The last isn’t heard yet about the Naikom chieftaincy wrangle in Wum, Menchum division, though Kedzde Donatus Ndong currently sits on the throne as new chief. He’s occupying the throne under very dubious circumstances paved by the invisible ploys of Wallang Richard, member of parliament for Wum.

The saga began when the chief of Naikom, Ben Afuh passed away in July 2012. The family failed to present an impeccable candidate to step into the vacant throne as two candidates; Kum Didymus Dze and Kedze Donatus Ndong emerged, each claiming the right to become the next chief.

The Cameroon Journal learnt that following tradition, Kum Didymus was designated by the eldest member and family head to be made next chief. It should be noted that, succession to the Naikom throne alternates between two lineages; that of Kedze Donatus and Kum Didymus. The late chief having come from the lineage of Kedze Donatus, it was just but normal for Kum Didymus to be expected to be made next chief.

After four months of research and investigations, the then D.O for Wum Central subdivision, Ngwa Martin Tanjong who would not bow to pressure from the supporters of Kedze Donatus and even refused to be corrupted, declared Kum Didymus Dze, legitimate successor to late Ben Afuh on November 29th, 2012.

However, just after that, an order came down from the Ministry of Territorial Administration (MINATD), suspending the D.O’s decision for a year. During this period, Ngwa Martin, the D.O, was transferred to Balikumbat and replaced by one Kouckam Guy Honore who on January 29, 2014 reversed his predecessor’s decision and through unorthodox means, declared Kedze Donatus successor to the late chief of Naikom.

The new D.O, it is alleged was bribed and corrupted to overturn the decision. As a result of his action, Kum Didymus decided to seek legal redress and took the matter to court.

Here comes Hon. Wallang Richard

The Cameroon Journal gathered that the transfer of former D.O to Balikumbat and the reversal of his findings and decision was all the handiwork of Wallang Richard Ebua, Member of Parliament for the Menchum South Constituency. We gathered that Wallang had made several attempts to corrupt the D.O with bribes to no avail, the reason why when his decision came down, Wallang used his position and influence as MP to have him moved from Wum.

In the meantime, it was an open secret that Wallang had been an advocate for a Kedze Donatus’s chieftaincy. The Journal gathered from Wum, that during consultative talks that preceded D.O Ngwa’s decision, Wallang had tried to no avail to corrupt the D.O to favour Kedze Donatus.

It was when the D.O’s decision did not favour his candidate that he rushed to MINATD in Yaounde where with the complicity of one director in the ministry whose names we obtained as Hans A. Hagbe, he effected the suspension of D.O Ngwa’s former decision. With the coming of Kouckam Guy Honore as new D.O, the MP saw in it another opportunity to manipulate and corrupt him to reversing the earlier decision recognising Kum Didymus as chief of Naikom.

By divine providence, however, Kedze Donatus questionable recognition by the administration as chief of Naikom was last October 2014 and February 2015 made scandalous as he got caught up in a goat and live-cow theft incident. The stole animals were caught in one of the secret rooms in the palace. The cases involving the stealing are currently in the Wum High Court for investigations.

In the meantime, as Kedze Donatus’ henchman, Wallang, the MP plotted that one of the Princes, Afuh Gaston Kom, goes to court and admit that he’s the one who has been stealing the animals. For this lie, a handsome reward of CFA 1M, awaited him, the Journal gathered.

The arrangement entailed that once Afuh confesses, the MP – Wallang Richard, will use his position as parliamentarian to free him(Afuh Gaston) even when he would have been jailed, while Kedze Donatus fraudulently would have remained on the throne.

Following this secret arrangement, Afuh Gaston was arrested and put in Wum prison on Friday 13th March 2015. But we gathered that just as planned, Wallang got him released on bail on March 23, with the sum of FCFA 400.000.

But Wallang’s corrupt scheme didn’t end there. Sensing that Kedze Donatus, owing to all these theft cases was a potential prisoner and as such could cede the throne to Kum Didymus, Wallang is alleged to have lodged a complaint to Secondary Education authorities in Yaounde against Didymus who teaches at Government High School Esu. The petition stated that he had abandoned teaching and was staying in Wum, pursuing a chieftaincy tittle at Naikom.

Kum Didymus confirmed to the Cameroon Journal on April 8 that some officials from the Secondary Education delegation in Wun were in GHS Esu on March 19 to investigate whether he was actually teaching. But he did not immediately confirm that Wallang Richard was the brain behind the investigation.

“What I can tell you is that people came to my school to investigate me, and I learnt that my MP knows something about it,” he said. He further stated that his ambitions to become chief were still intact as he had petitioned the Appeal Court in Bamenda.

Wallang Richard we learnt for three years has instilled terror amongst the “Eghu-mbong” royal family members in particular, and the Naikom villagers and inhabitants of Wum town as a whole. This has created a spirit of mutual suspicion and distrust among the locals; with one person either belonging to Disc 1(Kedze Donatus’ camp) or Disc 2(Kum Didymus’ camp).

Contacted by The Cameroon Journal, Wallang Richard said he has not been taking sides but rather working as a mediator to make peace reign.

“I am neither a notable nor a D.O and I don’t belong to the Naikom royal family. If the notables and the population have made their choice, I don’t see how people can be saying that I’m siding with Kedze Donatus. There is no document anywhere showing that I endorsed him as chief. As a matter of fact, I am the people’s representative and cannot watch people tear themselves when there is a crisis. My intervention has been in good faith.” Wallang argued.

Accusations levied against him to have gone to Yaounde to cause the suspension of the administrative procedure when Kum Didymus was declared chief, negotiating the transfer of the then D.O after he failed to corrupt him, corrupting Kouckam Guy Honore, present D.O for Wum to overturn the decision of his predecessor, protecting Kedze Donatus after his involvement in the theft of animals and petitioning Secondary Education hierarchy against Kum Didymus have all been described by the MP as baseless and mere distraction. He denied playing any major role in the choice of Kedze Donatus to be chief of Naikom.

In the meantime, the population of Naikom continues to cry out for the administration to relieve Kedze Donatus, a man they consider to have very poor morale character, of his functions as chief. This they told our reporter, will save more lives from being lost in the crisis.