By Ndi Eugene Ndi in Douala
The Wimbum community in Douala, Littoral region and its environs has pledged their unalloyed support to the Member of Parliament for Donga Mantung Centre, Nkambe, Hon Ngala Gerard.
They made the promise during a massively-attended civic reception in honour of the industrious Member of the National Assembly. The crowd-pulling occasion took place Saturday November 7.
Speaking on behalf of the community, Nformi Joseph, president of the Douala branch of the Wimbum Cultural and Development Association (WICUDA), said the event was organised not only to welcome the MP, but also to recognise his unmatched contribution to the development of the Wimbum community both in Douala and back home.
The WICUDA Douala branch president described Hon Ngala Gerard as a manwith an exceptional taste for community development. He said, Hon Ngala is exemplified in his projects in education, conflict-resolution and peace-building, health and social welfare.
“Hon Ta Nformi Ngala Gerard is a cultural bulldozer with deep-rooted moral values and has always been a driving force and a pillar with us as a community in times of joy and sorrow,” Nformi Joseph said.
“We of the clans pledge to stand with, and by him in every endeavor,” he added.
The WICUDA Douala branch president added that the Member of the National Assembly has a long track record of assisting communities back home. He expressed delight that with Hon Ngala’s new position as the people’s representative to the Ngoa-Ekelle Glass House in Yaounde, they have no iota of doubt that he is going to do more.
Amongst the outstanding gestures the young politician and successful businessman has done to the Wimbum community in the country’s economic hub, the WICUDA president said, is his immense contribution to the erection of the WICUDA main hall in Douala town.
Massive turnout
Irrespective of village, clan, political or religious leaning, the Wimbum people in Douala and its environs massively showed up for the event at the courtyard of the Saint Michel High School in the Douala II Sub Division.
To the WICUDA Douala branch president, the huge crowd was evidence of the unifying strength embodied in the person, Hon Ngala Gerard.
The Wimbum community, through their president, wished that the MP should use his new position as Member of Parliament to; “pay particular attention to the security and safety of the people in our communities back home, get safer alternative roads to travel in and out of Donga Mantung, fight for education for self-employment and sustainability for our people and more and better health facilities for our people”.
Nformi Joseph said it was not by coincidence that the event was holding barely 47 days to the birth of Christ which is celebrated as Christmas. To him, it happened because Hon Ngala Gerard has been “a Father Christmas” to the Wimbum community in Douala and back home.
“Continue to be the Father Christmas to the vulnerable and needy of the entire Wimbum tribe. May your best practices in Nkambe be migrated to the rest of the Anglophone towns for men to see your good works and glorify our father in heaven,” the WICUDA Douala branch president said.
The Wimbum community in Douala and its environs also joined hands with the MP“to strongly condemn the unpatriotic gruesome happenings that took place in Kumba on Saturday October 24 and other sad incidences all over the national territory.”
Enter Ngala Gerard
Taking the floor, the very elated MP was first and foremost, full of appreciation to his kith and kin for the warm reception accorded him. He recognised that his brothers, sisters and friends from the Mbumland in Douala were itchy to have him commune with them since his election into parliament on February 9 this year, but he values the lives of his people over celebrations.
This is why he said the event was holding at a time people have learned to respect government and World Health Organisation measures that help to better check the coronavirus pandemic.
Hon Ngala reminded his people that he promised to make a difference as Member of the National Assembly, and he has to live up to the promise. This, he emphasised, does not mean his predecessor did not do anything for the constituency, but that he has to ensure continuity.
“I acknowledge and appreciate what my predecessor, Hon Awudu Mbaya, did for the constituency during his tenure,” Hon Ngala Gerard said, and was greeted with thunderous applause by the crowd that turned out for the civic reception.
The go-getter MP emphatically told the Wimbum community that he has no reason to make promises that cannot be realised. He said he had listened to their plight, topmost amongst which is the road from Nkambe to Kumbo. He disclosed that he had already tabled the problem to the Prime Minister and Head of Government, and “believe you me, before my tenure as MP ends, there must be a tarred road from Kumbo to Misaje,” he pledged.
While waiting for the aforementioned road, which is part of the ring road project to be realised, Hon Ngala Gerard explained how he fought for the rehabilitation of an alternative road—the MbawNso – Ntaba stretch in order to ease movement for the Donga Mantung population. He also cited other roads which he said are in the pipeline, promising they will be realised before his mandate ends.
Hon Ngala Gerard’s persistent quest for peace in Donga Mantung has attracted several criticisms and threats, and he is aware. He said no amount of threats will stop his incessant quest for children to go school and for his people to live in peace.
He said he knows he is doing the right thing, and had a message for his detractors; that “no evil fashioned against someone doing the right thing shall prosper.”
Donation of FCFA 1 million
Though already profoundly praised by WICUDA for “immense contribution” to the construction of their hall in the New Bell neighbourhood, Hon Ngala Gerard again on-the-spot offered the sum of FCFA one million to the group as additional support.
Though busy with his political and business activities, Hon Ngala Gerard told his people in Douala that he can never abandon them for any reason.
“You can always count on me. Together, we build with love,” the MP said.
The Donga Mantung Centre, Nkambe, MP was accompanied to the civic reception by his colleagues from Ndu, Hon Naomi Ngando, Donga Mantung East, Nwa, Hon Adamu Edward, Wouri West, Bonaberi, Hon Gabriel Fandja and the mayor of the Nkambe council, Shey Nfor Musa amongst others.
Reactions
Hon Ngala Gerard has done so much for us
Bakari Alfred, Wimbum community chief, Douala town
We thought that we should welcome Hon Ngala Gerard in our midst after his election as Member of Parliament because he has done so much for us. He has helped us in many ways in Douala here and even at home. He has helped us build a magnificent Wimbum Cultural and Development Association (WICUDA) hall here in Douala, at New Bell. For that and more, we came to welcome him because he is one of us and also to thank him. We also wanted to tell him that he should not relent, but help us more now that he in parliament. In a place like Nkambe [Central sub division] there are few technical schools whereas children of nowadays need more of technical skills to thrive. So, we wanted to tell him to push for the creation of more technical schools too.
We want more community development
Waka Emmanuel Nfor, Former president, WICUDA Douala branch
We are here today as a sign of recognition to one of our members who has become Honourable Member of Parliament. We are not just recognising the fact that he has become Member of Parliament, but what he has been doing to us in terms of development and maintaining peace amongst the Wimbum people here in Douala and back home. So, he has done quite a lot even before becoming a parliamentarian. We have organised this event to thank him so much and to say congratulations to him, and also to let him know that he still needs to do more for more development to come and for peace and social coexistence to be reinforced amongst the community.
