The populations of Bangem, chief town of Kupe-Muanenguba Division of the South West Region, last week trooped into the new Minister’s residence situated at the heart of Bangem town as soon as they got information he was around for the launching of the reorganization of basic organs of the CPDM party.

The reorganization exercise was launched in the Bangem council hall with the divisional supervisor of the exercise for Kupe-Muanenguba Division, hon. Emilia Monjowa Lifaka presiding.

The activity of the day consisted mainly of schooling the militants on the presidential guidelines to be followed in conducting the election of leaders of the basic organs of the party and installing the presidents and members of sub-divisional supervisory committees.

Thus, Mr. Elung Paul who happens to be the sub-divisional supervisor of activities in Bangem was installed alongside members of his team. The committees for Nguti and Tombel sub-divisions were also installed.

However, it turned out that though the predominantly CPDM populations of Bangem came out massively on that day, their target destination was not the council hall where the CPDM activities were holding; their real destination was the residence of their son, brother and friend, H. E. Elung Paul, who was making his first visit to Bangem following his recent appointment on 2 October 2015 as Minister Delegate to the Ministry of Finance.

Reason why no sooner did the events at the council hall rounded-off than the populations started streaming into the Minister’s residence which incidentally, is situated almost directly behind the council hall.

Discernibly overwhelmed by what could be described as a pleasant surprise, the Minister managed to keep his calm so as to be able to figure out how to deal with the situation.

And as Cameroonian tradition demands, immediate and necessary arrangements were made for all the guests to be made happy and comfortable; beer and chewables immediately started flowing.

But this was not before the Minister also made sure he shook hands with as many of his guests as he could. He thanked them one-by-one for coming, as they extended their words of congratulation to him.

As the drinks flowed so too did the people empty their hearts; the men made noise, hugging one another and raising their right hands in the air and doing the three successive claps that has easily become the trade-mark of Bakossi men. The women too sang at the top of their voices and danced like they had never done before.

Then intermittently, someone gives the tune and the crowd will shout in unison and in the manner that is now understood to mean happiness, unity and brotherhood among Bakossi People; ‘ho so o nso….. ho so o nso…… ho so o nso…… ho’.

Commentators on the occasion said the evening could not be otherwise this, because firstly, Minister Elung is a “home boy” and secondly, because he has always demonstrated to the Bangem people that he is one of them, and with them and for them at all times.

Others said even though Minister Elung Paul actually hails from Baseng village in Tombel sub-division (Lower Bakossi), he cannot undermine the umbilical relationship he has with Bangem (upper Bakossi), where he spent part of his youth. Reason why he has to always come back there.

As the guest drank and chatted, some were pointing at the direction of the grave inside the family compound of the Elungs where the Minister’s late mother was buried. Yet others were busy gazing at the modest but very comfortable abode that the Minister has erected adjacent to the one that was built by his father.

With the ambiance assuming fever pitch, many started reminiscing about the funeral of Minister Elung Paul’s late mother some years back, and how it brought an unprecedented population of mourners to Bangem. Some said only the home-coming of the Minister of Forestry, Ngole Philip Ngwese, in February 2012, ever pulled the kind of crowd that Mami Elung’s funeral brought to the enclave town of Bangem.

And perhaps the unreserved joy that Bangem people demonstrated for H.E. Elung Paul was all the more because H.E. Ngole Philip Ngwese, another son of Bangem, was also maintained as Minister, after the famous 2 October 2015 cabinet shake-up.

It is worthy of mention that H.E. Ngole Philip is now heading for a record stay at the Ministry of Forestry where he has been since 9 December 2011. We understand that since that Ministry was created several decades ago no minister has ever kept the portfolio for up to five years.

Interestingly, only another son of Kupe-Muanenguba Division in the person of Prof. Elvis Ngolle Ngolle, has the record of stay in that ministry. He kept the post for 4 years and 8 months running (2007-2011).