“You are coming into an ant hill, please be cautious so that
the ants should not bit you. You are taking over a Prefecture where the laws
were replaced by Tikar proverbs. Thank God you are not a Tikar notable,
therefore use the laws of the state and apply them according to your
conscience.” These were the words of Lukong Margret Beri First Deputy Mayor
Kumbo Council on behalf of the Mayor during the handing over ceremony between
the outgoing and incoming Senior Divisional Officers for Bui at the Tobin
municipal stadium Tuesday 18th July, 2017.
In what sounded like a disapproval or dissatisfaction with
the reign of the outgoing SDO Nzeki Theophile in Bui and Kumbo in particular,
the Mayor stated “we regret the fact that you are leaving behind a fractured
society totally disintegrated and almost ruined. The love, happiness and
brotherhood that reigned in Kumbo is gone because of tactless leadership, since
the administration condoned with lawlessness and mediocrity.” Using the Kumbo
Water crisis as a yardstick for this accessions, the Mayor told those who
turned out why the crisis had to drag on stating “the kumbo water crisis had to
drag for long because the administration closed its eyes on the la and gave its
ears to street talk. Today the people of kumbo go for months without water.
This is the legacy you are leaving behind. The administrator failed in its
responsibility to enforce the law and to protect lives and property regarding
the water crisis.” While stating that the SDO is “leaving behind an anti-decentralization
transfer process of an important public utility (Kumbo Water), the mayor
however enjoined the Ad hoc Committee charged with the management of water in
Kumbo “to ensure that all the quarters in Kumbo should have access to safe
drinking portable water.”
Welcoming the New Administrative head to Nui Division, the
Mayor assured Mooh Emile Simon of the support of the Elite of Bui if he will be
open. While informing the SDO of the rights consciousness, hospitable and
welcoming nature of the Bui people, She will however appealed to the governor
“to do everything possible to solve the Anglophone Minority crisis in the North
West and South West Regions” which has led to no schools for an academic year,
“an undeclared state of emergency, characterized by illegal arrests, extortion
of money from poor citizens, beatings and breaking people’s bones, teargasing
at funeral ceremonies, teargasing of the peaceful people of Kumbo, destruction
of property particularly motor bikes of poor unemployed youths, breaking into
off licenses and destroying valuable items etc.”
Created in 1966, Nzeki Theophile outgoing SDO for Bui took
charge of the Division in October of 2012 as the 20th SDO to be
appointed to the area. According to governor Lele Adolph, Nzeki will be
remembered for the finalization of the Shisong Cardiac center which has been
declared a public utility facility by the president of the republic, reopening
of the faculty of medicine of the University of Bamenda, supervision of the
pioneer senatorial elections as well as the municipal and legislative elections,
tactful management of the Kumbo water crisis and secessionists amongst others.
As Nzeki goes on retirement the new SDO has been given his
new responsibilities. “as a custodian of state institutions in Bui Divisions,
you are expected to represent the state in acts of civil life and in law.
Ensure the maintenance of law and order, enforcement of laws and
regulations…….”. The Administrative head will be expected to manage land issues
through the land consultative board, champion the fight against terrorism in
the division which the governor stated is on the rise, intensify the control of
sales and cultivating of marijuana and above all ensure the effective
resumption of schools come September 2017.
Born on the 31st of March 1963 in Ndikisen in the
Littoral Region Mooh Emile Simon holder of a maitrice in public law from the
University of Yaounde I and graduate of the Advance School of administration
and Magistracy ENAM prior to his appointment was serving as Secretary General
at the West Regional Governor’s Office after serving in the Ministry of
Territorial administration and decentralization and other services and Divisional
officer in several areas Amongst them Ndikinimiki, Mbongue, Douala 6, Batcham.