Fulfilling childhood dream: Hon Ngala Gerard begins legal profession journey
The Member of Parliament, (MP), for Donga Mantung Centre constituency, Nkambe, Hon Ngala Gerard Ndombang has been sworn-in as Advocate-in-Training of the Cameroon Bar Association and is on course to fulfilling his childhood passion to fight for social justice.
The 46-year-old politician and economic operator who was amongst 649 successful candidates at the April 2024 Bar Exams took his oath on Friday, September 13 together with some of his peers at the Wouri High Court in Douala, Littoral Region, marking his formal entry into the legal profession.
The oath taking ceremony was chaired by the President of the Wouri High Court, Magistrate Mrs Dickey Ndoumbe Mbangue who entreated the pupil advocates to uphold ethics and serve with due respect to the courts and tribunals, and to the laws of the Republic for the two years they will serve as interns before becoming full-fledged lawyers.
The practice at the Bar is a liberal profession that consists of assisting and representing the parties before the law courts, conducting suits, pleading and giving legal advice, against a remuneration, according to Law No.90/59 of 19 December 1990.
The remuneration aside, Ngala Gerard, an accomplished business mogul had nursed the passion for social justice years back as a teenager in High School. He says he is not joining the Bar to make money.
“I am not coming to the Cameroon Bar Association for money,” Ngala Gerard told reporters after being sworn-in. He said his aim of becoming a lawyer is “to defend the less privileged”.
“As I have advised some of my younger brothers and sisters with whom we took oath of office together, they should not have it in mind that they are coming to the profession to make money, but that they should be lawyers to serve as role models in society,” the newly sworn-in Advocate-in-Training of the Cameroon Bar Association said.
With the new role as lawyer, the representative of the people of Nkambe at the National Assembly in Yaounde will now also better appreciate draft pieces of legislation sent to the institution for scrutiny.
Holder of a Bachelor Degree in Private Law with a First Class Honour from the University of Douala, Ngala Gerard also holds a Diploma in Circular Economy and Sustainability Strategies from the University of Cambridge Judge Business School, and an Advanced Diploma in Business management from the London Sterling Business School.
The Member of the Constitutional Laws Committee of the National Assembly is also president of the Parliamentary Network for Circular Economy, PANCEC.
Married with four children, Ngala Gerard is Founder and Managing Director of Jerry Sarl – a Douala-based multibillion chain of businesses operating in building construction and maritime activities with over 300 employees.
The oath-taking ceremony culminated in a sumptuous reception at the MP’s Douala-Bonaberi castle where he shared boozes and munching with his family members, colleagues, friends and well-wishers.
