Political Panegyric:

Recalling Mbella Moki’s White-Washing of Dion Ngute

In an interview broadcast on CRTV Radio, following the PM’s visit to the NW and SW regions, emblematic Fako politician and senator, Charles Mbella Moki, used several superlatives and far-fetched adjectives to describe the Dion Ngute style and persona.

By Boris Esono in Buea

Sen. Mbella Moki

Fielding questions from CRTV’s news editor, Winyawoko Motale, on what he describes as the Dion Ngute phenomenon, Mbella Moki, without mincing or wincing said of the PM: “He has a charming personality; he has the kind of character that is necessary for a crisis moment like this one; he is the right choice to have been made by His Excellency President Paul Biya; the head of state found in Dion Ngute a hidden treasure; he gave his vision to him and the PM has added his own touch to implementing that vision –down-to earth, humble, soft-spoken, debonair, in fact a kind of political charm in expressing himself; a magnetic personality; a fire-extinguisher; a crisis manager who has been carefully looked for and found for a situation like this.”

                Mbella corroborated: “you could see the excitement and enthusiasm in Kumba; you saw how he embraced the people and how the people were so welcoming to him. In fact, I learnt a lesson in humility in Kumba; the PM spoke in a language that everyone understands.

“I kini for my knees, I beg wona, if wona sabi de place wey dat boy dem dey, dat generals dem dey, I go meetop dem make we talk because de suffer don toomuch,” Senator Mbella Moki quotted the PM as saying in pidgin, noting the PM’s universal language, his kind of exposure and presentation and how Dion Ngute has come down from his very high pedestal to share in the sorrows of his people.

                Mbella opined that with the Dion Ngute approach, it was time the authorities turned a new leaf in their approach to solving the ongoing conflict.

                “The PM carried with him a different posture that we have hardly seen in this country; a humble personality. He narrated his origin from an ordinary ‘K-Town boy’ to a Prime Minister. The PM expressed himself in a way that touched the heart of his audience… The Dion Ngute style was simply unprecedented; we have hardly seen it before in our region; it is a style that should be adopted by everybody that wants to work with the PM to find a solution to this crisis…. Those who do not see with the PM and who are not ready to express themselves in the way the PM is doing should be kind to themselves and be kind to the government and quit the stage.”

                In her efforts to find a lasting solution to the Anglophone crisis, Senator Mbella Moki suggested to the government to “…extradite action, respect its engagements, keep its promises and get everybody without exclusion on board, share the national cake equitably and among all the citizens.”

                “When you try to exclude some people from the negotiating table they will be left with no option than to turn the table upside down,” remarked Senator Mbella Moki, also noting that there are well-meaning, globally respected people that the government can use as intermediaries for dialogue. He cited notably the Rt. Rev Nyamsako-Ni Nku and Christian Cardinal Tumi.

Agbor Balla Describes Dion Ngute as a Perfect Gentleman

                Senator Mbella Moki was not the only public figure to have noticed the exceptional qualities of Prime Minister Dion Ngute. Another person who admired the PM’s debonair disposition and persona was Buea-based human rights lawyer and frontline Anglophone rights activist, Nkongho Felix Agbor Balla.

                When this reporter caught up with Agbor Balla after he had met the PM in audience, at the Buea Mountain Hotel, the lawyer said he found in the PM a very nice and open person; a gentleman; a very respectful person; a very listening person; a very friendly person.

“I appreciated the fact that he gave me the opportunity to talk to him. I think he understands that we have reached the point when the government has to come down from its high horse to meet the people.”

                “Before i met the PM I had told myself that I was not going to massage his ego; I had to be frank. And that was why during our exchange we disagreed at some point on some issues. But in all it was a good exchange. And I have no regrets meeting the PM,” concluded Agbor Balla.