Revisiting Resolutions That Were Adopted By The Mezam CNU Section Conference That Held In Bamenda On April 28, 1983

That was less than six months after Cameroon’s first President, Ahmadou Ahidjo, handed power to his constitutional successor, Paul Biya, but still held the post of National President of the CNU

The resolutions show a mark difference between the Northwest CNU Political Elites then, and the Northwest CPDM Political Elites of today

The Mezam Section Conference of the ruling Cameroon National Union, CNU Party, which held in Bamenda on April 28, 1983, that is more than 40 years ago, had a special significance in the sense that it was the first Mezam CNU Section Conference to be held, after the first President of Cameroon, Ahmadou Ahidjo, according him decided to hand over power to his constitutional successor, the Prime Minister of the Republic, Paul Biya. By then Cameroon was in practical term a one party State, and so the CNU was the only authorized or legalized political party in the country. It should also be noted that by then the country was known as the United Republic of Cameroon.

It would be recalled that in 1966, the President of the then Federal Republic of Cameroon, Ahmadou Ahidjo, who was also the National President of his political party, ‘Union Camerounaise’, UC, initiated, or better still manipulated a move which led all legalized parties in the country to dissolve, and form one national party, ‘Union Nationale Cameroonaise’, that is Cameroon National Union. It was certainly not a coincidence that the name of the one party was almost like the name of Amadou Ahidjo’s former party.

   Mezam CNU Section – The Current Mezam And Njohketunjia Divisions

Meanwhile in  the CNU days,  a Section President of the party, was head of  the party in  a Division and not a Sub –division as is the case today with the  ruling  Cameroon People Democratic Movement (CPDM), which in reality is the CNU that  President Paul Biya transformed at the party’s national congress of 1985 in Bamenda, to CPDM. By that April 1983 also,  Mezam Division was much bigger than it is today, as the present Ngohketunjia Division was then part of Mezam Division. Thus, the Mezam CNU Section President, the Mezam WCNU Section President, or the Mezam YCNU Section President, was the boss of the  ruling party in what is today Mezam and Ngohketunjia Divisions.

As regard the Mezam CNU Section Conference that held in Bamenda on April 28, 1993, it is worthy of note that the leadership of the party then at the level of the Section, stood as follows:

Mezam CNU Section President –   FON ANGWAFO of Mankon.

 Mezam WCNU Section President – Madam Veronica SAMBONG

Mezam YCNU Section President – EL HADJ LAWAN BAKO

Mezam CNU Section Sectary   – A.T.M. MOFOR

Also worthy of note that by the time the Mezam CNU Section Conference held on April 28, 1993, the National President of CNU was still  Ahmadou Ahidjo, the former President of the Republic. Ahmadou Ahidjo from 1966 when the ruling CNU was created, was simultaneously President of the Republic and National President of the CNU.  When he handed power to Paul Biya on November 6, 1982, he maintained the post of National President of the ruling CNU while Paul Biya was President of the Republic.

However that arrangement or system did not last for long, because a lot of tension repeatedly came up behind the scene between Ahidjo and Biya, as to who was who in the country. To the former Head of State, Ahmadou Ahidjo, the National President of the ruling CNU was above the President of the Republic, while the new Head of State, Paul Biya, was encouraged by his men to assert his authority  that the President of the Republic was above the National  President of  the ruling CNU Party.

 Some Interesting Resolutions Were Adopted By The Mezam CNU Section Conference

Meanwhile looking at the resolutions that were adopted by the Mezam CNU Section Conference that held on April 28, 1983, the Bamenda politicians then were serious people.  They were politicians or political elites with the interest of their Division, Province and country at heart, and not “yes men” as many people today would think, considering that it was the days of one party rule.

It is interesting for example to see that  the resolutions of the Mezam CNU Section Conference  of April 28, 1983 (one party era), called on the Government “to take effective and visible measures to reduce and control the skyrocketing prices of both imported and locally made goods in or in our markets”, or that “Whenever Government expropriate private property in the course of developing the country, compensation should be paid without unnecessary delay in order to avoid or reduce hardship on those affected”.

The situation then contrast with that of the ruling CPDM Party today, whose so – called political elites are predominantly civil servants – turned – politicians, or better still, political elites by appointments. They are mostly public servants, most of whom were not even in politics before, but who became political elites overnight following their appointments into government, in the public service, in State corporations or in State companies. The main interest of political elites of the CPDM today is in reality not their municipalities, Divisions, Regions and Country, but rather how to maintain themselves in their juicy positions, or how to exploit their positions in the party to lobby for higher appointments.

‘Agric Show’ And CNU Congress In Bamenda

Meanwhile the resolutions of the Mezam CNU Section Conference that held in Bamenda on April 28, 1983, confirms that it was Ahmadou Ahidjo who as President of  the Republic  scheduled the 1984 National Agricultural and Pastoral Show to hold in Bamenda, and who as National President of the CNU also fixed Bamenda as the venue of  the  1985 National Congress of the CNU. So it was thanks either directly or indirectly to Ahmadou Ahidjo, that Bamenda had structures like Ayaba Hotel, the Bamenda Congress Hall, a good road network, among others.

BELOW IN ENTIRETY, ARE THE RESULOTIONS OF THE MEZAM CNU SECTION CONFERENCE, THAT HELD IN BAMENDA ON APRIL 28, 1983:

 RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE MEZAM CNU SECTION CONFERENCE AT BAMENDA ON THURSDAY, 28^TH APRIL, 1983.

              The Resolution Committee:

• Fon ABUMBI 111 of Bafut –  Chairman
• Mr A.T.M MOFOR                –  Secretary
• Hon Cletus TITA –   Member
• Fon of Bamunka –   Member
• Fon of Bali Kumbat –   Member
• Mr Ben FRU WARA –   Member
• EL – Hadj  BAKO LAWAN       –  Member
• Mrs Veronica SAMBONG –  Member

The Mezam Section of the CNU party, in its conference at the Cultural Centre Mankon – Bamenda, on Thursday, 28^th April, 1993:

 Considering the Section President’s address, the address by DR JN FONCHA, reports by the WCNU and the YCNU Section Presidents, and the debates on these addresses and reports;

Considering the peaceful transfer of power from President AHMADOU AHIDJO to President Paul BIYA on 6^th November, 1982;

Considering the fact that Bilingualism is the bedrock of our National Unity in Cameroon;

Considering that Bamenda, the headquarters of Mezam Division and Northwest Province will be in no distant date the host to the National Agricultural and Pastoral Show, and the 1985 Ordinary Congress of the CNU Party;

Considering that the CNU Party has continued to foster peace, unity, political, economic and social progress in Cameroon;

                                            Hereby Resolves: –

• That the first President of Cameroon and the Chairman of the CNU Party, HE Ahmadou Ahidjo, is hereby thanked by the militants of Mezam for 25 years of devoted leadership of the State and party, and the smooth and peaceful transfer of power and for ensuring that peace and unity continue to reign in the country.
• That militants use this forum and opportunity to congratulate H/E. Paul Biya, the President of the United Republic of Cameroon on his accession to the Supreme Magistracy of the Nation, and reassure him of our unreserved support at all times.
• That in view of the above, an implicit vote of confidence is hereby passed on the leadership of the party and the national government.
• That the militants of this section appreciate the promise made by the Party Chairman that the 1985 Congress of the CNU Party shall be held in Bamenda, the headquarters of the Northwest Province, and wish to assure him that we shall do all in our powers to see that the congress is held here.
• That in view of the fact that the 1984 National Agricultural and Pastoral Show is just by the corner, this conference calls on Government to get all Ministries and Technical Services charged with the provision of infrastructure, Services and utilities which will be needed during the show to work hard and to ensure that all planned projects are completed before the show.
• That Government takes effective and visible measures to reduce and control the rocketing prices of imported and locally manufactured goods in our markets.
• That whenever Government expropriates private property in the course of developing the country, compensation should be paid without unnecessary delay in order to avoid or reduce hardship on those affected.
• That SNEC and the Urban Councils should ensure that the quantity and quality of water are improved, and that the high distressing rates being currently charged are reduced, and that the number of pubic water points be increased to meet up with the increase in population. Water is an essential necessity and should be made to reach both rich and poor citizens.
• That all the paratatals institutions in the Division such as MIDENO, the National Produce Marketing Board etc, should take steps to improve existing farm to market roads, and construct new ones so as to facilitate the evacuation of our crops and produce from farms to markets.
• That the Ministry of Town Planning and Housing should see that towns or parts of towns are always planned well in advance, in order to avoid destruction in the event of expansion and development.
• That all National and official documents be written in both French and English, our two official languages.
• That in the collection of levies for the construction of the Congress Hall, all subsection officials should collaborate with traditional authorities, draw up time tables for the collection, and ensure that the at least one third of their dues are paid into the bank by the end of April, 1983, so as to enable the contact for the construction of the Party House to be signed.
• That the militants thank the Section President and the Steering Committee for the able manner in which they have been managing the affairs of the Congress Building and urge them to continue in the same spirit to a successful end.

Signed:   ATM Mofor  – Secretary.                                          Fon Abumbi Of Bafut – Chairman