Actualités Régionales of Friday, 3 October 2014

Source: The Sun Newspaper

Muyuka Chiefs demand apology from Chief Epupa

“Majesty, please learn to leave the scene honourably before the scene leaves you. You have run a good race and you deserve a crown of recognition from us.

Let us stay as one unit in Fako under the respectful canopy of the Fako Chiefs’ Conference whose present leadership is under the authority of one of our brothers with whom you had a very wonderful and cordial working relationship while you served from March 2011 to August 2014 as President.”

“…your mandate expired on March 12, 2013 and you were procrastinating, Muyuka subdivision was expected to take over the mantle of command and not the battle of command as you seem to be overwhelmed with the idea of a war…May be in 2011 when you took over the presidency from the Buea Subdivision, you were operating under some concessive clauses to invite your peers and today, nemesis has caught up with you.”

“Your assertion that my clique and their Mayor financed the Muyuka meeting is an over statement that smacks of bad faith and on behalf of the chiefs of the Muyuka Subdivision and myself, we do demand an urgent and unconditional withdrawal of that callous statement and an apology. If our conference was attended by any illegally recruited persons who impersonated as chiefs to swell our attendance sheet, we do take the full responsibility and we have no regrets, nor apologies to tender to anyone.”

The above citations are a portion of a letter addressed to Chief Samuel Epupa Ekum, Chief of Dikolo Village and ‘former’ President of the Fako Chiefs’ Conference by Chief Shadrack Ekwo Essambe, President of the Muyuka Sub-Divisional Chiefs’ Conference.

Ekwo Essambe was responding to an earlier letter dated September 5, sent to him by Epupa Ekum titled “You and your Muyuka Chiefs have been misled by some misguided chiefs and their mayor to split Fako Division”.

Amidst the raging storm over what is now being termed “The Fako Land Saga” chiefs in the division decided last August 14 in Muyuka to enthrone a new leadership at the helm of the Fako Chiefs’ Conference. Chief Mokoto Njie Johannes, former one-term mayor of the Muyuka Council was elected President to succeed Chief Epupa Ekum.

Epupa has since August 14 challenged the credibility of the Ordinary Conference that enthroned a new leadership on the Fako Chiefs’ Conference leaders’ stool. He had boycotted the August 14 meeting, describing it as ‘illegal and unconstitutional”.

Epupa in his letter to the Muyuka Chiefs’ President presented facts that suggest that Ekwo Essambe and his Muyuka peers had been misled to convene a meeting of Fako Chiefs.

Epupa without naming names faults the Muyuka Chiefs for allowing a certain Mayor in Fako and some misguided Chiefs to drag the Fako Chiefs’ Conference to disrepute. He notes that some of those who voted during the said elections did not qualify to vote.

Ekwo Essambe in the 10-page letter addressed to Epupa rubbishes all the worries raised by Epupa, reducing to nought the Blue Print on Chieftaincy in Fako that stands as Epupa’s towering ‘legacy’ during his time as Fako Chiefs’ President.

As the Fako land “war” degenerates, many are those who see the demand for Epupa to apologise to his peers as near impossible; given that in the various letters and counter letters being circulated by the chiefs, foul language is used.