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As Southern Cameroonians Boycott 20th May Celebration, Western Diplomats Help Biya Regime Avoid Embarrassment

20, May 2019

As Southern Cameroonians Boycott 20th May Celebration, Western Diplomats Help Biya Regime Avoid Embarrassment 0

Fighter aircrafts bearing names of Ambazonian towns and cities that were flying the Yaoundé sky to celebrate Cameroon’s National Day may not have been the only kind gesture that the Biya regime extended to Southern Cameroonians to avoid embarrassment. They had also been used in attacks in Southern Cameroons to kill women and children.

By early evening on Sunday in the Federal Republic of Ambazonia, it became clear that there will be a marked low attendance of the so-called National Day at the Bongo Square in Buea because of the Southern Cameroons boycott. Cameroon Intelligence Report sources say that it was at this juncture that the Biya  Francophone Beti Ewondo regime decided to bring in van loads of its military personnel from La Republique in an attempt to prove that Cameroon was indeed one and indivisible.

The US ambassador and several other western diplomats were present at the Yaoundé 20th may Boulevard today. However, many more French Cameroun soldiers arrived in vans in both the Northern and Southern Zones of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia to increase the number of people at the 20th   May National Day celebration.

Some French Cameroun officials have however denied knowledge of any such development and pointed out that the number of guests from French Cameroun for the 20th May National Day celebration in Ambazonia were high even in the previous years before Biya declared war against the people of Southern Cameroons. However, given the strong bond that the ruling CPDM government and some corrupt Southern Cameroons political elites enjoy, the possibility of Yaoundé trying to bail out it’s newly appointed Prime Minister, Chief Dr Dion Ngute and a cream of Southern Cameroons political elites to get out from yet another spot cannot be ruled out.

But irrespective of the French Cameroun Biya effort, participation at the 20th May function in Southern Cameroons remained significantly low.

Today’s 20th May celebration in Southern Cameroons was marred by intrusive behavior and harassment of the French Cameroun CPDM guests in every nook and crannies of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia.  It was very clear that the boycott was sparked off by a call from the Ambazonia Vice President, Dabney Yerima’s decision to officially boycott the celebrations due to French Cameroun’s murderous attack throughout Southern Cameroons territory.

The unprecedented and over-zealous move by the Francophone governors of the South West and North West regions did not only target pro Yaoundé Southern Cameroonians during today’s 20th May celebrations, subjecting them to intense  French Cameroun security scrutiny but also prevented most of the Ambazonian moderate invitees from entering the Buea or Bamenda 20th May Boulevard.

The Cameroon National Day is officially celebrated on May 20th.While no senior elite from British Southern Cameroons were noticeable anywhere in the Northern and Southern Zone, the usually packed French Cameroun celebration that every year overflows with Francophone SDOs and DOs was an extremely low-key affair this Monday.

By Seseskou Asu Isong in London

Sudan: Junta and protest leaders fail to reach deal, agree to hold more talks

20, May 2019

Sudan: Junta and protest leaders fail to reach deal, agree to hold more talks 0

Sudan’s junta and protest leaders have ended another round of negotiations without any agreement on the structure of an interim government to rule the country following the ouster of president, Omar al-Bashir, with more talks planned on Monday.

After hours of negotiations through the night, the Transitional Military Council and the Alliance for Freedom and Change failed to finalize the makeup of the interim government that would rule for a transitional period of three years, media reported on Monday.

The ruling military council announced the talks would resume at 9:00 p.m. local time (1900 GMT).

“The structure of the sovereign authority has been discussed,” Lieutenant General Shamseddine Kabbashi, spokesman of the military council, told reporters. “It’s agreed to resume negotiations today (Monday) evening… hoping to reach a final deal.”

The Sudanese Professional Association — the group that initially launched the protest campaign against Bashir in December — said Monday that it was in no rush to finalize the deal.

“We are not in a hurry for the crucial victory… whatever be the outcome, it will be a step forward,” it wrote on Twitter without elaborating.

The junta and protest leaders have been at loggerheads on the leadership of the new governing body.

The junta leaders are insisting that the new body be military-led; however, the protest leaders say they are determined to have a majority civilian body led by a civilian.

The country’s new ruling body must be “led by a civilian as its chairman and with a limited military representation,” the Alliance for Freedom and Change representing protesters had said in a statement before the talks.

PressTV-Protesters want civilian to head Sudan government

The existing military council is headed by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the generals insist that the overall new body be led by the army.

Cleric Mohamed Ali Jazuli said at a protest rally on Saturday in a warning to the military council that, “If you consider handing over power to a certain faction, then we will consider it a coup.”

Before talks were suspended earlier this week, the generals and protest leaders had agreed on several key issues, including a three-year transition period and the creation of a 300-member parliament, with two thirds of lawmakers to come from the protesters’ umbrella group.

But those talks were marred by violence after five protesters and an army major were shot dead near the ongoing sit-in outside the military headquarters in central Khartoum, where thousands have camped out for weeks.

Initially, the protesters had gathered to demand Bashir resign due to the dire economic situation in the country, but they have stayed put after Bashir’s ouster to exert pressure on the junta to step aside.

The protesters had also erected roadblocks on some streets in the capital to put further pressure on the generals during negotiations, but the junta demanded that they be removed and protesters duly took the roadblocks down in recent days.

The protesters, however, said they will put the roadblocks back if the army fails to transfer power to a civilian administration.

Source: Presstv

Seedorf: I want to leave a legacy in Cameroon

20, May 2019

Seedorf: I want to leave a legacy in Cameroon 0

Having shone on many of the top stages in world football as a player, Clarence Seedorf now stands before his biggest challenge to date as a coach.

After taking the reins at Cameroon in August 2018, he is now sizing up a trip to the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Egypt 2019 with the Indomitable Lions – who will arrive as reigning champions.

But the road already hasn’t been a simple one. Absent from the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, Cameroon were anticipating hosting the continental tournament this June. However, after it was deemed necessary to postpone their hosting for two years in November, handing Egypt the reins, it meant Seedorf was left with one crucial game to secure their spot in the finals. A 3-0 triumph over Comoros secured it.

FIFA.com spoke with him on his first nine months at the helm, getting to know Africa and the improving fortunes of former club Ajax and the Dutch national team.

FIFA.com: Clarence, this is your first international coaching role so how do you reflect on your first nine months in charge?

Clarence Seedorf: It was definitely an electric ending to qualifying with all the changes at the last minute. We had to win against Comoros, but it also confirmed the work we’d done up until that moment had been really productive. Ending up with the same points as Morocco, who are one of the favourites to win the AFCON, with only two goals difference says a lot about how we performed and prepared for the other games.

The change of host put you in a uniquely challenging position. Did you need to go through a process of refocusing the team for that final game?

I told my players from day one that I wanted to be first in the group. They knew that every match was serious, every training session was serious and every day was a chance to be their best. It’s a mentality that we’ve been able to create over those months and the last two performances against Brazil and Comoros are an acknowledgement that this team had the right mentality and were ready both technically and tactically to perform.

Having been linked with the likes of the Real Madrid job, the Cameroon role presents something of a different direction. How have you taken to leading the African champions?

Obviously, it’s always an honour to be linked with teams like Real Madrid, but it was a great challenge to get this team ready in just a few days, when normally you’d have a whole pre-season with them, and was actually a very exciting process. Cameroon are historically one of the best teams in Africa and missing out on the finals in Russia was a big disappointment for them. As a result it’s been like starting all over again, rebuilding the team and rebuilding the respect on an international level, which I think we’ve achieved with some great performances.

With a whole host of AFCON front-runners keen to leave with gold, do you think Cameroon have what it takes to retain the title?

Cameroon always has it. We’re in good shape and things are positive but then we need to translate this into matches. No one is going to have an easy day playing against Cameroon in Egypt.

Having played and coached around the world, how have you taken to coaching in Africa?

Similarly to Brazil, there’s a lot of focus on the players, they mean so much to the people in the country. They’re really their idols, their role models and the country stops for the match. But football is a universal language and it comes down to the same things wherever you go.

You’ve taken in the likes of well-known football nations like Morocco and Cameroon, but also smaller ones such as Malawi and Comoros. How has it been discovering those new football cultures?

Besides the experiences of culture, I’m finally able to see Africa, feel Africa and live Africa. There are still lots of problems here but the potential, the talent and the energy is fantastic. It’s wonderful to be able to get into those countries and it’s a privilege to be able to travel around Africa and work there.

© imago

You’re doing all that alongside Patrick Kluivert, who you have a footballing connection going back 25 years with. How has that translated to the bench?

We’ve discovered that we’re a really strong duo. We understand each other, we complete each other, it really is the match we hoped it would be. It really is fantastic working with Patrick and we’re looking forward to maybe a lasting relationship and maybe we will be able to have an even bigger impact in Africa and then in Europe some time.

It was a relationship that started at Ajax, who enjoyed their greatest run in Europe since you both were at the club. How has it been seeing them rediscover that European pedigree?

It’s good for football that other clubs and new players are knocking on the door. Of course the DNA of the club and the history always counts: Liverpool, Ajax already have four and five Champions League medals. Ajax has a good mix of both young and experienced players; that combination enables the young players to perform. We had an Ajax side showing the Amsterdam flavour again and I love it.

And with this young talent feeding into the Dutch national team. How are you feeling about the side’s recent revival?

I think a lot has to do with the coaching in general: can you create the right conditions for the players to excel, can you build a cohesion that will translate into a match, can you keep the guys competitive but also still supportive of each other? I feel like these elements have been brought back by Ronald Koeman, who has been doing a great job. Everything seems to be fitting together and I hope this is a lasting movement with Ajax and the Dutch team. Let’s see what it holds for the coming years.

Was it a surprise that there was quite such a dip over the last few years, after finishing second and third at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups?

You need to have a plan and coaches who push you in a certain direction. I think that wasn’t the case a few years ago. Sometimes results can blind you and we didn’t really see the state of things. I think Louis van Gaal did an amazing job (in 2014) with a team that probably wasn’t expected to go all the way to where they went.

The team you featured in at France 1998 was a sensational side, with many of your fellow Ajax graduates alongside you. Do you look back on that tournament as a missed opportunity at all?

Until now, Dutch mentality has been more about playing well instead of winning. That’s something I have always criticised because it needs to be improved. One thing I like about this Ajax side is that, when they are in difficulty, they don’t try to keep looking nice. The ball can go straight out of the stadium or up front, so they can also be more practical.

Everyone wants to play attractive football but Italy have won four World Cups and Holland none, so where lies the truth? What is your choice in terms of the type of mentality you have? Obviously, identities shouldn’t be changed – you should play good football and look to perform within your philosophy, but your adversary won’t always let you perform the way you would like. What do you do then? That’s where potential growth lies for the Dutch.

Source: FIFA.Com

Congo-Kinshasa: Ebola Containment Efforts Threatened by Insecurity, Underfunding

20, May 2019

Congo-Kinshasa: Ebola Containment Efforts Threatened by Insecurity, Underfunding 0

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies warns the Ebola epidemic in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo could spread to urban areas and across international borders because of heightened insecurity and a serious shortage of money. DR Congo Ministry of Health reports 1,739 cases of Ebola, including 1,147 deaths, which indicates a 66 percent fatality rate.

The Ebola epidemic in conflict-ridden North Kivu and Ituri provinces started 40 weeks ago on August 1. What is particularly frightening about the latest situation report is that 20 percent of overall cases have occurred in just the last three weeks.

The International Red Cross Federation finds this sharp upsurge alarming. It is urging the international community to redouble its efforts to contain this deadly virus before it escalates further.

The IFRC’s Director of Health and Care, Emanuele Capobianco, says the Ebola response faces a double jeopardy of insecurity and critical underfunding. He says the security situation is complex and will require a range of responses. But he notes the funding situation could be fixed now.

“At the moment, the financial situation for many of the humanitarian organizations is quite dire,” he said. “There is a real need to step up the response. Otherwise, activities will have to be scaled down and the impact on the future of the epidemic will be extremely serious.”

People who get infected with the Ebola virus have a very high risk of dying. Studies from the 2014 historic outbreak in West Africa show that between 60 and 80 percent of Ebola cases were linked to Ebola-infected bodies at traditional burials.

Capobianco says Red Cross efforts to provide communities with safe and dignified burials are meeting with increasing success.

“Up to now, there have been up to 5,000 safe and dignified burials conducted and they are conducted for, as I mentioned before, the people who died either in the community or the Ebola treatment centers of Ebola confirmed,” he said. Also, for people who may be just suspected of Ebola. And, that is why the number of 5,000 is so high. That is a critical part of the work that we have done and which, at the moment is threatened by the lack of funding.”

Capobianco says the Red Cross has received less than half of the $30 million it needs to carry out its Ebola-control activities across affected parts of DR Congo, as well as preparedness efforts in neighboring Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda.

He warns Red Cross operations will be forced to close within the next two weeks without additional urgent investment.

Source: VOA

Cameroon, Kenya Militaries Fighting Terrorism Through Development

20, May 2019

Cameroon, Kenya Militaries Fighting Terrorism Through Development 0

A delegation from the Kenyan military is sharing experience on how the Cameroon military engineering corps has taken over road construction projects in Boko Haram terrorism prone areas to use the example and develop areas of its territory threatened by Al-Shabab which they say is still a threat. The Kenyan delegation has been in Cameroon for several days.

A Cameroon military engineering corps compactor is constructing a portion of the road linking its northern border town of Kousseri to the Chadian capital Ndjamena and Borno state in northeastern Nigeria.

Colonel Jackson Kamgain, director of Cameroon military engineering corps, says they re-launched the World Bank-sponsored project in March 2018 after it had been abandoned for four years.

He said since independence in 1961, the Cameroon military engineering corps has participated actively in the development of all localities and insures that major projects in conflict zones are not abandoned unlike in many other countries where military engineering departments concentrate only on making access easy for troops in areas of war or conflicts.

Colonel Jackson Kamgain, director of Cameroon military engineering corps, says they re-launched the World Bank-sponsored project in March 2018.
Colonel Jackson Kamgain, director of Cameroon military engineering corps, says they re-launched the World Bank-sponsored project in March 2018.

The road project was interrupted in 2014 following an assault on the base camp of the Chinese road contractors in which 10 of their workers were kidnapped by suspected Boko Haram rebels. The kidnappers also stole 10 vehicles and a container of explosives. The workers escaped but road construction companies refused to resume work there for fear of the terrorists,

The government of Cameroon convinced project funders that its military engineering corps could construct the road even while the war against Boko Haram was raging. The World Bank provided about $125 million for the project, which is to be completed in 24 months.

General Mohamud Muhamed Ali, governor of Kenya’s Marsabit region and head of the 17-man Kenyan delegation of military and officials from the ministry of transport, said they came to Cameroon to learn from the Central African state’s experience.

“The military was challenged with a very very unique situation which is nor very normal in their line of duty. Because of serious level of insecurity where contractors have not been able to show any interest to undertake major construction work in the area infested by Boko Haram, they showed leadership and undertook that serious national project,” he said.

Ali said the Kenyan government’s plan to link the country with Somalia by constructing a link road to increase trade between the two countries has been facing threats from the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab insurgency.

In April 2019, the International Crisis Group reported that since 2015, al-Shabab has conducted over one hundred small-scale assaults in the north east of Kenya, killing dozens of soldiers and police, mostly with roadside bombs.

Fire and smoke rises from an explosion in Nairobi, Kenya, Jan. 15, 2019. An upscale hotel complex in Kenya's capital came under attack with a blast and heavy gunfire.
Fire and smoke rises from an explosion in Nairobi, Kenya, Jan. 15, 2019. An upscale hotel complex in Kenya’s capital came under attack with a blast and heavy gunfire.

Kenyan General James Gitiba, who was also in Cameroon, said African militaries will contribute more to reducing pain and suffering in the continent’s several conflict zones if they also embrace development initiatives that go beyond simply fighting enemies.

“Most militaries in Africa are known for the various basic function of enhancing mobility which is basically clearing a route for the troops to pass and also survivability. So for Cameroon this is a milestone and I think I could also urge other friendly countries to come here and learn,” he said.

Soldiers from Cameroon, Nigeria, Chad and Niger, part of the multi-national joint task force of the lake Chad Basin Commission, have been fighting Boko Haram terrorism that began in northeastern Nigeria 9 years ago and has left 25,000 people dead and forced more than 2.6 million others to flee their homes, according to the United Nations.

Source: VOA

Paris: Protesters call for Biya’s resignation

20, May 2019

Paris: Protesters call for Biya’s resignation 0

Hundreds of Cameroonians have held a huge protest in the diaspora and demanded for the resignation of President Paul Biya.

The anti-Biya protest held in Paris, France is adding up to a mounting pressure on the Biya regime.

Protesters displayed the pictures of the incarcerated leader of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement Party, Professor Maurice Kamto.

Anglophone Cameroon has been in turmoil for years now following security crackdown on separatists attempting to declare an independent state.

Cameroonians in English speaking regions say the French-dominated speaking country has discriminated against them for years.

85 year old President, Paul Biya was sworn in for his seventh term last year.

Mr. Biya had pledged to uphold the “integrity” and “unity” of his country. But he appears to be coming under intense pressure over some human rights abuses.

President Biya is however poised to extend his extend his 36-year rule, cementing his place among Africa’s longest serving leaders.

He will end his tenure at the age of 92. Biya came into power in 1982 when his predecessor then retired.

Source: Africafeeds

Nigerian UN peacekeeper killed in Mali

19, May 2019

Nigerian UN peacekeeper killed in Mali 0

A Nigerian peacekeeper was killed Saturday in an attack on the United Nations’ stabilization mission in Mali, the UN said.

The victim “succumbed to his wounds following the armed attack by unidentified assailants” in Timbuktu, a statement said. A Nigerian peacekeeper was also injured.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was “deeply saddened” by the assault, which he said could amount to a war crime.

In a separate incident Saturday, three Chadian peacekeepers were wounded when their mine-protected vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in Tessalit, in Mali’s Kidal region.

The UN’s MINUSMA mission was established in Mali after radical Islamist militias seized the north of the country in 2012. They were pushed back by French troops in 2013.

A peace agreement signed in 2015 by the Bamako government and armed groups was aimed at restoring stability. But the accord has failed to stop the violence.

Since their deployment in 2013, more than 190 peacekeepers have died in Mali, including nearly 120 killed by hostile action — making MINUSMA the UN’s deadliest peacekeeping operation, accounting for more than half of blue helmets killed globally in the past five years.

AFP

Attack on Manyu County: The Ambazonia Interim Government will benefit from this mayhem

19, May 2019

Attack on Manyu County: The Ambazonia Interim Government will benefit from this mayhem 0

The Manyu County has again become an important battle constituency not just for the Biya Francophone Beti Ewondo regime but for all the parties involved in the war in Southern Cameroon. The French Cameroun government army — backed by elements of the Rapid Intervention Battalion, BIR and the local gendarmerie is fighting Ambazonia Restoration Forces to take over the Eyumojock area. However, in the garb of fighting the Southern Cameroons Self Defense groups, the pro-Biya regime forces are attacking civilian settlements. The Ambazonian Vice President Dabney Yerima has condemned the recent French Cameroun land assault in the Manyu County.

On the 17th of May, three houses were burnt in Nchang village and five civilians were killed by Francophone soldiers. The Cameroon government army deployed in Manyu also fired shots at several homes in Ntenako killing scores of young men and reportedly arrested dozens.

“We have not gotten any strong condemnation from the so-called Prime Minister, the mayor of Mamfe including the Bishop of Mamfe whose voices are pretending to be interested in dialogue” noted a senior traditional ruler in Manyu who sued for anonymity.

The leader of the Manyu County government Seseskou Dr Ako Peter has been quoted as saying that

“Our girls and women have been raped. Thousands of our young men and women have been slaughtered and mostly buried in unmarked mass graves. Others have been maimed, while an even greater number has been displaced both internally and externally, being not sure of where their next meal is to come from. To crown all of these atrocious and dehumanizing treatment of our people, Mr Biya has now turned to humiliating our Chiefs, with the intention of ultimately desecrating our culture and rendering useless. This inhuman treatment of our people MUST be stopped.”

A recent report by the US Under Secretary for African Affairs, Tibor Naggy, on the threat posed by the war in Southern Cameroons to international peace and security, comes to the conclusion that the Biya regime will not be able to win the war via military force.

The Tibor Naggy report also raises ‘major concerns’ about not engaging the Southern Cameroons Diaspora and by extrapolation, the Ambazonian Interim Government to influence and impact the outcome of the crisis.

While the numbers of Ambazonian attacks against Cameroon government forces in recent times have become relatively low, Cameroon Intelligence Report understands that this could rise with the appointment of Vice President Dabney Yerima and his push towards reconciling all Southern Cameroons groups.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai with files from Rita Akana and Sama Ernest

Sasse Old Boys: Secretary General warns SOBA America against meddling in SOBA UK affairs

19, May 2019

Sasse Old Boys: Secretary General warns SOBA America against meddling in SOBA UK affairs 0

Fellow Sobans,

On 10th May 2019, the President of SOBA America published an interview conducted by Brian N. Njotsa in the 2019 SOBA America newsletter. President Mafany Itoe raised issues which misrepresent SOBA UK, the SOBA Constitution and the mediation efforts in the dispute in SOBA UK.

President Itoe was aware of the stage of the dispute now at the UK Company Names Tribunal adjudicator whilst giving his interview. His narrative was a dubious attempt to influence SOBA UK matters in favour of the splinter group which he supports. His account, albeit second hand, only goes to fuel animosity amongst members of our UK community and beyond.

Mindful of the good relationship between SOBA UK and SOBA America, and the need for continuous collaboration, we have found it necessary to respond to these unprecedented utterances by President Itoe regarding the UK association.

We denounce the following falsehoods perpetrated by President Itoe as follows;

1) That going by the Constitution (2018) the president of the splinter group is the recognised president of SOBA UK President Itoe should be well aware that there are two groups in the UK. President Akoh-Arrey is the elected president of 112 registered members of the original SOBA UK, which has been in existence for the last 48 years, a group that owns UK trademarks, “SASSE OLD BOYS ASSOCIATION UNITED KINGDOM”, and has built up and sustained significant goodwill both in its membership and the UK Cameroonian community.  The second SOBA group in the UK referred to as the splinter group was constituted on 7th Oct 2017 and has a separate membership and executive. This splinter group is much smaller and has yet to publish any official registration list of its members, assumed to be circa 20.

President Itoe’s comments show his arrogance and lack of respect for over 85% of Sobans in the UK who are registered and affiliated with the original group, and whose activities are a role model for Sobans around the world. Furthermore, he asserts his personal acceptance of the unratified 2018 SOBA Constitution and on those grounds declares that the president of the splinter group is the president of SOBA UK recognised by SOBA America. We note that President Itoe also calls himself the president of Sobans in the free world but he is yet to take the 2018 Constitution signed by Prof Ephraim Ndeh Ngwafor dated 10th March 2018 to the General Assembly (GA) of SOBA America. In a recent publication he underscored the importance of the GA but he has only personally ratified the 2018 Constitution which will be incongruent with the values of SOBA America if his own GA is bypassed.

2) That SOBA Chapters are like KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) franchises  It is most disconcerting to read such a weak comparison and notice misleading conclusions about the structure of SOBA by President Itoe. KFC’s franchises enter into a commercial agreement at inception to offer a well-defined product for which goodwill has already been created and royalties may be charged. SOBA on the other hand consists of members who are ex-students of Sasse College and who have a fundamental right to set up chapters, class groups or other parochial groups in the jurisdictions where they settle. The 1991 SOBA Constitution recognises this fundamental structure of SOBA and devolves powers to the members to run their affairs as they see fit, and through the operations of an assembly of members, both in spirit and in practice.

President Itoe shows a lack of insight on the practical realities when he compares SOBA chapters to KFC franchises;

  • Beginning with his own chapter, SOBA America, as an example, Ernest N. Tate, Esq, a legal expert in the US wrote that – “from a legal vantage point, neither SOBA America Inc nor Sasse Alumni Association, Inc have any direct legal affiliation with SOBA General or Sasse Old Boys Association in Cameroon and therefore, no constitutional amendments, resolutions, or corporate actions taken by Sasse Old Boys Association in Cameroon can affect SOBA America Inc or Sasse Alumni Association Inc, regardless of who participated in the adoption of such amendments or resolutions”.
  • Another example is SOBA Foundation, Germany. This chapter was set up as an NGO that receives funding from the German Government to undertake benevolent activities and operate under the terms of its set up. For many years SOBA Foundation has had no contact or affiliation to the national branch in Cameroon.
  • Finally, SOBA UK and SOBA Ireland are set up as unincorporated associations, and have only ever had a loose collaborative connection with the national branch, and like all other diaspora chapters, do not pay any registration fee to SOBA in Cameroon.

To this end, we categorically reject President Itoe’s comparison of SOBA to KFC.

3) Apportioning blame of mediation failure attempts to the Akoh-Arrey team Conflict resolution often requires careful consideration of the feuding parties before prescribing the engagement method. It is regrettable that mediation attempts from both the Itoe-backed team and Prof Ngwafor lacked the capability, neutrality or good faith to deliver a successful outcome. Prof Ngwafor has a history of animosity with the Akoh-Arrey team since the 2015 Sickbay MOU debacle, and therefore his intervention was biased.

The Itoe-backed mediation lacked patience with the Akoh-Arrey team who asked to get the SOBA UK GA’s opinion. These supposed mediators then called off the process prematurely to give green light to the high-handed approach of their superiors in the national branch to ban UK Sobans for life, a decision which has since been dismissed by the SOBA UK General Assembly.

In conclusion, we denounce all misrepresentations made by President Itoe of SOBA America in his interview. His intervention, whilst also taking sides, has made matters worse, not better. Our fervent wish is that he can take some responsibility and help to sort out the perilous state of affairs that his final days as president of SOBA America are turning out to be, before his departure.

Mr. John Bawak

Executive SG,

On behalf of the 112 Registered Members of SOBA UK

Man Utd ‘rejected in bid for Ajax’s £35m-rated keeper Andre Onana’

19, May 2019

Man Utd ‘rejected in bid for Ajax’s £35m-rated keeper Andre Onana’ 0

MANCHESTER UNITED have failed in a bid for Ajax keeper Andre Onana, it has been claimed.

United are said to have seen an offer of £35million knocked back by the Dutch giants for the Cameroon international.

Manchester United have seen a bid for Ajax keeper Andre Onana rejected amid doubts over the future of David De Gea
Manchester United have seen a bid for Ajax keeper Andre Onana rejected amid doubts over the future of David De Gea

The Daily Record claims the Old Trafford club made their move amid ongoing concerns over the future of David De Gea at the club.

And it remains to be seen if they will return with an improved bid as the major overhaul at United starts to begin kicking into gear.

Onana, 25,  has been an impressive performer for club and country over the past few years, leading to him catching the eye of Red Devils scouts.

But the fact the club have gone as far as making an offer suggests there is huge doubt over the long-term prospects for De Gea.

The Spanish international is about to enter the final year of his existing deal with the club who are desperate for him to commit his future there.

STALLED

But talks over a new £350,000-a-week deal have stalled in recent months, at the same time De Gea lost his form and made a series of high-profile mistakes.

There were even calls for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to drop the 28-year-old as his errors played a part in the exit from the Champions League and then the fall down to sixth in the Premier League.

United only qualifying for the Europa League next season, and Solskjaer admitting the club need a miracle to be challenging for the title next year, will also have been noted by De Gea who wants to be playing at the top level now he is in the peak years of his career.

Paris Saint-Germain have been monitoring his progress closely and United know they face a decision over whether to sell him this summer while they can still command a fee of risk losing him on a free transfer in 12 months.

Onana is regarded as a top class keeper who has been watched by a number of sides across Europe, and crucially he is still relatively young and has plenty of his best years ahead of him.

That means he fits the mould of the type of player Solskjaer and the United board want to sign as they try to build a new-look side of young players with promise.

Source: The Sun UK

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