Shall the Catholic University Institute of Buea (CUIB) led by its president Fr Nkeze George Jingwa be the Lone Private University at the University games in Bamenda? Rumor has it that they arrived yesterday already with a 90 man delegation.
Photo credit CUIB
The message that has been circulating online with a negative connotation given to its president Rev, Father Nkeze George Jingwa shall be analysed below based on the trend of events.
“The Private University of Rev Fr George Nkeze, which in the public eye passes for an institution of the Diocese of Buea is already in Bamenda with a delegation of about 90 students to take part in the Universe Games. They arrived Bamenda a today, a day earlier than the official time of arrival for the delegations of participants.”
photo credit CES Buea
Yes, the university games are scheduled from the 22nd to the 29th of April. Arriving on the 19th of April, 3-4 days before the event entails a whole lot of things, extra cost in both accommodation and feeding, extra cost in security measures but also give them room to rehearse on the ground ahead of the games. The church teaches more on assisting the needy, of what use shall an institution spend huge amounts to provide for 90 students and maybe their guardians for 4 days when this shall weigh later on the parents and students be it on the high paid fees or lack of school facilities to make education affordable for all? Could this be some kind of misdirected charity or a ploy to extort more money from the Government and the organizers? Whoever is paying for this should think of the doctors working in deplorable conditions, poorly equipped hospitals, lack of good roads etc.
“This arrival was planned early enough by Fr Nkeze to be sure that nothing disturbs his arrival, not even the trial of the Bishops of Bamenda and Kumbo. It looks like this is the only Private University in the Southern Cameroons that is going to participate in the games.”
CUIB for credit
Yes, there is no doubt that this year’s games shall be marked by the absence of private higher institutions in the NW and SW regions due to the strike that has been going on for 6 months. Even the Equinox TV reporting yesterday confirmed to have been on the field and confirmed that schools have not been going on in these regions, as such they can not participate in the games since they are closed. For CUIB to be reported as already landed in Bamenda, can be interpreted by many as not only the lone private school but as the school that has betrayed the Anglophone cause. This is not the first time Fr Nkeze is being linked to as betraying the Anglophone struggle. In the mid January 2017, the interim consortium attacked Fr Nkeze on this same issue which led to the Executive Assistant of the Institution Lynn Nanyongo Masua sending out a disclaimer that Fr Nkeze was in the USA and had not done anything as such.
CUIB
“Fr Nkeze does this with impunity always. He does not even bother that his Bishop has been booked by government. What does Fr George Nkeze want to teach the Diocese of Buea and the Universal Catholic Church? What is he up to?”
Why should Fr Nkeze bother when he is allegedly receiving assistance and support of the Regime? It is even said that the regime assisted in the transportation and security of students when upon return decided to continue to keep the school running. Fr Nkeze in February based on the Open letter to the Interim Consortium leaders that circulated challenged them and according to the message on his Facebook page by Walters kimah and i quote.
“Canon Law regulates the powers of a Diocesan Bishop. Can. 391 (1), “It is for the diocesan bishop to govern the particular church entrusted to him with legislative, executive and judicial power according to the norm of law.”
Can. 394(1) “A bishop is to foster various forms of the apostolate in the diocese and is to take care that in the entire diocese, or in its particular districts, all the works of the apostolate are coordinated under his direction…”
The Bishop is the proprietor of schools, colleges and universities within his jurisdiction, and everything is coordinated “under his direction.” The Bishops of the Ecclesiastical province just issued a letter telling the government they did not close any schools.”
If the Bishop is what he claims to defend, then why should Fr Nkeze choose to go to Bamenda to fulfill a government call to an event and ignore that of his boss which is mobilizing stuidents to appear before the Buea High court on the 24th of April. Does it mean that he prefers to run the school with the Government and not with the Bishop and the church?
The contradiction of Fr Nkeze’s actions again come in when he in the same letter states:
“The Anglophone struggle is against the government and elites who have and enjoy political power. It is against the forces of law and order and the police who militarize and brutalize our citizens. It is for a two-state Federation. It is for the release of all Anglophones locked up in jails with no due process. It is against CRTV that propagates lies, and it is for the restoration of the internet in our zone. The reason why I supported Dr. Agbor Nkongho was because he articulated these issues in the most succinct, clear and non-violent manner. He did not attack people even when they disagreed with him. He always repeated that he did not have the monopoly of knowledge and solicited advice to strengthen the struggle. He knew all anglophones did not support the struggle, but was ready to persist in his belief. That is why I joined this struggle. I contributed as an intellectual with my vast knowledge in political science and Law. I articulated the problems and solutions, but never advocating for Biya or the Betis who do not support us to be killed or harassed. This is the struggle I know and subscribed to. ”
Are his actions based on the fact that he should not be attacked because he disagreed with the idea of no schools to address the anglophone problem or that is his own way of standing with the struggle to get those released by working with the regime that has put all on captives?
Fr Nkeze therefore needs to be watched closely if one needs to look at the Fr Nkeze of 2015 22nd June when Median post Newspaper reported that he made a comment to the Cameroonian Youth on how to be Self reliant and Job creative and the Fr Nkeze of today.
“youths need to realise that the developmental goals are a vision, and that they must be at the centre because it concerns them. He urged government not to stop seeing the youths as a thread to their position or people always ready to go on strike but as people whose needs and views need to be taken into consideration since their future depends on how the government invest on them. Discussions at this Youth Symposium were under the theme, “Emergence before 2035, myth or reality”; wherein, participants presented pictures of a Cameroon they want and are working for. The views ranging from a self-sustainable Cameroon, a Cameroon free from the pangs of bribery and corruption, a society of peace with accountable and reliable leaders, and a host of others.”
When Bishop Bushu of Buea wrote that the Priests of that Diocese have never accepted and received him, was Fr Nkeze amongst? Or is he amongst those spearheading this rejection and thus reasons for his actions? What really is Fr Nkeze up? People do really change.
Shey Tatah Sevidzem
