BY TALLA AGHAA CHRISTOPHER
The Bakundu Chiefs’ Conference crisis which was believed to have been given a befitting burial some years aback has resurfaced, THE SUN has been reliably informed.
The flames of the crisis were reignited recently during the abortive Meme Chiefs’ Conference when the chiefs of Bakundu came in dispersed ranks.
The Meme Chiefs’ Conference elective general assembly was convened by the president, Senator Nfon V.E Mukete to hold on Wednesday, December 6th, 2017 but could not hold because the Meme administration refused to give an authaurisation for the meeting.
The last Meme Chiefs’ Conference Elective general Assembly took place in March 2014 and going by their constitution, the body’s presidency was supposed to move to the Bakundu tribe after Nfon Mukete of the Bafaw tribe, who took over from the Mbonge tribe in 2014.
Though the conference was postponed till further notice, traditional rulers from the 36 villages that make up the Bakundu Clan in Meme division reportedly arrived the conclave in dispersed ranks.
Sources close to the Bakundu Chiefs’ conference told the THE SUN that the crisis that had been rocking the body since 2015 is far from over despite the intervention of the former Senior Divisional Officer, SDO, for Meme Koulbout Aman David who had called on the chiefs to bury their hatchets and form a united front.
It should be recalled that the crux of the Bakundu Chiefs’ Conference crisis stems from the differences between two prominent and powerful bodies in the clan; the Bakundu Chiefs’ Conference, BCC, and the Bakundu Cultural and Development Union, BACDU.
There has been a fierce fight as to which body is superior to other and which is therefore answerable to which. This issue put two prominent sons of the clan at loggerheads with each holding firmly and uncompromisingly to their position of superiority.
While Hon. Chief Motase Ngoh David of Great Mbakwa Supe, President of BCC, holds that Bakundu Chiefs’ Conference is a stronger body and has and superior to BACDU, Hon Justice Benjamin, President of BACDU and other chiefs hold that BCC should be answerable to BACDU.
Following this apparent rift, some chiefs aligned to Hon. Chief. Motase announced the dismissal of Hon. Justice Benjamin Itoe as president of BACDU. They were however paid back in their own coins when supporters of Benjamin Itoe also announced the dismissal of Hon. Motase as president of BCC.
The then SDO of Meme stepped in and asked the chiefs to come up with a new constitution but nothing has been done to that effect ever since despite several reconciliation meetings taking place.
It is against this backdrop that that the Bakundu Chiefs arrived to the Meme Chiefs’ Conference last week to present a candidate to take up the Meme Chiefs’ Conference presidency.
Though the meeting was later postponed, the Bakundu chiefs had earlier been seen doing some serious politicking. While some Bakundu chiefs wanted a young and dynamic chief as president, others preferred an older and wiser person to lead. While Hon Chief Motase held their cards close to their chest, the other camp backed by Hon Justice Benjamin Itoe was joggling between two candidates. Their camp had Chief Duala Rudolf Itoe of Bombe Bakundu and Chief Nwango Andreas of Ndoi Bakundu.
While Chief Duala Rudolf, elder brother of Hon. Justice Benjamin Itoe, is considered dynamic and experienced after having served as a civil administrator before going on retirement some two decades ago, many say his age is too advanced to handle the position and instead prefer Chief Nwango Andreas who they say is young and easily reachable.
Others were of the opinion that since both candidates are 2nd class chiefs, the clan should go for a third option; HRH Chief Ndoh Oscar of Kake I, who is a 2nd class chief. This option was also criticized by some, arguing that the chief already occupies the position of Paramount Ruler of the Bakundus and would have his hands full.