Mamfe meeting of lawyers foiled by threats

Barrister Charles Njualem

A meeting of Common Law lawyers in Mamfe has been foiled amidst allegations that it is called to get lawyers back to the courts and end an 11 month strike by Anglophone lawyers.

                A statement from the Mamfe Divisional Officer declaring permission for the meeting, reads in part, “I, the undersigned Mochi Johnson Malafa, Divisional Officer for Mamfe Subdivision acknowledge receipt of a declaration of a public meeting in Mamfe Town submitted by members of the Cameroon Bar Association resident in the Southwest and Northwest Regions, represented by Barrister Ngualem Charles, Nzoh Mboke Divine and Ebah Ntoko Justice.”

                The release states further that the meeting holds on September 23 in Mamfe Town Hall premises and starts at 8a.m through 5p.m.

                “Barrister Ngualem Charles and Co,” the DO states, “shall be responsible for maintaining law and order during the said meeting in accordance with the provisions of law No. 90/055 governing Public Meetings, Processions and Manifestations.”

                But at press time yesterday, The Median could not confirm the meeting took place. We learned the chief convener Barrister Njualem had distanced himself from the meeting.

                However, several lawyers of the Common Law hinted us that the main agenda of the meeting was to debate the suspension of the lawyers’ 11month old strike action.

                The debate within the lawyers as disclosed to us is that the strike was allowed to drag this long because of the arrest and detention of Barrister Agbor Balla and one other lawyer. But that since the two have been released, and some of their other grievances addressed, they ought to return to court.

                Since the announcement of the Mamfe gathering, Common Law Lawyers have split into two camps, between those for and against the call off of the strike.

                Explaining the break down, a Limbe-based lawyer told The Median that the division between the attorneys is because their different stance on the question of Federalism and complete independence.

                “The agenda is completely silent as to whether lawyers will call off the strike after the meeting or not. From my own point of view, I think we will so do. Although some lawyers are for federation whilst others are for independence, we’ve all conducted ourselves in such a way that we truly don’t want to bring the issues up. However, the truth is, some lawyers will do everything possible to make sure that the political issues of our state is not left out. I read signs of these from their mails,” the Limbe lawyer said.

                Besides the nature of state the country should assume, there is disagreement amongst the lawyers as per the degree of redress they have received from the gov’t pertaining to the grievances they made at the beginning of the strike. But lawyers believe that almost 90% of their worries, and this is a fact, have been solved. This explains why some want to resume work.

                “For what I know, the only thing that has kept lawyers home until this day is because they didn’t want to betray Balla, and now Balla has been released,” another lawyer said, noting that another colleague, Barrister Abadem Walters, who was still held in custody, had been freed.

                However, another lawyer from Bamenda, had a different point of view.

“A good number, about 40% of Civil Law Magistrates are still in our courts, that is, in the Northwest and Southwest regions. The Cameroon Bar is using Bar Council members resident in the two Anglophone regions to push through their hidden agenda. Remember the president of the Cameroon Bar tried it before and failed,” he said.

“Some colleagues are arguing that the Mamfe meeting is a ploy to frustrate the Anglophone struggle. Colleagues have been cautioned not to discuss about the meeting in the forum because a few seconds after a Bar Council member published the communiqué in our forum, it was seen circulating on social media,” the lawyer told us.

                In the meantime, Mamfe youths have vowed that over their dead bodies would such a meeting take place in the municipality.

                “The Cameroon Bar Association Meeting in Mamfe scheduled for the 23rd of September will not hold if the sole intent is to suspend the 11th Month strike without any concrete result. The town will be made ungovernable for anybody coming for that meeting. La Republique is not known to grant permission for meetings that do not serve its interest. The town of Mamfe will not be open for this meeting.” One of the youth leaders vowed.

                According to a social media post, “the meeting will not hold without the physical presence of Barrister Eyambe Elias Ebai, Barrister Harmony Bobga Mbuton and Dr. Agbor Nkongho. The days of Cameroon Bar Association are over. We are now talking of the Southern Cameroons Bar Association; Ambazonia Bar Association. We are waiting for the draft constitution of the two-state Federation from the Lawyers.”

                “A committee was set up in January in Kumba to that effect. Barrister Ngualem Charles, Nzoh Mboke-Divine, Ebah Ntoko Justice who are said to be behind this meeting should be told the consequences of collecting money from Yaoundé to sell the winning struggle. The town of Mamfe will not be open for this meeting. Restoration of our Independence is what guarantees our future as Southern Cameroonians and we shall follow through to the very end so help us God,” a statement on behalf of Mamf youths signed by Ashu Kingsley threatened.

                Barrister Bobga at a meeting in Atlanta recently, condemned in very strong terms any plans by the lawyers to call off the strike action. He was one of those who led the move for the formation of the Southern Cameroons Bar Council.