By Ernest Sumelong
CameroonPostline.com -- The Executive Editor/Publisher of The Post, Francis Wache was, Wednesday, October 16, voted Mayor of Nkor Noni, Bui Division of the Northwest Region.
Wache, who had led a robust SDF campaign against a powerful CPDM team led by Prime Minister Philemon Yang during the September 30, 2013 twin elections, was rewarded for his sterling oratory qualities and unmatched political savvy with popular votes in the mayoral election on October 16.
Wache had, before his mayoral election, secured a hard won victory for the SDF in that council against powerful money-wielding CPDM barons during the municipal elections. The ace trainer of Local Governance and Decentralisation at the Local Government Training Centre, CEFAM, emerged winner in the elections against tough and no nonsense contestants.
CameroonPostline.com -- The Executive Editor/Publisher of The Post, Francis Wache was, Wednesday, October 16, voted Mayor of Nkor Noni, Bui Division of the Northwest Region.
Wache, who had led a robust SDF campaign against a powerful CPDM team led by Prime Minister Philemon Yang during the September 30, 2013 twin elections, was rewarded for his sterling oratory qualities and unmatched political savvy with popular votes in the mayoral election on October 16.
Wache had, before his mayoral election, secured a hard won victory for the SDF in that council against powerful money-wielding CPDM barons during the municipal elections. The ace trainer of Local Governance and Decentralisation at the Local Government Training Centre, CEFAM, emerged winner in the elections against tough and no nonsense contestants.
It was a battle for the council that is attracting nationwide interest considering it is from the Prime Minister’s backyard. Wache will be assisted in his new task by Mrs. Evelyn Tatah (First Deputy Mayor) and Pius Bambo (Second Deputy). The translator, journalist, poet, critic and panellist of the popular CRTV debate programme, CRTV Club, will soon put into practice his wealth of experience in training council officials and other stakeholders in the decentralisation process.
Wache is saddled with the responsibility of alleviating poverty in a council that has suffered from apparent neglect from time immemorial. Talking to The Post after his election, Wache said: “I am overwhelmed by the enormity of the responsibilities ahead. We will adopt the community-driven style of management which ensures bottom-top approach and not the top-bottom approach.
In this light, we (my councillors and I) will comb all the nooks and crannies of Noni to find out from the people what their expectations and difficulties are and, in a collegiate manner, look into these problems. Let me use this opportunity to appreciate the manner in which the Noni people of both parties (CPDM and SDF) conducted themselves during the elections. They were mature and conducted themselves responsibly,” the Mayor-elect told The Post.
With over three decades of lecturing at CEFAM, Wache is seen as the right man to pilot the affairs of his native Noni and make decentralisation a reality there. Wache was already widely acclaimed for the remarkable role he played during a nationwide tour undertaken by the former Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation, MINATD, Marafa Hamidou Yaya in 2010 and 2011.
Francis Wache, it would be noted, began professional journalism in 1990, when he joined the pioneer editorial team of Cameroon Life Magazine as a Senior Writer. Before then, he had contributed, as a freelance, to the weekly English language edition of Cameroon Tribune. A year later -1991- he was promoted as Editor-in-Chief, a position he held until the magazine went comatose in 1994. He also edited Cameroon Today, a weekly that was short-lived.
In 1996, he was part of the team that attempted to resuscitate Cameroon Post, the erstwhile leading Anglophone newspaper, which was moribund when the forces of repression compelled Paddy Mbawa, the Publisher, to flee into exile. In 1997, Wache, together with a crop of other colleagues, founded The Post. He was the founding Executive Editor-in-Chief. Considering his passion for the journalism profession, Wache, on May 3, 2006, was in Bamenda voted National President of the Cameroon Association of English Speaking Journalists, CAMASEJ.
Besides journalism practise, Wache has been at the forefront of the crusade for the betterment of the lot of Anglophones in Cameroon. He, along Barrister Ekongtang Elad, Simon Munzu, George Ngwane and others birthed the idea of the holding of the All Anglophone Conference (AAC) that took place in 1993 in Buea. He even acted as the Rapporteur of the eventful occasion.
Wache, who could well have become a Priest having graduated from Bishop Rogan College, is currently National President of Bishop Rogan Ex-Students Association, BIROCOLESA. Wache, however, had a near-death experience on Friday, June 17, 2011, when he was attacked by a gang of six boys in front of his Bonduma residence in Buea. Wache was matcheted on his hands and head. That night, Wache was returning to his house after chairing a preparatory meeting for the 4th anniversary of Summit Magazine and Memorial Conference of the late Dr. Bate Besong.
First published in The Post print edition no 01471
Wache is saddled with the responsibility of alleviating poverty in a council that has suffered from apparent neglect from time immemorial. Talking to The Post after his election, Wache said: “I am overwhelmed by the enormity of the responsibilities ahead. We will adopt the community-driven style of management which ensures bottom-top approach and not the top-bottom approach.
In this light, we (my councillors and I) will comb all the nooks and crannies of Noni to find out from the people what their expectations and difficulties are and, in a collegiate manner, look into these problems. Let me use this opportunity to appreciate the manner in which the Noni people of both parties (CPDM and SDF) conducted themselves during the elections. They were mature and conducted themselves responsibly,” the Mayor-elect told The Post.
With over three decades of lecturing at CEFAM, Wache is seen as the right man to pilot the affairs of his native Noni and make decentralisation a reality there. Wache was already widely acclaimed for the remarkable role he played during a nationwide tour undertaken by the former Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation, MINATD, Marafa Hamidou Yaya in 2010 and 2011.
Francis Wache, it would be noted, began professional journalism in 1990, when he joined the pioneer editorial team of Cameroon Life Magazine as a Senior Writer. Before then, he had contributed, as a freelance, to the weekly English language edition of Cameroon Tribune. A year later -1991- he was promoted as Editor-in-Chief, a position he held until the magazine went comatose in 1994. He also edited Cameroon Today, a weekly that was short-lived.
In 1996, he was part of the team that attempted to resuscitate Cameroon Post, the erstwhile leading Anglophone newspaper, which was moribund when the forces of repression compelled Paddy Mbawa, the Publisher, to flee into exile. In 1997, Wache, together with a crop of other colleagues, founded The Post. He was the founding Executive Editor-in-Chief. Considering his passion for the journalism profession, Wache, on May 3, 2006, was in Bamenda voted National President of the Cameroon Association of English Speaking Journalists, CAMASEJ.
Besides journalism practise, Wache has been at the forefront of the crusade for the betterment of the lot of Anglophones in Cameroon. He, along Barrister Ekongtang Elad, Simon Munzu, George Ngwane and others birthed the idea of the holding of the All Anglophone Conference (AAC) that took place in 1993 in Buea. He even acted as the Rapporteur of the eventful occasion.
Wache, who could well have become a Priest having graduated from Bishop Rogan College, is currently National President of Bishop Rogan Ex-Students Association, BIROCOLESA. Wache, however, had a near-death experience on Friday, June 17, 2011, when he was attacked by a gang of six boys in front of his Bonduma residence in Buea. Wache was matcheted on his hands and head. That night, Wache was returning to his house after chairing a preparatory meeting for the 4th anniversary of Summit Magazine and Memorial Conference of the late Dr. Bate Besong.
First published in The Post print edition no 01471
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