Bar elections: Decades-long gentleman's agreement broken!.

While Barrister Mbah Eric Mbah was retained as Bar Council President, his peer, Barrister Gbaka Ernest Acho, was elected President of the General Assembly of the Bar Association.  Both Anglophones picked their mandates during hotly contested elections held in Yaounde.

The elective general assembly, which was flagged off Monday, ended in the early hours of Wednesday.

Another Anglophone, Barrister Ewule Lyonga Edward, was elected Vice President of the Bar General Assembly.

For the election of the Bar General Assembly president, Barrister Mbarka Ernest beat his opponents by garnering 1,017 votes. The other contestants for the position got viz: Barrister Fousse Dominic, 917 votes; Barrister John Kameni, 308; Barrister Tsemo, 232; and Barrister Nomo Bayala, 48.

For the position of Vice President of the General Assembly, Barrister Edward Lyonga E. came first with 1,213 votes, followed by Barrister Derek Invo B. with 1,160 votes and Barrister Yinda Yinda Emmanuel with 66. 

Meanwhile, during election of the 15 members of the Bar Council, the results came out thus: Barrister Ngo Minyogog Anne Yolande, 1,573 Votes; Barrister Agbor Nkongho, 1,422; Barrister Zangue, 1,406; Barrister Fojou, 1,381; Barrister Memong, 1348; Barrister Mbah Eric, 1,340; Barrister Epey Ebi, 1,277; Barrister Muluh Stanly, 1,167; Barrister Moussa Ganava, 1,148; Barrister Kontchou, 1,130; Barrister Tepi Koloko, 1,088; Barrister Nkea, 1,076; Barrister Tamo, 1,075, Barrister Fouegoum, 1,063; Barrister Ngoulla, 1,058.

In an unprecedented move, Barrister Mbah Eric, who came sixth in the election of the15 members of the Bar Council, sprang and surprise, beating his three adversaries. 

Barrister Mbah Eric is said to have garnered 1001 votes, while Barrister Ngo Minyogog Anne Yolande had 749; Barrister Memong Phillip, 265 and Barrister Ngoulla had 338. 

Gentleman’s agreement broken 

The voting of the two Anglophones into the top positions of the Bar, ended a decades-long practice of power-sharing between Anglophones and Francophones at the Bar.

While it is the first time for Anglophones to be voted into all top positions of the Bar, it isn’t same for Francophones. 

In 1992, two Francophones; Barrister Patrice Monthe and Barrister Ngassa Jean Paul, were elected President of the Bar Council and General Assembly, respectively.

I haven’t completed my mission – Barrister Mbah Eric

Meanwhile, speaking to The Guardian Post via telephone yesterday, hours after his re-election, Barrister Mbah Eric, said his mission at the helm of the Bar remains uncompleted.

The Bamenda-based legal colossus, said he had opted for a second mandate in order to complete the projects he initiated.

He told The Guardian Post that during his second mandate about starting, he “will seek to continue the digitalisation process of the Bar”. 

“I will put in place a common sinking fund. I will ensure more specialised training for colleagues. I will equally make sure that ethics and deontology are upheld,” he said. 

Barrister Mbah added that for the next two years, he will pay particular attention to public liberties and human rights, so as to ensure that lawyers are there to help the downtrodden, the needy and the weak. 

“Of course, I will make sure that lawyers are more respected, ensuring that there is no molestation or disturbance or attack on lawyers in the exercise of their profession, as well as equally ensuring that lawyers don’t abuse the powers that are given to them by the law,” he said.

I didn’t violate gentleman’s agreement

Quizzed during the telephone interview if he was guilty of violating the gentleman’s agreement which has been existing in the Bar, Barrister Mbah retorted: “Why is it always said that there is a violation when it concerns Anglophones?”

In insisting that he didn’t dismantle the gentlemanly agreement, Barrister Mbah cited instances where the Bar has been entirely in the hands of Francophones.

He was categorical that: “I am a fervent supporter of the gentlemanly agreement and wouldn’t want anybody to violate it. But what people fail to understand is that the law provides that a Bâtonnier is elected for a mandate of two years renewable. So, I am entitled to two mandates, except by election, I am denied a second one. So, the person who actually is doing something wrong is not me who is seeking legitimately my second mandate or a renewal…”.

He stated that: “I want to say that every generation of leaders come with their own peculiarities. I remember when Barrister Monthe was Batonnier, Barrister Ngassa was the President of the General Assembly, both were Francophones”.

“The law provides that the Bar President is elected for a term renewable, but Batonnier Ben Muna of blessed memory was given three terms. So, every mandate has its own challenges,” he continued.

He said: “The fact that I have started the construction of the Bar Head Office, a project which many didn't see the feasibility of it, but they are seeing it happening during my tenure...that is more important to the lawyers than respecting the gentlemanly agreement. Lawyers thought that it was more important to allow me continue this mandate so that I can realise that project, else the money we have invested in the project would be a waste and the project would not be continued”. 

“So, after voting the President of the General Assembly and the Vice, they thought that the need for me to continue superseded the respect of that agreement. You must remember that was the decision of the General Assembly, which is supreme. So, let people not say that I violated it as though it was a unilateral decision taken by an individual. No, I didn’t take any decision. I presented myself to the General Assembly and said ‘this is the situation, I have started this project, many people don't believe in it, but I have explained to you the General Assembly how I can realise this project. The President of the General Assembly has been voted, he is an Anglophone, the Vice is an Anglophone, do you think that given this situation, I should still be elected?’ And the General Assembly went ahead and elected me. So, how can it now be interpreted that I violated the gentlemanly agreement?” he questioned rhetorically.

The new, old men in charge

Aged 55, Barrister Mbah Eric Mbah, it should be said, is a product of the University of Yaounde II-Soa. 

After completing his studies, he was admitted to the Cameroon Bar in 2001.

Owner of the Mbah and Partners Law Firm in Bamenda, North West Region, Barrister Mbah was elected member of the Bar Council in 2018. 

The same year, he was appointed representative of the President of the Bar in the North West Region.

At the end of the elective General Assembly of lawyers held in Yaoundé from June 18 to 20, 2022, he was elected President of the Cameroon Bar for a two-year term. 

For his part, Barrister Gbaka Ernest Acho is founder of Gbaka & Co. Law Office.

He is a sworn attorney of the Supreme Court of Cameroon, a member of the Cameroon Bar Association with over 15 years of experience. 

He served as Vice President of the General Assembly of Cameroon Bar Association. 

He is a holder of two masters’ degrees, one in Business Law and the other in Intellectual Property Law, obtained respectively from the University of Yaounde II Soa and jointly by OAPI/WIPO/University of Yaounde II Soa. 

He holds the highly acclaimed Harvard Law School/WIPO Academy certificate on Patent Law and Global Public Health.

He is a Global Council Member at World Commerce and Contracting representing the region of Africa and was elected member of the jury for World CC’s Excellence awards 2023 in EMEA countries. 

He is also a member of several networks of specialists in contract drafting, corporate Lawyers, Credit and Collections.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3506 of Thursday July 17, 2025