By Noela EBOB BISONG
The out-gone president of Fako Lawyers Association FAKLA, Barrister Asoh Ebi Epey of Peace Law Firm Limbe, is now aiming for a position at the Cameroon Bar Council, after successfully leading FAKLA in two consecutive mandates. Barr Epey was FAKLA’s president from December 2020 to November 2024, wherein fresh elections were held to usher in the new FAKLA president, in the person of Barr. Nouvelliza Eta-Besong Njiminoh.
In a press chat in his Chambers recently, the erstwhile FAKLA boss who took his first oath as Pupil-advocate-in-training in 2008, said he has acquired ample leadership skills which can help push the next Bar Council to greater heights.
Having been in Chambers as an Aspirant since 2003, Barr Epey did his training at Liberty Law Firm, Mutengene, under the tutelage of late renowned Barr, Bonu Innocent. The ambitious young advocate will then take his second oath as a full-fledged advocate in 2011, going ahead to open his Chambers, Peace Law Firm same year.
FAKLA journey
Barr Epey became a member of FAKLA in 2009 and was voted financial secretary of the association in the election that year. He served for two mandates until 2015 under Barr Ajong Stanislaus as president. In 2015 under Barr Agbor Balla as FAKLA president, Barr Epey was elected Public Relations Officer and Spokesman for one mandate.
He later returned to FAKLA executive in 2020 as he won the presidency. “I took over FAKLA during the crisis period; lawyers had been out of work for a very long period of time; there were differences, issues and opinions…I was faced with the huge task of rebuilding the association and cause members to regain confidence in FAKLA leadership”, he explained, at the close of his second mandate.
Owing thanks to the efforts of past FAKLA leaders, Barr Epey says during their time in office, his team was able to, among other things, rebuild confidence in FAKLA and tried to rebrand the association for the population to see lawyers as the leaders that they are and worked in close collaboration with the Cameroon Bar Association in helping it to successfully carry out its functions.
“We also focused on trainings (about five free trainings with focus on professional development and ethics of lawyers), brought in the aspect of awards and recognition of lawyers, created friendly ties with other institutions (for lawyers’ benefit), increased strength of solidarity and numbers etc.”
He furthered that, “FAKLA now has a bank account; we have clean and straight records. We were also able to make our voices heard on a number of issues on human rights. We ensured that FAKLA was full of activities”, he tells.
On the aspect of challenges faced in the course of his two mandates, Barr Epey regrets that, “We lost quite a good number of FAKLAns. We also faced the challenge of ‘generational gap’; however, I was able to win the confidence of seniors. We equally encountered challenges with some Magistrates and Administrators, especially coming on the heels of the crisis.”
As he quits the FAKLA front stage, Barr Epey says, “I will love to be remembered as that president who rebuilt FAKLA and brought back confidence in the association. At the helm of FAKLA, I have been a solution provider; my leadership was solution-oriented. From what we have done, am certain that the next administration will be able to function smoothly”, he says.
Next move
After the Saturday, November 23 FAKLA elections, Barr Epey maintained that he will remain a member of FAKLA and stay very close to the activities of the association because, “FAKLA is our home.”
He however revealed that, “I think my next stop should be the Cameroon Bar Council because I believe I have gained so much experience in leadership concerning lawyers. I understand the problems of lawyers, I understand the day-to-day issues in the profession…I have been in continuous practice since 2003 as an Aspirant. I have never spent up to a month out of practice. I am a candidate to be member of the Cameroon Bar Council in the elections which come up on January 18, 2025”.
45-year-old Barr Epey, furthering on his interest to join the Cameroon Bar Council said, “I picked up leadership skills during my training at Liberty Law Firm and a couple of leadership roles were given to me. Along the way, I developed interest after winning the confidence of fellow advocates especially the seniors in the field.”
He opines that, “With the support that I enjoy from FAKLAns, the Anglophone community, members of the Cameroon Bar Association generally, I believe the move will yield good results come January 18.”