Matters Arising at Bilingualism Commission:

Did Musonge Deny Nico Halle A Medal?

Douala-based Lawyer & International Peace Crusader, NtumforNico Halle, was not among the members of the Bilingualism Commission who were recently knighted with Medals of Valour by their Chairman, Peter MafanyMusonge. Musonge doubles as the Grand Chancellor of National Orders in Cameroon. Sources say Nico Halle might have been denied the medal perhaps because he has not proven to be a good team player in the Commission.

By Ayukogem Steven Ojong in Yaounde

Hon. Peter MafanyMusonge

When this reporter visited the headquarters of the Bilingualism Commission last week it was all calm and serenity around and inside the offices. But one could extrapolate that the calm was more apparent than real, especially given the disappointment of some commission members who were not shortlisted for medal awards by the Chairman of the Commission, the Rt. Hon. Peter MafanyMusonge. One such Commission member is Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle, The Median can state.

                The Medal Award ceremony took place on 19 December 2018, at the Commission headquarters in downtown. It came on the heels of the second and last ordinary session of the Commission for the year 2018. It emerged that 9 out of the 15 Commission members were knighted with different categories of medals of valour by Musonge. But Nico Halle was not one among the privilege few.

                As Grand Chancellor of National Orders, Musonge awards medals of valour to persons on behalf of, and by virtue of the powers confered on him by the Head of State. Recipients are selected on the basis of their loyalty, patriotism and contribution to nation building. 

                Musonge’s exclusion of Nico Halle in his shortlist of medal recipients can therefore be understood, given the context of events said to be happening at the Bilingualism Commission. Ntumfor’s exclusion was the wind that blew and has  exposed the not-to-attractive posterior of the Bilingualism Commission. It has laid bare the bad blood that has since for some time now, characterized the rapport between Chairman MafanyMusonge and some members of the Commission including notably Nico Halle.

                The Median has it on good authority that during the last ordinary session of the commission holding on 18 December 2018 that is, a day before the Medals were awarded, Chairman Musonge had openly chastised Nico Halle for not playing by the rules of the Commission. Musonge observed that Nico Halle was not a team player. Chairman Musonge did not conceal his vexation at Nico Halle’s rather loose remarks in the press, which he (Musonge) considers not only inimical to his authority but also damaging to the public image of the Commission.

                A source said Musonge recalled how Nico Halle had in an interview with CRTV’s wake-up program, Good Morning Cameroon, described the Bilingualism Commission as just “an empty shell with a big name.” The said interview was later paraphrased in The Median bi-weekly newspaper. But the printed copies of the newspaper were later withdrawn from the newsstands for strategic and compelling reasons. This withdrawal warranted for the editor of The Median a summons to appear before the Peter Essoka Commission. He came out acquitted after all!

                We learned that in trying to defend himself against the public rebuke by Musonge, Nico Halle denied all the accusations leveled against him. He maintained that whatever remarks he might have made in public concerning the Commission were in the best interest of the Commission, and were aimed to foster peace, love and unity among Cameroonians.

               

Nico Halle

Yet, the conclusion to be drawn from the Musonge-Nico Halle exchange during the in camera session of the Bilingualism Commission, is this that Musonge over time has convinced himself that Nico Halle is something of an “enfant terrible” in the Commission and that Halle’s membership in the Commission is becoming one too many, at best, and burdensome, at worse.

                This extrapolation can very easily be made when one recalls that last year when Musonge led members of the Commission on two separate outings to the restive SW and NW regions, Nico Halle did not make the trips. It was not immediately understood why Nico Halle would not join the others on the mission to Buea and Bamenda. But some sources later quoted Nico Halle as explaining that he did not find it necessary to go on the trip because he had earlier and on his personal accord and expenses, made similar trips to the two regions and that during those tours he held meetings with just anybody whom he thought could contribute in finding a solution to the raging crisis. To Halle, making the trip would simply have been a repetition or betterstill, a waste of effort and time.

                We learned also that upon his return from the two regions, Nico Halle penned down his findings and suggestions and forwarded same to the Head of State for appraisal.

                Yet, it can be understood that whatever reasons that might have informed Nico Halle’s decision to stay back in Douala, while Musonge and the others were on mission to Buea and Bamenda, could hardly make any sense to Musonge. If anything, it might have been intepreted by Musonge as insubordination unbridled, and outright refusal to play with and for the team that he (Musonge) captains.

                It is important to note also, that, Nico Halle in his press outings, has hardly endorsed the Bilingualism Commission as a body that can solve the raging Anglophone crisis and also forge peace and a harmonious co-existence of Cameroonians. To Halle, the Commission as a body that was created to solve the Anglophone question, is inadequate, at best, and powerless at worse. Halle points out that the Commission is by his reckoning barely functional and/or representational. It has only consultative and not executive powers to act.

                Reason perhaps why Nico Halle advocates a reinforcement of the powers of the Bilingualism Commission that is, to give it real executive powers, if it must be able to deliver on the tasks assigned to it. Halle even goes further to advocate the creation of a ‘Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission” in lieu and place of the “powerless” Bilingualism Commission.

                It is understood that all these solo actions by Nico Halle do not go down well with his boss at the Commission, MafanyMusonge. If anything, Halle’s actions only augur ill for his working relation and rapport with Musonge, whom, as the all-powerful Chairman of the Bilingualism Commission, is, as of right, and by virtue of the law creating the Commission, be the one to represent and speak for and on behalf of the Commission, except maybe, in instances of express delegation of powers. 

List of Commission members knighted

1-            Abouem a ChoyiDavid  - Grand Officer

2-            Ama Tutu Muna-  Commander

3-            OumarouDjikaSaido (Vice Chair) – Officer

4-            Abbe Jean Marie Bodo – Knight of order of valor

5-            NgwaneGeargeEsambe – Knight of order of valor

6-            Mbappe nee TickyNgonde Agnes- Knight order of valor

7-            AmadouMohamadou Baba – Knight of order of merit

8-            DjanabouBakary - Knight of order of merit

9-            Mbafor Jean Marc Affesi    - Knight of order of Merit