SWELA Breathes New Life Despite Feet-Dragging

One of Cameroon’s oldest Elite associations, the South West Elite Association, SWELA, has recharged its engine after an agonising period of slumber. The association finally held its General Assembly last February 27 in Kumba after many postponements and feet-dragging by many elite in and out of the Region.

The Kumba gathering saw the election of Meme Divisional Delegate of Secondary Education, Mr. Shadrack Epie Ekalle of the Meme Chapter, whose turn it was to produce an S.G. Ekalle is expected to successfully pilot the association through an era of “Reconciliation and Development” inorder to resuscitate respect and confidence in the association.

The SWELA General Assembly which was chaired by Prof. Peter Agbor Tabi Deputy Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic, ended with some elite expressing disappointment that the General Assembly was hijacked by politics.

In his keynote address, Special Guest of Honour, Prof. Elvis Ngolle Ngolle, Minister of Forestry and Wildlife, called on the elites to be united. He expressed regret that the Southwest is divided at the coming of decentralisation which has been the cry of the region.

According to Minister Ngolle Ngolle, President Biya has listened to the cry of Southwesterners and made decentralisation a reality. He also used the occasion to condemn what he termed campaigns to sully the image of the President. Ngolle Ngolle challenged Southwest elite to stand with Biya as mentor for decentralisation to be a reality.

"I believe Biya wants this region empowered. Let us not disappoint him else we betray ourselves," he advised.

In a very powerful speech the outgone Secretary General, Dr. Enow Orock George was unusually blunt. He hammered that “though SWELA is apolitical, we however, have the right to take a stance on topical issues with political ramifications when it affects our region. We condemn the recent campaign in international circles to tarnish the image of the Head of State and the nation which scares international investors and retards the development of the nation. Cameroonians don't need to wash their dirty linens in public”.

Dr. Orock expressed disappointment at the fact that “despite the huge contribution by our region, Southwest remains comparatively weak, underdeveloped and its people are poor. It is paradoxical that only two out of our six divisions possess a gas filling station. It is still unbelievable that SONARA has never had a Southwesterner as Director. There is no road linking the divisional headquarters and rice from Akwaya is dumped in neighbouring countries. We sometimes, bury deceased family members by roadsides in the heart of the rainy season because of bad roads. The Limbe Deep Sea Port project has gone to deep slumber and CRTV signals do not cover one tenth of the region. Southwest elites share part of the blame as there is disunity stemming from infighting for political positions, mutual distrust and mudslinging. It is high time we promote unity, love and focus for Southwest to achieve greater things.”

Before the start of the electoral session, things took a dramatic twist when the Paramount Ruler of the Bafaws, Nfon VE Mukete and other officials, turned down a site chosen for the laying of the foundation stone for SWELA secretariat saying the site is hidden. He then diverted attention of the delegation from the proposed site and led them to the former treasury building, where he showed them another site, and the foundation stone was laid in the absence of Meme Senior Divisional Officer, Magloire Abath Zangbwala, who had shown SWELA officials a site behind the DO's office.

The fund-raising for the secretariat saw the two giants at the assembly, Minister Ngolle Ngolle and Dr. Agbor Tabi trying to outwit each other. While Dr. Agbor Tabi capped the contributions with FCFA 3.3 million, Minister Ngolle went for the kil with FCFA 6.7 million.

Lamenting to The SUN, an elite who preferred not to be named complained that SWELA has been sold to the CPDM government.

“We were embarrassed by Minister Ngolle Ngolle's propaganda on Biya at the occasion. Any opposition elite in the hall would be very uncomfortable with such declarations. The political undertone has killed the real ideologies of SWELA since its creation. Leave politics to politicians and let's maintain our apolitical nature and talk development in the region. The poor turnout of delegates is testimony of the falling standards of SWELA because those elected go in for political appointments; they fail to put the association at heart.

Each Division of the region was supposed to produce 50 delegates to the Assembly, but some Divisions barely had 10 delegates.”

In fact, many in Kumba complained of the very low participation of Fako Division during this general assembly eventhough some contributed financially. Apart from House of Assembly Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emilia Lifaka Monjowa and Muyuka Mayor, Johannes Mokotto Njie, who were personally present, most other prominent Fako elites “boycotted” the meeting.

The new Executive comprises of Shadrack Epie Ekalle as SG, Juliet Becke from Fako was voted as Treasurer, assisted by Josephine Tanya from Lebialem. Dr Bake Itoe from Ndian got the position of Financial Secretary.

Talking to The SUN, Epie Ekalle said “I have plans to reactivate SWELA activities, revisit the constitution and do corrections where necessary. I will initiate the construction of our secretariat and maintain a cordial relationship with the state and other sister organizations. I have placed my mandate under the banner of Reconciliation and Development because we urgently need to sit up in this era of decentralization in our country.”

By DOH JAMES SONKEY on special assignment to Kumba