Constitutional amendment saga: CBC Executive President says ready to face Christians in legal battle.

He made the declaration after he was dragged to the Mezam High Court in Bamenda, by some Christians of the church. 

Rev Dr Nditemeh was speaking during a church service organised Saturday April 13, at the Etoug-ebe Baptist Church in Yaounde. 

The service was attended by some Ministers of the Gospel and Christians, drawn from the five associations of the Yaounde Field Councils of churches; notably Bafia, Bertoua, Ebolowa, Yaounde East and Yaounde South associations.

The service marked the end of the Executive President’s two-day official visit to the CBC Yaounde Field. 

Addressing Christians, Rev Dr Nditemeh informed them of the decision of a group of CBC faithful to drag him, alongside the CBC Chairman, Yosimbom John Mkong, and the CBC itself to court. 

He stated that the court summons, served them on April 11, by a bailiff, indicated that they are being sued over the revision of the CBC constitution.

Amidst this, he declared their readiness to face whatever challenges, including legal battles that prop up on their way to “getting the CBC grounded on the path of truth, checks and balances on the wheels of equity”.   

Briefing the Christians, Rev Dr Nditemeh said the court summons was served to them as he began preparing to embark on his visit to the Yaounde Field as part of his annual tour of the different fields. 

While stressing that four individuals cannot challenge the revision of the constitution, when 809 delegates had voted for and only 139 voted against, the Executive President affirmed that he knows the four complainants are just being tele-guided by “their sponsors” from behind the scene. 

“I have discussed with the CBC Chairman and we are both ready for anything, whether it is jail or death penalties,” he vowed. 

“I am wondering; when you sue the CBC and voted leaders to court, would you still walk inside the CBC church on Sunday and sit there to worship God, having sued that church to court? So, we are ready for the court case…,” he added.

Stressing that if the sponsors behind the court case think this will “exhaust the Executive President” to take the decisions they want, he maintained that he can only be exhausted by “death”. 

Previous efforts to resolve problem

According to the Executive President, prior to the court case, they had been summoned before the Senior Divisional Officer of Mezam in the North West Region, though the identity of the plaintiffs were not revealed then. 

After having listened to the belligerence, the SDO is said to have advised that the matter be settled at the CBC General Council, which is the competent structure to handle such cases.

Most difficult phase of his mandate

Rev Dr Nditemeh, who was elected at the helm of the CBC in November 2020, confessed that in his strive for truth, equity and development, he has faced several hurdles. 

Rev Dr Nditemeh declared to the Christians of the Yaounde Field that the past four months have been the most difficult period of his four-year mandate.

He said this has been marked by efforts to get a new Director of the CBC Health Services, following the expiry of the extended mandate of the outgoing Director, Prof Tih Pius Muffih.

“It has not been easy; especially since last June 2023, when we revised the constitution and worst of it since last December,” he declared, adding that “those of you users of social media are not unaware of all the letters. At some point, they were falling every hour and not just every day”. 

He reiterated that efforts to get a new Director of Health Services culminated last March 6, with the election of Prof Tih Pius’ replacement, during an Extraordinary CBC General Council in Bamenda. 

Not prioritising second mandate 

With the current mandate of the Executive President set to expire on November 2024, Rev Dr Nditemeh informed the Christians that he is not preoccupied with seeking a second mandate. 

“Speaking truth with sincerity, which is the theme of the CBC for this year, I want to declare loud and clear, that I am not much concern or preoccupied with a second mandate at this time,” he stated. 

The clergy reiterated that at a reasonable time, he will make an informed decision, whether or not to run for a second mandate.

“For now, my investment, my strength and all, are focused on truth and justice in the CBC,” he noted. 

He affirmed that his priority is to leave the CBC grounded on the path of truth, checks and balances on the wheels of equity. 

“My priority is to leave a system where conflict of interests do not exist. We are very unfortunate that we have conflict of interests littered here and there, which is not normal in a normal system,” he avowed. 

He also said he desires to leave behind a system that gives opportunity to everybody, “a system that can change everybody and not some people, and where everybody is accountable, instead of some people”.

“I desire to leave a system that blocks the way to tribalism, nepotism and discrimination. I desire to leave behind a system where no leader holds a position till they go on retirement,” he told the Christians.

Averring that problems in the convention have been centred on quarrels over who is leader, he noted that some of the problems are artificially or mechanically created due to greed for leadership positions. 

Dream of a Francophone as CBC Executive President

Taking inspiration from the black American civil right activist, Martin Luther King, Rev Dr Nditemeh said he dreams of a day when the CBC will have a French-speaking Cameroonian elected as CBC Executive President.  

He said an objective analysis of the leadership, both at the level of the departments and at the helm of the convention, from 1954 till date, shows that leadership has revolved around origins of the two English-speaking Regions of Cameroon. 

He said Christians from the other eight Regions of the country, where majority of the CBC churches and other institutions have been established, have often been relegated to sit-clap and evangelising Christians. 

“I have a dream that one day, the Executive President of the CBC, will be a Francophone,” he proclaimed, adding that “I wish that day should come while I am still alive”. 

“It is my strong conviction that as we evangelise and bring Francophones to the Lord and to the Baptist faith, they too should be trained and have qualified people to shave a legitimate claim of stake to lead,” he noted.

Ready to uphold mantra despite being targeted

When Rev Dr Nditemeh took over the CBC, he had pledged to lead the CBC, following his mantra of truth, equity and development. 

According to him, this policy has attracted him many oppositions than friends. He, however, used the opportunity of the visit to Yaounde to reiterate his firm resolve to walk these principles into action, till his last minutes as leader of the CBC. 

“I have received so many bullets about this, but it is fine. Thanks be to God, my back still has some space for more bullets. The ones that have entered there, have left wounds,” he told the faithful, adding that “some of the wounds are healing, others are still fresh but there is still enough space on my back for more bullets and spears”. 

Using affirmative approach 

He then pledged to continue using affirmative action for an inclusive leadership, despite the fact that the approach is not fetching him friends.

Ahead of the November 2024 General Council elections, Rev Dr Nditemeh insisted that he will continue using the affirmative action approach to ensure Christians of both North West and South West origins, as well as Francophones, are inclusively represented in leadership positions. 

“Dear people of God, the CBC is not the property of any individual. It is not the property of a clique of friends. It is God’s Church and has to be governed following God’s way,” he said.