Since the death of the emblematic leader of the Southern Cameroon National Council SCNC, Ntufam Ette Otun Ayamba, the secessionist movement has been in an orgy of endless, fratricidal battles for leadership; the lofty objectives of the movement now risk being sacrificed on the alter of greed, division and inordinate ambition

With Chief Ayamba now history, SCNC diehards have engaged in an unholy war for power; everyone now wants to be the new leader, nobody considers the other as more deserving of the position of National Chairman.

In the North West region alone, at least four persons have auto-proclaimed themselves successor of Chief Ayamba; they include notably Dr. Chesami, Ngala Nfor Nfor, Simon Nfor Ngwa, Felix Ngalim etc.

With these northern zoners separately claiming to hold the command baton, SCNC front-liners of the southern zone (SW Region) have also not sat with arms folded; they have gone on the offensive, arguing albeit provocatively, that the claim of leadership by northern zoners is a wasted effort; an effort in futility.

SCNC front-liners of the southern zone argue that a clause in the SCNC constitution states inter alia that “the position of National chairman shall remain in the southern zone….” this, for very strategic reasons. They however did not explain these strategic reasons to The Median neither did they brandish a copy of the SCNC constitution they were referring to.

They maintained that it was not by chance that Chief Justice Ayah Paul Abine was consensually chosen to replace Chief Ayamba, during the last Constituent Assembly of the SCNC in Kumba.

SCNC diehards of the southern zone also accuse Nfor Ngala Nfor and other postulants for leadership of SCNC of abandoning the agenda of the SCNC and of failing to confront the government of La Republique du Cameroun and the UNO, who they claim have connived to jointly hold Southern Cameroonians captive for over 53 years running.

Nfor Ngala Nfor is also hugely criticized for doing nothing about the continued incarceration of Oben Maxwell, an SCNC front-liner from the southern zone, who was arrested barely days to the celebration of the 50th anniversary of “the confiscated independence of the Southern Cameroons” in Buea, in 2013.

In a related development, Bisong Mathias Arrey and the erstwhile 2nd Vice National chairman of the SCNC, Leke Theodore have jointly petitioned the United States Ambassador and other diplomatic missions in Yaounde over Oben Maxwell's continued stay in jail.

For their part, SCNC National Organizing Secretary Chinkwo Fidelis (RIP) and James Sabum have also always recalled vividly the serial arrests, torture, maiming and persecution of SCNC diehards including Akwanga Ebenezer, Leke Theodore, Oben Maxwell, Agbor Joseph Ayissi, Essapa Richard and hundreds others, many of whom have fled their fatherland to seek political sanctuary in foreign lands.

In an affidavit he signed in support of Agbor Joseph Ayissi, the late Chinkwo Fidelis noted inter alia that: “Agbor Joseph Ayissi was a very courageous young man who championed the good cause of the SCNC for the liberation of Southern Cameroons; he served the SCNC as track distribution officer and relay staff in the national organization office and braved the odds with uncompromising gun-totting officers of La Republique.”

Agbor Joseph, born on 5th January 1984 at Mamfe county; was arbitrarily arrested on three successive occasions by the occupation forces of La Republique du Cameroon namely on 27 August 2011, on 1st April 2012 and 1st October 2011, forcing him to flee to Europe where he believes his safety can be guaranteed, the late Chinkwo recalled.

He expressed the hope that some day in the future the government of La Republique will come to its right senses and execute the ruling of the Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights, in Banjul, so that fleeing Southern Cameroonians can return home and enjoy freedom in their country. He said if this is not done the SCNC may be left with no option other than the zero option. God forbid!

However, to further buttress their point, the southern zoners recalled how all former National Chairmen of the SCNC were from the southern zone including Dr. Martin Ngeka Luma, Ambassador Fossung, Justice Frederick Alobwede, Chief Ayamba Ette Otun and very recently Chief Justice Ayah Paul Abine.

“Where was Nfor N. Nfor and co. when Chief Ayamba and 23 others were arrested in Tiko in 2008 following their return from Europe and the USA where they went to present the SCNC case to the UNO? Where were these opportunists when Leke Theodore, Bisong Arrey, Agbor Joseph Ayissi, Oben Marxwell and 324 others were arrested in a massive swoop by forces of La Republique, as they were bracing up to protest the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the confiscated independence of Southern Cameroons in Buea?” wondered the acting SCNC scribe, Bisong Mathias Arrey in a release he issued, a copy of which got to our newsroom.