MEMORIES OF NGUTI SUB DIVISION

Four `things` immediately come to mind when I think of Nguti Sub Divivision. They are the St. John of God, Cameroon`s Former Secretary General of  the OAU Nzo Ekanghaki, Dr. Simon Munzu and the Eyabi family which I knew in Britain. 

The hospital was the first thing I ever heard about Nguti. That was my first link to Nguti Sub Division. The origins of the hospital are recounted on the website of the Catholic Diocese of Buea as follows: “In 1968, while travelling through Europe, the Honorable Nzo Ekangaky, then Cameroon Federal Minister of Labour and Social Legislation, made contacts with the Spanish Province of the Catholic Religious Order of the Brothers of Saint John of God. In 1969, led by Brother Francisco Arduz, the Brothers of St. John of God arrived in Nguti, and in March 1970 the St. John of God Hospital was opened, under the direction and blessings of Bishop Jules Peteers, then Bishop of the Diocese of Buea."

The Hon. Nzo- Ekhangaki, of course, later became Secretary General of the OUA (Organization of African Unity) and made a name not just for Cameroon but for the whole of Africa. He was a native of Nguti. Nzo was the second Secretary General of the then OUA, having succeeded the pioneer Secretary General who was the Guinean (Conakry) Diallo Telli. 

The Swiss Press Review and the News Report at the time of Nzo`s secretary generalship is quoted in an article by Mwalimu George Ngwane as saying of Nzo: “Fluently bilingual, he encompasses in his experience the elements brought to Africa by both Britain and France. By all accounts, Mr. Ekhah-Ngaky is likely to be more active than his predecessor, and we are likely to see more dynamic attempts to turn into reality some of these resolutions of past conferences- many of which as in the U.N itself, have remained dead letters. Perhaps the most important of these are connected with the liberation struggle against the remaining outposts of colonialism in Africa.”   

As it turned out, Nzo was to hold that prestigious post for only two years. He was forced by circumstances to resign after being accused of unilaterally getting the OUA to sign  a contract with  Lonrho, a firm on which the OAU had placed an embargo because the firm was supporting the White Regime of Rhodesia (today Zimbabwe) whose apartheid policy the OAU opposed.

Another reason for the tension that eased Nzo out was the break down in relations between him and Heads of State of the OAU who saw him as being heavy-handed. It was this kind of attitude which had once led the then Ivory Coast President Felix Houphouet Boigny to tell Nzo`s predecessor that when they Heads of State asked for a Secretary General, they meant “a Secretary” and not a “General”.

Dr. Simon Munzu, another son of Nguti, was a high profile Cameroonian civil servant before leaving the country in the 1990s. He served at the United Nations as Director of Political Affairs. Today he is an Attorney-at-Law and Notary Public and heads a law firm in Limbe.

Recently, Nguti caught news headlines when its youths took to the streets to protest at the lack of electricity in their locality. The Post newspaper put it thus:"The irate youths reported invaded the premises of a timber exploitation company , WIJMA, with a juju called `Essapa`, while ordering that nobody should go to their farm until the situation is resolved."

The newspaper also reported the impact of the youth action on the timber company: “Activities at WIJMA are said to have come to a standstill ever since the masquerade was implanted at the timber processing plant."

The latest is that contacts are ongoing between the company and the community.