Kneeling in supplication:

Nico Halle begs Biya to pardon Anglophone activists

-Says he fervently believes that by so doing the President will restore peace and the good humor of the people of NW and SW regions, who have been agitating for close to eight months now.

By Ojong Steven Ayukogem in Yaounde

NtumforNico Halle, Int’l peace crusader

“Your Excellency, here I am on my knees once again making a tearful plea for you to consider granting those your children from the Anglophone regions, who are languishing in jail in Kondengui Prison, a general amnesty so that they can regain their freedom once again. Father of the nation and guarantor of the peace that reigns in our beautiful and united country, I am making this supplication with tears in my eyes because I know you can do it, as you have always done in the past.”

                This is literally the long and short of what the International Peace Crusader and President of the General Assembly of the Cameroon Bar Association, Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle, said to this reporter, when I caught up with him on the phone, on Saturday, to talk about the prevailing situation in the NW and SW and his suggestions for a way forward.

                In a rather laconic response, Ntumfor, as the iconic legal guru is fondly called by his contemporaries and admirers here, retorted that “I have said it before and will continue to pray that the Head of State, President Paul Biya gives a serious thought to my sustained supplication for him to use the powers vested in him not only by virtue of the high and exalted office which is his, but also by the Constitution of our country, and grant general amnesty to all those that have been arrested and jailed in connection to the ongoing crisis in North West and South West.”

                Continuing, NtumforNico Halle, who incidentally was also recently appointed by President Biya as one of the 15 members of the National Commission on Bilingualism and Multiculturalism NCBM, suggested the head of state could extend such “conditional amnesty” to also concern those activists that escaped into exile or have since gone underground since the start of the crisis.

                Expressing the hope that President Biya, whom he described as “Father of the Nation and Prince of Peace”, would give a listening ear to his “endless and sustained plea”, Ntumfor suggested that the President can do it by instructing the Minister of Justice (the Attorney-General of the State) to in turn order the Commissioner of Government (investigating magistrate) of the Military Tribunal where the activists are being tried, to enter a NolleProsequi (we will not prosecute), praying the trial judge to discontinue all court proceedings on the matter.

                “I am very convinced that should President Biya do this, and should he thereafter, rekindle genuine, frank, sincere and honest dialogue in the country, then he would have taken a permanent date with history; he will have engraved his name in Gold in the history books of this great nation as the man who restored peace and brought his children of the NW and SW back to the fold, when they threatened to break away,” NtumforNico Halle prayed, using the opportunity to also hail and thank President Biya for his exemplary goodwill, his quintessential paternalist disposition and very salutary measures he has already taken towards finding a lasting solution to the rather “stubborn crisis”.

                Ntumfor said by granting “conditional amnesty” to all the arrested activists President Biya will not be taking a decision one too many, rather, he will only be crowning all the other actions he has already taken towards getting a veritable panacea for the ongoing stalemate.

                It behooves this reporter to mention that as the President of the Republic, Paul BarthelemyBiya bi Mvondo, is by virtue of the Constitution the Head of State, the Supreme Magistrate of the land, head of the executive, Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces and the Police, and head of the diplomacy.

                By every reckoning therefore, the Constitution bestows on the President of the Republic all the powers necessary to enable him to protect and preserve peace, unity, territorial integrity and above all guarantee the harmonious living together of all the people living in Cameroon, citizens as well as foreigners alike, in their diversity, and irrespective of their cultural and/or political inclinations.

                It is perhaps in recognition and acknowledgement of these extensive, exorbitant, legal, natural, legitimate and constitutional powers that is, bestowed on the President and as the Head of State, that Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle is praying President Biya to employ the legendary magnanimity that he is known for and grant “general but conditional amnesty” to these Anglophone activists.

                It should however be noted that in his plea, Nico Halle did not suggest any time frame for consideration by the President. He only expressed the hope that the President in his unquestionable wisdom and knowledge of events in the country would know when it is best opportune to act.

                Yet, whether or not President Biya would consider NtumforNico Halle’s plea and grant amnesty to the activists cannot immediately be determined; it is a matter of wait and see!