St. Joseph College (SJC), Sasse, is unarguably the oldest college in Ambazonia. Founded in 1939 by the Mill Hill fathers, the all-boys school has carved itself, a niche, in the Anglo Saxon landscape, by pitching itself, the best holistic education in the world.

The saga rocking its ex-students’ union, Sasse Old Boys Association (SOBA), is modulating on high frequency, across the Federal Republic of Ambazonia, and her neighbour, La Republique du Cameroun (LRC).

Crux of the Saga

The imbroglio began when a General Assembly (GA) to elect a new executive (after the mandate of the then executive expired) failed. The then executive claims, the Anglophone crisis perturbed the meeting, which hitherto had been slated for January 2017.

“Reference to a GA was made by the National Executive through an email from the Secretariat dated 1st December 2016. It called all chapter presidents to ensure their dues are paid by the 31st of December 2016 in preparation for the GA in January 2017. All chapter presidents including the President of Buea Chapter were notified. In fact the GA was initially announced for October 2016 during the SOBA National Council Meeting and during visits to some chapters to sensitize members on SOBACCUL. It must be noted that the PG General and his team visited several chapters. Unfortunately the GA had to be cancelled due to the Anglophone crisis which was peaking during that period. It will be insensitive to blame the National Executive for postponing the call for a GA because they were faced with an unprecedented set of events. They initially called the GA to hold in October 2016 and an unprecedented force-majeure occurred. No one could have prepared for this. We are not strangers to several bans at different times against gatherings and movements in the SW and NW regions. This is a fact that those who called the RGA have refused to admit and blame the current executive for not calling the GA. The decision to postpone the GA was discussed during the National Council meetings in 2016 and 2017. However it seems some chapters’ presidents who were absent or present failed to relay the message to their chapter members,” an Executive said.

That failed GA nursed fresh seeds of discord and division. The defeated aspirant to the Presidential elections in the previous mandate, Barrister John Kameni, is alleged to have rallied some forces, who advocated for a GA to be organised as soon as possible.

Agenda Setting

That left-wing faction pushed through its agenda, soliciting for endorsement at home and abroad. In 2017, it was announced that come rain, come shine, the elective GA will hold in January 2018. Coincidentally, the Kameni camp, launched its SOBA Revived GA, just a day after the elective GA was to take place.

“The General Assembly (GA) was called on the 16th January 2018 whilst the call for a Revival GA was made on the 17th January 2018. This latter call was however time barred by Article 23(2) of the SOBA constitution as a call for a revival is made redundant once a call for a GA has been made. The Agent Provocateur was clearly prompted to by the call for a GA to initiate the call for a RGA otherwise he would have set in motion this call much earlier than the 16th January 2018 if truly he had good faith and no ill-intentions,” a concerned SOBAN told BaretaNews.

Neither of the GAs took place. The elective GA was later called for Saturday March 10, 2018 in Douala, LRC. Coincidentally, Barister John Kameni, in collaboration with Ernest Molua, set the date of the Revived GA (RGA), for Saturday March 3, 2018, in Buea.

Kemeni Voted SOBA President against All Odds

Amidst calls for cancellation from the Proprietor of SJC Sasse, Mgr. Bushu Emmanuel, and Principal of SJC, Fr Suum Valentine, for the RGA not to take place, it indeed took place. According to reports, well over 70 persons answered present in the meeting. The immediate result was that John Kameni was elected as SOBA National President.

In other to consolidate his position as new president of SOBA, John Kameni, sued for a cancellation of holding of any meeting in the name of SOBA, across the country. A court order to that effect was passed at the Buea Court of First Instance.

In a swift fashion, John Kameni precipitated the banning of the Douala meeting, by the Divisional Officer of Douala V, Emmanuel Tchaqui.

EGA Meeting Moved From Douala to Buea

Every attempt for the March 10 meeting to hold in Douala, failed. However, the meeting finally took place at the Buea Diocese Bishop’s residence, in Small Soppo.

From that meeting, the following outcome were elected into positions of authority;

President General: Prof Ephraim Ngwafor

VPG National: Prof George Elambo Nkeng

VPG National: Ayuk Iyok

VPG National: Ndofor Joseph

VPG National Akoachere Ayuk

VPG Diaspora: Mafanyi Itoe USA

VPG UK and Ireland: Joki Manga

VPG Germany and Europe: Ekabe Teddy

VPG Nigeria: Prof Esimone Charles

Sec Gen. Ebot Mfoataw

Ass Sec Gen. Kebbei Eugene

Financial Sec. Takor Takor

Treasurer. Gana Joseph

Publicity Sec. Eselem Edwin

2nd publicity Sec. Elame Raymond

The elected were endorsed by all those who matter in Sasse. However, it is very unclear, if the Kameni camp will take things lightly.

BaretaNews will be monitoring developments as to that regard. We shall bring to you, more updates.

By Lucas Muma,

Managing Editor – BaretaNews