji hide his head?

The Prime Minister, Head of Government, Philemon Yang has said that the declarations of the minister of special duties, Paul AtangaNji, on the Anglophone problem, engage the minister alone and not the government that he heads. Justice Minister, Laurent Esso and communication Minister, IssaTchiromaBakary, have all disavowed AtangaNji. Even the people of Bamenda including teachers, lawyers, the clergy, John FruNdietc have all vomited AtangaNji.

By Ojong Steven Ayukogem in Yaounde

Minister Paul AtangaNji spoke for himself and not for the government

The minister of special duties at the presidency, Paul AtangaNji, who doubles at permanent secretary of the National Security Council, should certainly be ill at ease and really uncomfortable with himself at this time, following the public disengagement of the government from his rather misguided, ill-thought and inopportune verbal outburst over the recent events in Anglophone Cameroon.

                AtangaNji in an interview relayed on CRTV radio on Thursday 24 November 2016, said among other things that there is nothing like an Anglophone problem in Cameroon and that contrary to what some people want the public to believe Anglophones enjoy privileged treatment in Cameroon and from President Paul Biya.

                Minister AtangaNji, whose academic and other credentials are still a mystery to many Cameroonians, said the violent protests in Bamenda were sponsored with funds from the diaspora. The minister whose name has repeatedly been cited in the much-talked-about Campost financial scam and whose file is reportedly jealously kept at the special criminal court, SCC, affirmed that he has evidence of money transfers (remittances) from abroad to some leaders of the Anglophone protests.

                AtangaNji brandished Anglophone lawyers and teachers as misguided individuals who cannot be taken seriously by any right thinking person. He said the teachers and lawyers are simply being manipulated by I don’t know who.

                He dismissed the SCNC as a “nonsense, illegal and clandestine” movement that has no mandate to talk for and on behalf of Anglophones.

                As to complaints that Anglophones have no access to certain sovereign positions in the country, AtangaNji said this was a fallacy. He said on the contrary, Anglophones occupy some of the choicest positions in the country including the post of PM, DG of customs, DG of treasury, three university rectors among others.

                But AtangaNji’s hearers waited in vain to hear him say for instance that an Anglophone has once been president of the Supreme Court, Minister of Economy, Minister of Finance, Minister of Defense, Minister of Territorial Administration, Minister of Education, head of the Gendarmerie and/or Police, SG of the Presidency, Director of Civil Cabinet, GM of SONARA, SNH, CAMTEL, SONEL, Camwater, SCDP, CRTV, SOPECAM etc etc.

                Reacting to AtangaNji’s comments, government spokesman IssaTchiroma, said AtangaNji must have made the comments on a personal note and so they engage him alone and do not in any way engage the government.

                IssaTchiroma was re-echoed by the Minister of State for Justice, Laurent Esso, who said he only listened to AtangaNji’s remarks from the radio like all ordinary Cameroonians. Laurent Esso said Atanga is responsible for his comments as the comments do not engage the government.

                Even Prime Minister Philemon Yang has also disavowed AtangaNji. During his meeting with lawyers, teachers, the clergy, parents, Fons etc. in Bamenda on Friday, the PM disengaged the government from AtangaNji’s “misguided and ill-thought” remarks. Philemon Yang acknowledged the existence of an Anglophone problem in Cameroon and said the problems are objective and legitimate and that government is seriously contemplating solutions for them.

                Political watchers have not been indifferent to AtangaNji’s rather “provocative and inciting comments”. A commentator who opted to remain anonymous said AtangaNji might just be playing the role of Biya’s hatchet man, and he has no other choice than to accept that role. The commentator corroborated that with his name regularly cited in the Campost file at Special Criminal Court, AtangaNji has no choice than to sell his conscience if only in his desperate and sustained effort to buy his head out of the Criminal Court. 

                But the commentator at once advised that in serving Biya, AtangaNji should be more thoughtful, prudent and clairvoyant; he should not lose sight of his master’s legendary slyness and unpredictability. The source noted that because of Biya’s unpredictability and slyness, he has been given several sobriquets by different political commentators: the Sphinx, the master dribbler, political Maradona, the Fox, etc. etc. He warned AtangaNji to take note that he is not the first to be in Biya’s inner circle and that he should think seriously were those that preceded him find themselves today.

                “Ephraim Inoni was once Biya’s PM; Marafa and Titus Edzo were former SGPr, MendoZe sang Biya’s ‘assimba’ and Chantal’s ‘mbambae’ Essai’; OndoNdong, Desire Engo, Mebara, Forndjindametcetc had all been in Biya’s inner circle. But where are these people today?