Ever since Fon Chafah, the out-going President General of the North West Fons Union unwisely carried the simmering disagreement between him and his Union’s spokesperson, Ntumfor Nico Halle, to the public arena, invectives and missiles have been fired to both of them and at times from very unsuspecting quarters.

I have not had the opportunity of paying much attention to Fon Chafah’s stewardship at the helm of NOWEFU partly because of the disdain that has developed in me against most elite and chiefs’ associations. These have become willing tools in the hands of the system which it manipulates according to its whims and caprices. It has become very evident that most of our elite and traditional rulers pursue and support causes which are at variance with those of the people they purport to represent.

My first contact with Fon Chafah was some 12 years ago during a press evening organised somewhere in Nkwen in Bamenda by Charles Wirsuiy, the CEO of Ocean City Radio. I think Charlie was then running an organisation called Thompson Foundation. Charly Ndi Chia, the late Kum Set Ewi and a host of other journalists were also present. Fon Chafah was the guest of honour and I think he was at the time Secretary General of NOWEFU.

The Fon’s performance that night was quite remarkable and I think many of the journalists present went away with very positive impressions. He struck a strong rapport with the press which he consolidated in subsequent years as he went on to win the Presidency of NOWEFU after a bitter tussle with the Fon of Bambalang.
In all these years, I don’t remember the press being very critical of Fon Chafah until a few weeks ago when he stirred the hornet’s nest  by doing what to many is unthinkable – temporary stripping the Ntumfor title from Barrister Nico Halle during CRTV’s 1 pm newscast. The import of the act and the manner in which it was posed have been roundly condemned, not only by reputable news organs, high and low personalities and even by most of the traditional rulers Fon Chafah claims to represent.

My problem here is not with Fon Chafah but with our colleagues who have unguardedly been engaged in bashing our own Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle using the most uncouth verbiage.

Let me straight away say that Ntumfor Nico Halle is not a saint and therefore he is fallible and can be criticised and blamed like any other mortal. What I however find despicable and a let down to our profession is the foul language employed to tear him down. I have a strong and personal relationship with Ndotta Ezekiel, Publisher of the Watchdog newspaper. That is why since he began this crusade against Ntumfor, I have resisted the urge to confront him thinking that with time he will retract and let reason prevail so that his organ is not used as a medium by self-seeking politicians to destroy others.

I hear also hear our good friend of CRTV Douala, Nchechuma Banla is also on this line. I have not heard or read any of his articles so I cannot pass judgement but if it is true, it is unfortunate because those of us in CAMASEJ and other media associations know the amount of sacrifices Ntumfor is putting in for these bodies and their members to be professionally and materially strong.

There is no gainsaying the fact that Ntumfor Nico Halle’s very positive standing with the media and folks in the North West and even across the country keeps those who spend all their time praying for appointments edgy. Could it have been otherwise when we know that this is one person who spreads his generosity acquired through personal sacrifice and hard work to all and sundry without discrimination?

At the level of the National Elections Observatory he far outperforms most members. It is true he could not stop all the fraud in the North West but he helped to expose it, took on perpetrators head on and reduced it.

There are certainly many in the North West who are not comfortable with Ntumfor’s rise especially as he enjoys unparallel positive press coverage and so why would they not use the same press to destroy him. But whether they like it or not, if journalists in Cameroon can boast of one true friend it is Ntumfor Nico Halle. Infact, if I were asked to propose names to Chief Ephraim Inoni, the Prime Minister, for ministerial positions in his next government, one of such would be Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle as minister of communication. He knows and understands our plight.

By Norbert Wasso Binde