Manyu Leadership: The Need for Unity!

By Dr. Joachim Arrey in Canada*

The land known as Manyu Division used to be a land of love and unity, even when poverty was still stalking the inhabitants of the division like a stubborn shadow.

               

Manyu political leader, Victor Mengot Arrey Nkongho, presiding at the finals of a subdivisional football 

tournament for men and women, in Eyumojock, in 2017

The division's political leadership enjoyed the support of the people and there was that understanding that peace was a prerequisite for prosperity.

                There were disagreements, but the general atmosphere was characterized by love and understanding.

                Personalities such as A.D. Mengot, Emmanuel Tabi Egbe, W.N.O Effiom and others were great sources of inspiration.

                Emmanuel Tabi Egbe, who was the Minister of Post and Telecommunications, was a symbol of what many young people of Manyu Division wanted to become. His success in politics was a great inspiration.

                But it was the love he had for his people that made him the special one. In his Village, Batchuo Akagbe, he was highly loved and respected, and that love spilled over to the larger society.

                 He helped many people of Manyu descent and it was normal for people from other parts of the country to hold that the Post Offices in the country belonged to Manyu Division.

                Each time there was a cabinet reshuffle, the people of Manyu had only one thought in mind - Was E.T Egbe still part of the cabinet? That was how much he had endeared himself to his people.

                Then came the Minister of Mines and Power, Michael Kima Tabong, who did his very best. He had the people's blessing immediately he was appointed and he made sure he never disappointed. Michael Kima Tabong has remained in so many minds despite his demise.

                Others like Jacob Ayuk Takem, Ebot Ogork Ntui, Jerome Eta and Peter Agbortabi, all have done their best. Their best might not be as good as some would have loved it, but these people could do only so much.

                Life is like a storey building. Some people build the foundation and different people put up the various floors. That is how the people of Manyu should view life.

                No single Minister or leader from that division will ever help everybody. Their best should be appreciated and built upon. It should not always be the blame game. The people of Manyu must also learn how to be appreciative. You never look at a gift horse in the mouth.

                Today, our leaders are few and they do not really occupy strategic positions. But they need to be supported so that they too can gain greater visibility.

                Manyu has the population. It abounds in intellectual resources. Its Diaspora is vibrant and the numbers are there to help the Division grow by leaps and bounds.

                But this can only happen if the people stand by their leaders as they did in the 70s and 80s. Minister Mengot Victor Arrey Nkongho and Senator George Tabetando are incontestably the current leaders of that Division.

                They must have come under heavy criticism over the last years because of the conflict that is tearing the country apart, but they need the support of the people if they must make those giant strides that will enable them bring home the bacon.

                While it is normal to disagree with their politics, it should be understood that nobody throws away a child with the bathwater. These two men need the support of their people. Political disagreements should never imply enmity. Tabetando has knelt down and begged for forgiveness, but alone, he cannot get all the boys to come out of the jungles of Manyu.

                 All he can do behind the scenes is to urge the government to take appropriate measures and he does not need to tell anybody what he has been doing behind the scenes.

                Minister Mengot is the minister from Manyu. He wields very little power in the government. Senator Tabetando also enjoys some political power. They need that support which will give them the full powers they need to deliver whatever goods are expected of them.

                 Politics is a game of numbers. Manyu has to make its numbers to count.  If the people of Manyu want power to be theirs, then they must jettison their differences and stand behind those who can carry their story to the right places.

                Given the population of Manyu, and the Division’s contribution to maintaining the CPDM regime in power, it absolutely deserves more than what it currently has. 

                There are plans for the creation of the post of Vice President.  Manyu has the men who can occupy such a position and steer the country in a different and prosperous direction.

                But how can such a position come to Manyu if the population does not stand by their leaders? Besides Mengot and Tabetando, there are budding politicians in Manyu who can emerge if they learn the ropes.

                But for now, the population needs to stand by those who are in the corridors of power because they are known. Manyu needs to let Yaounde know that it has many people who can help bring peace in Manyu and Cameroon.

                Ideological differences should not blind our reasoning. Manyu deserves better positions in the cabinet and for that to be possible, the sons and daughters of the Division must stand behind their leaders.

                The population will be better placed to judge its leaders after its support has borne the right fruits. This should not be seen as a call to monolithic thinking, but a call for strategic thinking.

                The people of Manyu can still belong to different parties, but once the elections are over, they should sink their differences and work for the general good.

                For the leaders, they must take a look at themselves to understand where the issues are coming from. Occupying a position of responsibility does not confer on anybody the monopoly of wisdom.

                The charges against today’s Manyu leaders have always been that they are not helping their people neither do they open up to them. They have to work on that. A good public relations and communication strategy can help smooth out the rough edges in any relationship.

                The Division's dirty linen can be washed in the bedroom if those who represent the people of Manyu reach out to their people or to those who can help them achieve the desired goals of the people.

                But key to working together is for the people of Manyu to talk less, manage their explosive temperaments and bloated egos, as well as seeing the good in the other person's actions.

                It is a lot easier to criticize somebody, but a lot more challenging to do better when given the opportunity. There is power in numbers and the people of Manyu must be worth their weight in Cameroonian politics.

                The leaders themselves must also make common cause. They must stop fighting each other. Whether we like it or not, there must be higher and smaller people at any given time. Seeking to erode anybody's authority and credibility through blackmail and gossip will surely not deliver the right fruits.

                If Manyu has to rise from its own ashes as the proverbial Phoenix, then a change in mentality is necessary. All the stakeholders must re-evaluate their ways and seek to establish better relationships.

NB: Joachim Arrey is a Canada-based translator, technical writer and journalist who has worked for several international corporations and organizations. He had also served as translator in the Cameroon public service. He is an active and critical observer of the Cameroonian political landscape.