BY NORBERT WASSO BINDE AND SIMON NDIVE KALLA
The President of the Republic of Cameroon, President, Paul Biya on Thursday, January 19, 2023 signed a communique appointing/transferring Senior Divisional Officers, SDO in the country.
Among the transfers, Fako SDO, Chaibou was transfered to Nyong et Kelle Division and was replaced by Viang Mekala the SDO for Manyu Division.
It should be noted that Fako SDO, Chaibou was commissioned into his function as Fako Senior Divisional officer in July 23, 2022 by South West Governor, Okalia Bilai Bernard with firm instructions to politicians in the region to “leave Chaibou out of their political quarrels”.
He told them to rather make good use of the newly installed S.D.O in the development of the division and not as a partner in their fight for political leadership and settlement of scores.
Many pundits were of the opinion that Chaibou was appointed to clean the “Fako Augean stable”. Indeed, before his coming, Fako Division was in a mess. Land-grabbing and proliferation of chiefdoms had made the Division a messy place. Chaibou, with instructions from hierarchy especially the Minister of Territorial Administration and the Governor took the chieftaincy wahala head on. Close to 40 chiefdoms were suspended.
However, this same file may have contributed to his early exit. The Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, after a review, ordered the SDO to rehabilitate 17 of the chiefdoms. Chaibou, edged on by some elite and chiefs refused to budge. A note of reminder from the Governor to the SDO on the subject still didn’t move the SDO. This was considered in some circles as clear disrespect and insubordination to his hierarchy, who it is alleged, worked for him to be transferred to Fako Division. The SDO stuck to his guns that he was the authority directly incharge of chieftaincy and land matters.
It is an open secret that between the Governor and the SDO, the entente and cordiality at the beginning had given way to mistrust and suspicion. Some pundits are asking whether the SDO was unaware of the power being wielded by Minister Atanga Nji and the Governor Okalia who you fight at your own risk.
To others, Chaibou is “leaving head high because he refused to be dragged into “Fako’s murky waters”. Still there are a lot of stories swirling around, which only time will unveil.
Another sticky file the SDO waded through was the demarcation of land for the seaport project. Despite the huge outcry at the beginning, the SDO managed to convince some disgruntled parties to let go a lot of already inhabited areas for the benefit of the Limbe Ports Authority. However, the deal left bitter taste in the mouths of some, especially those who continue to argue that the Limbe deep seaport should be installed far off the municipality like that of Kribi.
Chaibou leaves after daring to tame the Monday ghost towns in Limbe and achieved visible success on this issue compared to his predecessors who never dared the “devil”. Certainly, the fight against Monday ghost towns may have created Chaibou fewer friends.
What is certain is that Chaibou leaves as one of the shortest-serving Fako Senior Divisional Officers.
In the days ahead, the new Fako SDO Viang Mekala who has served as the Secretary General of North West Governor’s Office and SDO for Manyu will be installed into his new function and is expected to continue from where his predecessor ended.