Fru Ndi goes beserk at Asonganyi’s B’da book launch
The presence of the SDF Chairman at the launching of Prof. Asonganyi’s book in Bamenda last week might have surprised many, given that the book has literally exposed the filthy backyard of the SDF party. But Fru Ndi’s utterances on the occasion took so few by surprise. The SDF Strong-man simply went berserk
By Ndjodzefe Nestor in Bamenda
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| Fru Ndi |
that is why many were taken aback when Fru Ndi marked his presence at the launching ceremony of Asonganyi’s book, at the Big Mankon Hall in down town Bamenda, on Wednesday 19 August 2015.
Political pundits had predicted that in his characteristic no-nonsense and impulsive disposition, Chairman Fru Ndi would not only boycott the book launch, he would order his vangaurds to disrupt the event. This was not to be. Fru Ndi did not only honour the invitation extended to him by the organizers, he actually played an active part during the event.
This show of political maturity by Fru Ndi and Asonganyi notwithstanding, the hope of many that they would use the forum to forge a detente and rapprochement in their strained relations did not come to be. The expected thaw in the icy relations between Fru Ndi and Asonganyi did not happen.
If anything, Fru Ndi only used the occasion to showcase the bad blood that characterizes his relations with Asonganyi.
When Fru Ndi was honoured with the privilege to unveil the book for the launch proper to proceed, he took the opportunity to first run down Asonganyi. Fru Ndi faulted Asonganyi for not being decorous enough as to acknowledge his presence in the hall.
He went on to observe that many of the facts in Asonganyi’s book were inacurate, jaundiced and misleading.
Fru Ndi noted for instance that Asonganyi’s mention that he (Fru Ndi) did not support his candidature for the post of SG during the Yaounde Convention of the SDF party, was not true. Fru Ndi said he supported Asonganyi Asonganyi and actually campaigned for him.
In a rather vexatious tone, Fru Ndi wondered why Asonganyi should remind him about his late wife, 11 years after her passing.
Hear him: “Asonganyi, we are standing on Holy Ground and before learned scholars, I want to say here that I have never accused you of killing my wife.”
The SDF chairman continued: “I read your interviews in the newspapers and I will reply you soon.”
Fru Ndi said when he will write his own memoirs, he will concentrate on the good work he did together with Asonganyi; he will not only point out mistakes.
Fru Ndi called Asonganyi a politician without a base. He said if Asonganyi were popular at the base he would not be the one to go and buy drinks during the funeral of his ‘mad sister’ who died and was laid in state on a bamboo bed.
However, Fru Ndi literally vindicated Asonganyi, when he aknowledged that the road to democracy in Cameroon has been very rough and thorny. He congratulated Asonganyi for the effort.
The SDF Chairman observed that the print characters of the book were too small. He advised that revised editions of the book should have bigger characters to make for easy reading.
Dr. Ngwanyam says truth to power
For his part, the chairman of the book launch, Dr. Nick Ngwanyam literally absolved Prof. Asonganyi from the accusation of wrong facts proferred by Fru Ndi. Ngwanyam remarked that the SDF has dashed the hopes of millions of Cameroonians who counted on the party at its advent to grab power and usher in a free and democratic governance.
He observed that no sooner was the SDF formed than its leaders set out rushing; they never took time to study the path they were treading on.
Nick Ngwanyam observed that the SDF has deviatied from the objectives they set out to achieve and booty sharing has become the order of the day.
He regretted further that the stifling of free speech and debate in the SDF under the guise of ensuring party discipline has only helped to kill the party and scared away many adherents and sympathizers.
The medic cum educationist advised Fru Ndi and his comrades of the SDF to look up to Asonganyi’s treatise as the ruminations of a political apostle; they should buy the book, read it and digest it.
Virtually saying truth to power, Dr. Ngwanyam told Fru Ndi that the myth that his lackeys made out of him was a foolish mistake. He said Fru Ndi’s partisans deceived him into believing that he was more catholic than the Pope. He said because of this the SDF leadership is now characterized by greed, megalomania and personality cult.
Ngwanyam noted that article 8.2 of the SDF standing orders is like good wine that is drunk in excess.
However, one of the several reviewers of the book, Barrister Kemende, for his part, rather blamed Asonganyi for aiming all his bullets only at the SDF, as if the SDF is solely responsible for the failure of democracy in Cameroon.
Kemende reminded Asonganyi that in politics there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies, only permanent interests.
Retorting to Kemende’s remarks, Asonganyi said in politics there must also be synergy of human actions, without which the actors are bound to fail. He said when he invited Kemende he never knew he was a branch chairman of the party. Asonganyi said he wrote the book not for the present crop of politicians but for politicians of the future, who should learn from the errors of today to correct them tomorrow.
Asonganyi debunked comments that he was directly attacking the SDF Chairman in the book. He said he did not attack any particular individual(s).
“I am blaming the whole team including myself. I was part of the team that made the decisions that have taken our democracy backwards”.
Other reviewers in Bamenda included Prof.Ngang Chia, John Forje and Andrew Akonteh.
The book << Cameroon: Difficult Choices in a Failed Democracy>> was earlier launched in Yaounde, Douala and Buea.
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