Life

26, April 2023

Ireland: Cameroonian women travel to Dublin to thank nuns who taught them ⁰

A group of 21 women are travelling to Dublin to show their appreciation for Irish nuns who taught them in Cameroon during the 1980s.

The women, who are all graduates of Lourdes Secondary School for Girls in Mankon, a town in western Cameroon, will be paying tribute to the Holy Rosary Sisters, who empowered them when they were teenagers.

The group, who called themselves the “Pacesetters”, include members who have worked and travelled the world, some earning PhDs and Masters with careers in engineering, nursing, medicine and more.

They are due to land in Dublin Airport this afternoon.

Dr Claire Minang, one of the students from the class of 1986, said the trip was an opportunity to thank the sisters.

“They gave us everything we needed to excel in the world when we got out. That’s why we’re so grateful,” she told RTÉ News.

During their trip to Dublin, the group will be visiting Sr Mary Neville, 90, who served as their principal.

For Nagella Nwana Nukuna, now a technical manager at DuPont, the multinational chemicals firm, the school, while strict and structured, allowed them to grow.

“They were loving sisters to us. And, as we have grown up, we could all see that that level of structure is sometimes good,” Ms Nakuna said.

Although Sr Mary has long since retired, she remembers her time at the school, and her time with her girls fondly.

She said that each of the women appreciated the opportunity of education, during a time when it was generally the males that went to highs school and further education.

“The girls were anxious to make the best of their opportunity, and they worked very hard. I found them very conscientious and responsible people,” she said.

Sr Mary also applauded their parents who sent them to the school, acknowledging that, for many, it was a big financial sacrifice.

During her time there, she tried to ensure the best learning environment, working closely with the other teachers and prefects, even banning corporal punishment.

“I encouraged them to say what kind of school they want, how are you going to achieve that and having great pride in your own compound, in your school and in your own family” Sr Mary said.

Nogwa Fonjoe, who now works in cloud computing, remembers joining the school. She said that she had initially felt homesick after leaving her parents’ home.

However, despite the often strict curriculum and daily structure, she credits Sr Mary and the rest of the Holy Rosary Sisters for teaching her discipline.

Speaking to RTÉ News, she said it helped the students be more organised.

“It helped us appreciate what a good education is and we’re able to pass that on as well to our children.”

Today, the women are all still in touch with each other, regularly in contact through WhatsApp and supporting each other through their milestones.

For Sr Mary, it is an opportunity to reunite with the girls she once knew and celebrate the heights they have reached.

“Now they’ll be women, some of them grandmothers, well dressed and very mature. I’m so excited to be meeting them again.”

Source: RTE

16, April 2023

More children die after taking fake cough syrup in Cameroon ⁰

More children have died in Cameroon after consuming a fake cough syrup, health authorities have revealed.

The deadly fake medicine is branded “Naturcold”, purportedly made by a company named “Fraken Group”, the regional delegate for public health in Northwest Province, Dr Kingsley Che Soh said.

The drug caused fatal kidney failure in six children in the Northwest region, all were under the age of five.

In March, health officials in Southwest Cameroon said three children died from consuming the same fake medicine.

The Directorate of Pharmacy, Drugs and Laboratories at the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Eko Eko warned the drug contained two dangerous ingredients that caused the death of the children.

Their families are said to have bought the drugs along the roadside from unauthorised dealers. These unlicensed dealers often move around selling the medication door-to-door, or out of boxes in markets.

Street dealers

Dr Kingsley Che Soh has warned the population to avoid consuming the product and stay away from drugs sold along the roadside as it may be dangerous to health.

At markets, and other public places, many unlicensed medicine stores operate under the watchful eyes of the government, yet they lack basic documents authorising them to do so.

Drugs displayed in Cameroon’s national capital Yaoundé

Alex Efiti, who lives in Douala, says it is easy for him to buy drugs along the roadside because it is cheap and accessible.

“Drugs are very expensive in pharmacies. It is not my level. I prefer buying from the guys who move around with it because I trust them and they are cheap”, he said.

Asked about the dangers of consuming these fake drugs, Alex said he has been consuming street medication for years and it has not affected him negatively.

Many believe in these medicine dealers, despite the news of the children’s deaths.

“My aunt got so mad at me for buying her drug at the pharmacy. She wanted me to get it from her usual drug dealer,” said another customer called Samira. “When I tried to tell her it was dangerous, she kept asking me why has it not killed her.”

Deaths

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime warns that fake medical products kill almost half a million sub-Saharan Africans every year.

Its new threat assessment report says as many as 267,000 deaths per year are recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa, all linked to falsified and substandard antimalarial medicines.

“In addition, up to 169,271 are linked to falsified and substandard antibiotics used to treat severe pneumonia in children”, it added.

The government of Cameroon has made some strides in stopping the circulation of fake drugs, yet the population is still exposed to them.

Sources say the majority of fake drugs are smuggled into the country from neighbouring countries through porous border control. Cameroon made a series of arrests last year related to illicit drug circulation.

Punished

Running an unlicensed pharmacy in Cameroon is illegal.

The same law prohibits the display and distribution of drugs on the public road, in fairs or markets. It further forbids even those with a degree in pharmacy to sell drugs by the roadside.

Anyone selling fake or expired drugs, or intends to sell a fake drug, altered or harmful to human health, can be punished with a jail sentence of up to three years and a fine of up to 3,000,000 CFA francs.

Despite all these laws, the fake drug stores continue to operate in complicity with health agents, forces of law and order and the population. People even sometimes refuse to point out these dealers when health operators carry out controls.

Government Health Minister Manaouda Malachie announced last year his ministry was working on the creation of a national agency for medicines, that will regulate the drug market and strengthen the fight against street drugs.

Source: Humangle

20, March 2023

Brenda Biya Eyenga sued for defamation by singer Dencia ⁰

A Cameroonian singer is suing a daughter of the president of the plaintiff’s native African country, alleging in a multimillion- dollar complaint that the defendant and her friend defamed her on the social media in 2021 by accusing her of dealing drugs and being involved in identity theft and fraud.

Singer Dencia, whose real name is Reprudentia Sonkey, brought the Van Nuys Superior Court lawsuit on Wednesday against Anastasie Brenda Biya Eyenga, the daughter of Cameroon President Paul Biya, and a friend of Eyenga, Marie Therese Yabit. The complaint also alleges civil harassment and both intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

“Defendants’ baseless smears succeeded in backlashing at (Dencia) and destroying her professional career,” the suit states.

Dencia seeks at least $75 million in damages. Representatives for Eyenga and Yabit could not be immediately reached for comment on the suit brought Wednesday, which the Thousand Oaks resident filed on her own behalf without an attorney.

In addition to being an entertainer, Dencia has created several skin care and clothing brands, set up various businesses and founded the skin care brand “Whitenicious by Dencia,” of which she was the president and CEO, the suit states.

Her companies flourished due to her reputation as a popular Cameroonian singer and trustworthy entrepreneur in skin care products, the suit states.

In July 2015, Dencia was contacted by Eyenga’s public relations manager, who told the plaintiff that Eyenga, who eventually moved to Beverly Hills, admired her work and wanted her help in producing a photo shoot and in setting up her own brand, the suit states.

“During the years that followed, both (Dencia) and Eyenga maintained a cordial relationship,” the suit states. “They would both make text exchanges on a regularly basis.”

Eyenga returned to Cameroon in 2019 and the two lost contact, the suit states. In June 2021, Dencia was preparing to go to Cameroon the next month in the company of other musicians, including rapper Trey Songz, when a representative for Eyenga allegedly contacted the plaintiff about a birthday engagement and performing at Eyenga’s new hotel.

Eyenga asked Dencia for help getting her Instagram account certified, the suit states. But in a subsequent dispute, Eyenga accused Dencia of creating a fake account and trying to impersonate her, even though the plaintiff explained she was preoccupied with the death of her sister from cancer and could not help Eyenga get her account certified as the plaintiff had hoped, the suit states.

Eyenga, allegedly with Yabit’s help, accused Dencia on social media of identity theft and of being a “scammer” and a “fraudster,” the suit states.

“The news quickly made a media buzz about (Dencia) based on Eyenga’s allegations,” the suit states. “(Dencia’s) reputation was being trampled on by the daughter of the president of the Republic of Cameroon in a totally unjustified way.”

Dencia’s companies suffered losses and the stature she worked hard to establish has been damaged, causing her emotional distress, according to her suit, which further seeks a court order preventing any more allegedly defamatory postings.

Source: City News Service

13, March 2023

Exit of a Cameroonian icon: ALPHONSE BÉNI dies aged 77 ⁰

The world of African cinema is in mourning with the disappearance of Alphonse Béni.

The Cameroonian director and actor died at the age of 77 following illness on Sunday. Born in 1946 in Nkongsamba, he left behind a cinematographic heritage marked by diversity and quality.

Alphonse Béni began his career in the 1970s as an actor. He notably played in French erotic comedies under the name of Alfons Beny and Chris Kelly. But it was as a director that he became known in Cameroon. He shot several auteur films, notably “The Choice of Akissi” in 1975 and “The Two Faces of Life” in 1981.

Alphonse Béni’s works were often marked by a reflection on the human condition and social injustices. He has also explored themes such as love, family, and cultural identity in his films. His work has been praised by many film fans and critics for its quality and originality.

Beyond his work as a director, Alphonse Béni was also a passionate teacher. He has taught cinema at several schools and universities in Africa, helping to train the next generation of African filmmakers.

The death of Alphonse Béni is a huge loss for the African film industry. His cinematographic achievements have influenced and inspired many African filmmakers. It has also paved the way for greater diversity of representation in cinema, thus contributing to the cultural enrichment of the continent.

The world of African cinema and cinema in general is losing a great artist and an important voice. Alphonse Béni will forever be remembered as a talented and committed filmmaker who left an indelible mark on the African film industry.

The disappearance of Alphonse Béni is a great loss for African cinema. He contributed to the creation of a unique cinematographic heritage and inspired many African filmmakers. His contribution to the film industry will never be forgotten, and his work will continue to inspire generations to come.

Source: archyde

3, March 2023

Popular Cameroonian singer Corry Denguemo dies aged 45 ⁰

Former member of the music group “Macase”, Denguemo Louise Corrine, has been announced dead following an illness.

Corry Denguemo as she was popularly known, passed away on March 2, in Paris, at the age of 45.

The music artist and songwriter rose to prominence as the main singer of the “Macase” music group, with which she won several awards including “Prix decouverte RFI”.

She commenced a solo career in 2011.

Denguemo Corrine was born in Oveng in the South region of Cameroon, on 18 August 1977.

Source: Betatinz

28, February 2023

Equatorial Guinea: Death toll in Marburg outbreak rises to 11 ⁰

Two more people in Equatorial Guinea have died of Marburg haemorrhagic fever, a cousin of the Ebola virus, bringing the toll of fatalities to 11, the authorities say.

“Two days ago, the monitoring system recorded eight notifications, including the deaths of two people with symptoms of the disease,” Health Minister Mitoha Ondo’o Ayekaba said in a statement issued late Tuesday.

Work is underway “to strengthen assessment of the spread of the epidemic,” said the statement, read on national television.

“Forty-eight contact cases have been documented, four of whom have developed symptoms, and three who have been quarantined in hospital,” it added.

The Marburg virus is a rare but highly dangerous pathogen that causes severe fever, often accompanied by bleeding and organ failure.

It is part of the so-called filovirus family that also includes the Ebola virus, which has wreaked havoc in several previous outbreaks in Africa.

The central African state announced on February 13 that nine people had died from Marburg between January 7 and February 7.

The UN’s World Health Organization (WHO) held an emergency session the following day.

The national authorities have declared a health alert in the remote northeastern province of Kie-Ntem province and in the neighbouring district of Mongomo, which are located on the border with Cameroon and Gabon.

Measures include a lockdown plan implemented in collaboration with the WHO.

In their statement of February 13, the authorities had reported only three cases of infection in addition to the fatalities — individuals who were being isolated with “mild symptoms” in hospital.

The natural host of the Marburg virus is the African fruit bat, which carries the virus but does not fall sick from it.

But the animals can pass the virus to primates in close proximity, including humans, and human-to-human transmission then occurs through contact with blood or other bodily fluids.

Fatality rates in confirmed cases have ranged from 24 percent to 88 percent in previous outbreaks, depending on the virus strain and case management, according to the WHO.

There are currently no approved vaccines or antiviral treatments.

Potential treatments, including blood products, immune therapies and drug therapies, as well as early candidate vaccines are being evaluated, the WHO says.

Source: AFP

23, February 2023

Mamfe District Hospital Fire: More people are dying ⁰

You never know what you have until you lose it and this aptly applies to the people of Mamfe, indeed, the entire Manyu Division following the burning of the Division’s lone hospital.

It is almost one year since some God-forsaken arsonists set the Mamfe District Hospital on fire and for one year, the population of Manyu Division has been dealing with a challenging situation as the people are passing through tough health challenges.

Although the government promptly relocated the services which were provided by the Mamfe District Hospital to the preventive health facility in Mamfe, the services at the hospital’s new location leave much to be desired, as health staffs are now bound to treat through guesswork instead by running tests because there are no pieces of medical equipment.

The equipment at the Mamfe District Hospital was damaged alongside the infrastructure when the arsonists set the hospital ablaze.

Many people are dropping dead like flies in Mamfe due to the lack of equipment to properly diagnose their diseases with a view to providing much-needed treatment.

This was the case of a nurse who worked at the Mamfe District Hospital before the heartless arsonists sent an entire people into a state of medical uncertainty.

Mbi Semoh, a native of Ndekwai, a village some four miles from the Mamfe District Hospital, spent a good part of her life helping the sick at that hospital before the hospital was burned down to ashes. Nobody ever thought that the very first victims of this unfortunate situation would be health workers who had spent their entire lives helping others.

Ms. Mbi last week lost her battle against an unknown illness which had attacked her just a few days earlier.

The absence of state-of- the-art equipment implied Ms. Mbi would take medication without knowing exactly what was ailing her.

The time of voodoo medicine has long gone, but Manyu Division, one of the Divisions in the country with many intellectuals, has been rolled back into the dark ages when demon-possessed arsonists set a modern health facility on fire one year ago.

Ms. Mbi’s case is not isolated. Children, women and the old are dropping dead in Mamfe and it seems nothing can be done to stem this tide of death which is sending many sons and daughters of Manyu to an early grave.

The Mamfe District Hospital is a government health facility and government matters are usually painfully slow.

Nobody knows if there is a budget for the reconstruction of the Mamfe District Hospital which has stood the people of Manyu in good stead for decades.

While things appear to be gloomy, there is however a silver lining on the dark ominous clouds which have been hanging over Manyu for a year.

Manyu sons and daughters around the world are concerned about the family members they have left behind.

No true son or daughter of Manyu forgets his people, even when he or she has been away from home for decades. Putting smiles on the faces of his or her relatives is the hallmark of the Manyu man and woman, and this explains why there were spontaneous reactions when news that the lone hospital in Manyu Division had been burned down.

In the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland, women associations, especially MOHWA, immediately sprang into action to mobilize resources for the equipment of the hospital once the government completes the reconstruction. There are CFAF millions sitting in Banks in the West waiting for the right moment for them to migrate to Cameroon.

MECA Toronto in Canada also has a running fundraiser and many people have already sent in their modest contributions though there will still be a massive fundraiser for the hospital in the summer of 2023.

Back home, the Division’s political authorities led by the Minister in Charge of Special Duties at the Presidency, Victor Mengot Arrey, have also raised money for the Mamfe District Hospital and they too are frustrated with the long wait as they are aware that death is hanging over their people like the Sword of Damocles.

A source close to the government has revealed that Manyu Members of Parliament have been in touch with the Minister of Public Health about this hospital.

The source added that a Manyu MP even asked questions during a parliamentary plenary session in November 2022 to the Minister of Public Health about the burned down hospital.

The source also added that Minister Mengot had been active, stressing that he had contacted the Reconstruction Program when Minister Tassong was the Coordinator and something concerning the Mamfe District Hospital is in the pipeline.

Despite these efforts, the people of Manyu Division will have to continue to wait, though death is threatening to claim more lives. The desperation in Manyu has driven many people into the waiting hands of false prophets who are doing their best to offer false consolation in a situation which clearly needs vivid medical solutions.

Due to the uncertainty, many Manyu sons and daughters around the world are calling on those responsible for fundraisers abroad to purchase equipment and send home with whatever is available.

They are calling on MOHWA and Ekpe to step up to the plate and provide much-needed leadership during these trying moments. EKPE USA, in particular, is expected to come up with a clear plan on how more money can be raised for state-of-the- art equipment to be purchased and sent home.

By Dr. Joachim Arrey

21, February 2023

Yaoundé: University students bear the brunt of surging food prices ⁰

When the 2022-23 school year resumed in Cameroon’s universities in October 2022, Rose Amandy, a second-year law student at the University of Yaounde 11, Soa, was surprised at the sharp increase in the prices of basic commodities in the local market near campus. This has made life perilous, she said because, unfortunately, the food allowance her parents provided for the semester remained the same.

“The prices of some basic food items have increased by over 50% and this is making life hard for students who depend on our parents. Unfortunately, my allowance from my parents has not changed and this makes it difficult. My semester allowance that was meant to last three months cannot support me for a month,” she complained.

“A tray of eggs that used to sell at XAF1,000 (Central African franc, equal to US$1.62) has gone up to XAF1,500 (US$2.43), while a kilo of rice increased from XAF400 (US$0.65) in 2021 to XAF650 (about US$1) in 2022,” she said.

Like Amandy, University students in the major cities in Cameroon say they are going without food to pay the higher transport fees to school and foregoing social activities in a bid to continue their education in a tough economic environment.

Inflationary pressures on food products have intensified in Cameroon since the start of the Ukraine war.

Difficult global economy

According to the Minister of Trade Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, the increase in the prices of mostly imported food items is the consequence of a perilous global economy triggered by the Ukraine war and the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The increase in prices of basic food items is not an isolated situation in Cameroon. It is the consequence of a difficult global economy,” the minister told the press at the end of 2022 to justify the increase in prices.

According to the Cameroon National Institute of Statistics, the country had a general inflation rate of 6.61% in August 2022, which is above the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) zone inflation threshold of 3%. Compared with the same month in 2021, general inflation in August 2022 increased by 7.4% in Yaoundé and 6.6% in Douala, driven by a 14.5% to 14.9% increase in food prices – in particular oils and fats, bread and cereals, and meats. During this period, prices of locally produced food products in these cities also rose by 13.3% to 14.4%.

Benson Agbor, an economics student at the University of Yaounde 1, says he can barely buy food. “Now I am obliged to draw up a scale of preference when shopping as prices for commodities and services continue to rise,” he said.

Students suffer due to high prices

Students who live off campus had to deal with an increase in urban transport fares from XAF250 to XAF300 (about US$0.35). At the beginning of February 2023, the government, after conferring with the urban transport union, increased taxi fares following an increase in fuel prices from XAF650 to XAF750 a litre.

At the universities of Bamenda and Buea in the Northwest and Southwest regions where armed conflict between government regular soldiers and Anglophone rebels fighting for independence continues, the increase in staple food prices has exacerbated an already challenging situation for university students.

“Access to food has been difficult here for the past five years since the Anglophone crisis began. Now, with inflation characterised by hikes in food prices, we are going to die of hunger,” said Akuro Jane, a student in the faculty of education at the University of Bamenda.

The scarcity in food supply has continued to increase following global and internal crises, experts say.

According to the World Food Programme 2022 report, the onset of the war in Ukraine on 24 February 2022 saw price hikes globally on key commodities exported by both Ukraine and Russia, such as wheat, maize, and also fuel and fertiliser. This has had major implications for food security on the African continent, including in Cameroon, where food commodity prices have been on the rise.

Cameroon should become more independent

Despite proving resilient to shocks, including multiple crises in the northern part of the country, the north-west and south-west regions, Cameroon’s economic growth continues to be hampered by structural factors, including the over-reliance on oil, high debt levels, and limited investment in job-creating sectors, especially agriculture. As a result, Cameroon failed to reach its objective of achieving an average 5.5% annual growth during the 2010-20 time frame of its Growth and Employment Strategy Paper, experts say.

“Cameroon needs to depart from over-reliance on imports and adopt the policy of encouraging local production, especially the transformation of its primary agricultural products,” said Dieudonné Essomba, economist and former director in the ministry of the economy.

Finance Minister Louis-Paul Motaze, however, said the government is not folding its arms in the face of the crises. The government aims to keep public debt below 50% of GDP during the current fiscal year, despite the CEMAC target threshold of about 70%.

Plans to lower prices for students

The government has also announced the intensification of price controls in 2023 on some consumer products, including alcohol, margarine, sugar, refined vegetable oils, pasta and soap, in addition to some goods used in the construction industry, such as cement, tiles, electric cabling and paint.

Following complaints by university authorities, the ministry of commerce has announced a move to bring food items to university communities at lower prices.

“We are seeking to organise some temporal measures with mobile markets through shopping vans around university vicinities, with goods sold at wholesale market prices,” the minister of trade announced recently.

Source: University World News

21, February 2023

Queen of the Rosary College Okoyong- Mamfe, Celebrates a year after the Arson Attack ⁰

Staff and students of Queen of the Rosary college Okoyong, the first girls school in Cameroon, met and reflected on the progress of their school, a year after an arson attack which many thought would lead to the closing of the school.

The ceremony which took place on February 12, started with a thanksgiving mass in the college chapel and was presided over by the school chaplain.

After mass, the staff, students and guests gathered in the Rosary Hall where activities such as singing, dancing and drama took place. The event was also marked by the sharing of food and drinks.

Speaking during the event, the Principal, Rev. Sr Rosemary Arrah, said that the occasion was to thank God Almighty for keeping the students safe and to also thank the staff and parents for their continuous support in ensuring that the school keeps growing despite all odds.

Created in 1956 in Okoyong, a small village four miles away from Mamfe in Manyu Division, Queen of the Rosary College has been home to many young girls and women who travel from far and wide in pursuit of formal education.

The college started experiencing a decline in enrollment at the start of the armed conflict with the rise in insecurity in the area, just after celebrating its sixtieth anniversary.

It should be recalled that, on the night of February 10, 2022, unknown gunmen attacked the campus and set two dormitories ablaze. This caused fear and panic amongst students and parents, who did not hesitate to rush and check on their children after getting the news.

To the surprise of many, their enrollment doubled the following academic year despite the incident which had occurred.

The event was, indeed, colourful as students from the four different houses were seen with their brightly coloured uniforms.

By Cecilia Manjang

18, February 2023

Biya regime bans corporal punishment in schools following teacher’s flogging incident ⁰

Cameroon’s Minister of Secondary Education, Prof Pauline Nalova Lyonga, has announced a ban on corporal punishment in schools following a recent incident where a teacher was caught on video flogging students.

Despite being illegal, corporal punishment is still widespread in some schools, with more than 50% of children from state schools reporting that they have received such punishment.

Flogging is one of the most common forms of punishment given to students, often for minor errors, which has led many children to abandon school. Other forms of punishment in schools include forcing students to stand in various positions for extended periods or publicly flogging them, an act that the Minister of Secondary Education has condemned.

The minister insists that any teacher who wants to sanction a student in school must do so in strict compliance with the terms of article V of the 1998 law of the country, which prescribes the respect of the child’s dignity.

Schools caught inflicting pain on students will be severely sanctioned, and any teacher caught punishing a student will also face serious consequences.

The decision to ban corporal punishment in schools is a positive step towards creating a safe and positive learning environment for all students. It is essential that the government and school authorities ensure that the ban is enforced, and alternative measures are taken to maintain discipline while respecting the rights and dignity of the children.

Source: MandyNews