Confusion in Bakundu land

Meme SDO declares Bakundu Chiefs Conference illegal
- Urge the chiefs to constitute themselves and register a new association
By Batuo Johnson Mbu in Kumba

Benjamin Itoe smiles in satisfaction

The decision by hon. Motasse Ngoh, the traditional chief of Mbakua Supe village and president of the Bakundu Chiefs Conference BCC, sacking Justice Benjamin Itoe as President-General of Bakundu Development and Cultural Union BACDU, has had a serious boomerang effect.         Hon. Motasse has not only been sacked by his peers (Bakundu Chiefs) as president of BCC, the SDO of Meme has also proceeded to proclaim the BCC as illegal this, because the BCC was never registered with the administration and also never had a constitution. 
    As we were going to press on Sunday we confirmed that at a meeting of all Bakundu Chiefs called by the Meme SDO, Koulbout Aman David, in his office on Thursday 30 April 2015, the SDO expressed surprise and shock that hon. Motasse, a former law-maker, should be fighting and claiming leadership of an association that is not recognized by law.
    The SDO advised the Bakundu chiefs to organize themselves and get their association duly registered at the level of the administration.
    Koulbout Aman with the consent of the chiefs, appointed a provisional bureua to lead the BCC and also examine the rules to be enshrined in the constitution that BCC must adopt before applying for registration.
    The new provisional bureau of the BCC will be headed by Chief Rudolf Douala Itoe of Bombe Bakundu. He will be assisted by Chief Frederick Motanga of Kombone Misso as secretary and Chief Moka of Foe Bakundu as assistant secretary respectively.

    It is interesting to note that some Bakundu chiefs present at the meeting in the SDO’s Office used the occasion to distance themselves from the decision that Hon. Motasse had earlier claimed was unanimously taken by the Bakundu chiefs sacking Justice Benjamin Itoe as President-General of BACDU. The chiefs said no meeting was ever held during which they took a decision sacking Justice Itoe as BACDU President-General.
    We gathered that standing in front of the SDO and his etat-majors, Hon. Motasse could not give any credible responses to  the accusation of forgery and fraud brought against him by chief Ndone Samuel who said that Motasse unilaterally crafted the decision sacking Benjamin Itoe and only fraudulently appended their signatures on the document to give theimpression of a joint and unanimous decision.
    Realizing the gravity of the matter therefore, the SDO proceeded to depose hon. Motasse as president of BCC and appointed a caretaker committee to lead the affairs of the chiefs.
    The caretaker committee is tasked to reorganize the BCC and propose reforms that will give the association a better image and status in the future.
    On the conflict of supremacy between BCC and BACDU the SDO said it will only be preposterous and condenscending for village chiefs to be placed under the command of an association of elites likes BACDU.
    Koulbout Amand advised the chiefs that as custodians of the traditions and customs of their communities they should carry themselves around with dignity and in a manner as to deserve the respect that they are due.
    The SDO urged the chiefs to address the issue of their status in BACDU in both the BACDU and BCC constitutions. .
    It should be recalled that barely days after hon. Motasse invited the press to his palace and announced the controversial decision sacking Justice Benjamin Itoe, Bakundu chiefs under the banner of their advisory council on 14 April 2015 called a press conference at the chief’s palace of Kake 11 and rubbished the decision by Motasse as a malicious fraud and forgery.
    The chiefs said they never held any meeting on 9 April 2015 sacking Benjamin Itoe as BACDU President-General as Motasse claimed in his document. The chiefs accused Motasse of fraudulently appending their signatures on his fake decision to give the impression they were signatories to it.
     Becauseof this the chiefs went ahead and sanctioned Motasse with a vote of no confidence; they also announced his dismissal as the president of BCC.
    It however emerged that Motasse who did not digest the action of the chiefs, convened another meeting of all Bakundu chiefs in Mbakwa-Supe village to try to counter the decision of the chiefs whom he said were being instrumentalised by Justice Itoe.
    It however turned out that only about seven of the existing 30 chiefs in Bakundu land travelled to Mbakwa-Supe for the meeting. The meeting therefore did not have the requisite quorum for its resolutions to be binding.
    It is believed that the resolutions of the meeting at the SDO’s Office have not only brought a final end to Motasse’s reign as BCC president, it has also short-circuited his ambition to become the Paramount Ruler of the Bakundu People.
    Observers say the developments from the SDO’s Office are only comforting to Justice Benjamin Itoe, who has not only retained his prestigeous seat as President-General of BACDU but has had his image and pride restored after he was dragged in the mud by Motasse’s controversial decision.
    However, commentators say the leadership battles in Bakundu land are far from over especially giving the caliber of person that hon. Motasse is. It is predicted by many that Motasse and his partisans will not sit and fold their arms as Justice Benjamin Itoe rubs his palms in celebration of victory in what can now be referred to as the notorious and disgraceful power play in Bakundu land.