End Of Year Party Of The Douala Chapter Of BOBA: Former President General Of BOBA, BA NKOM RAYMOND DINGA GWANYALLA Hailed For Sponsoring The End Of Year Party Of The Douala Chapter

• Ba Nkom Gwanyalla In Reaction Says What He Did Was Meant To Say, THANK YOU, To The Douala Chapter Of BOBA, For What The Chapter Did To Him
• “Giving Is A Function Of Love. We Don’t Give Because We Have Much. We Give Because We Love”, Douala Chapter President Of BOBA, NTUMFOR BARRISTER NICO HALLE
• Veneration Of A Boban, PROF HENRY NAMME LUMA, Director General Of Douala General Hospital), In Recognition Of His PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE, COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP, Among Others
• Douala Chapter Of BOBA Also Venerates Mrs SAMA AGHENDA PATIENCE, Who Taught In PCC Institutions, Including CPC Bali, For More Than 25 Years

Members of the Douala Chapter of the Bali Old Boys Association, BOBA, which is the renowned association of ex–students of CPC Bali, together with their spouses, friends and some special invitees, set aside the stressful problems of this world in the evening of Friday, December 29, 2023, stretching throughout the night and into the early hours of Saturday, December 30, and engaged full swing in merry-making blended with a lot of fun.

The occasion was the End of Year Party of the Douala Chapter of BOBA, and the venue was the beautiful residence of the former President General of BOBA, BA NKOM RAYMOND DINGA GWANYALLA, located at ‘Afrique du Sud-Bonamoussadi’, Douala.  The MCs of the great occasion, SANKOH VICTOR and DINGA NUELA LUM, could not have been greater. The two BOBANS  did a fantastic job, and it was not for nothing that the no–nonsense President of the Douala Chapter Of BOBA, NTUMFOR BARRISTER NICO HALLE, in his closing remarks graded  Sankoh Victor and Dinga Nuela Lum as the winning team.

Meanwhile, it is worth noting that the 2023 End of Year Party of the Douala Chapter of BOBA was special, in that a senior member and former President General of the BOBA, Ba NKom Gwanyalla and his wife, offered to sponsor the event. The Douala Chapter of BOBA set up an Organising Committee of 20 members headed by MANYI LUCIA ATABONG, to accompany Ba Nkom Gwnayalla and his wife, in the preparations.  The Chairperson of the Organising Committee remarked at the start of the December 29 occasion, that Ba Nkom Gwanyalla and his wife were very generous people.

So Much To Eat And Drink / Great Décor / Beautiful Music

The set-up for the End-of-Year Party of the Douala Chapter of BOBA on that evening of Friday, December 29, 2023, was superb. Different varieties of food were in abundance. Even those who were interested in eating fish roasted on the spot or chicken fried on the spot had it in abundance. As for drinks, ah! There were assorted drinks, and there was everything too in abundance – from mineral water, soft drinks, and beer, as well as good and high-quality wine, whisky, champagne, and what have you!  The Popping of Champagne had as conductor the Vice President of the Douala Chapter of BOBA, TAKWIFOR JOSEPH MOFOR, was a come and see. Eight gentlemen including BA NWANA (DINGANA F) rapidly took turns to pop eight bottles of high-quality champagne to the applause of people who already had their glasses ready, waiting to savour some good champagne.

Then the decoration of the venue of the event, Woah! The décor was of a class, a glittering environment. Great décor, which as many BOBANS rightly remarked, clearly showed the feminine touch of a lady with good taste, Mrs Gwanyalla popularly known as Na Manyi.

As for the music that graced the December 29 occasion- really Sweet! It was an interesting variety. There was a band or group, La Falaise, which provided a variety of Cameroonian music. Not surprisingly also, there was another group with a piano, which filled the air with beautiful religious songs.  As former students of a prominent mission school, BOBANS are generally religious persons and thus very interested in religious music. Some BOBANS like Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle and Dr George Assam, at one time took the microphones, and with the piano in the background,  thrilled the over 200 persons that attended the December 29, 2023 End of Party with beautiful religious music.

Rev Pastor Jones Ebot Ayuk Takes The Kick Off

Talking about BOBANS being former students of a mission school, and thus generally attached to religion, it was just normal that the 2023 End of Year Party of the Douala Chapter of the BOBA, kicked off with prayer, after a word of welcome by the Chairperson of the Organising Committee, Manyi Lucia Atabong. On hand to take the kick-off with a moving prayer, was a senior pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, PCC, REV PASTOR JONES AYUK EBOT, of PC Bonamoussadi, Douala, who is also the Presbyterian Secretary of the Mungo South Presbytery. The opening prayer was followed by the CPC Anthem, I Pledge To Thee Oh CPC! The singing of the anthem was led by TANGYIE SOLOMON, the Song Master of the Douala Chapter of BOBA.

“Ba Nkom Gwanyalla Is A Very Generous Person”

Meanwhile, contextualising the event that was held on the evening of December 29, 2023, at the residence of Ba Nkom Raymond Dinga Gwanyalla at ‘Afrique du Sud – Bonamoussadi’ Douala, the President of the Douala Chapter of BOBA, NTUMFOR BARRISTER NICO HALLE, stated that the event was the traditional End of Year Party of the Chapter. But he was quick to explain that the 2023 End of Year Party of the Douala Chapter of BOBA was special, in the sense that a member in the person of Ba Nkom Raymond Dinga Gwanyalla, President General Emeritus of BOBA, offered to sponsor the party. On behalf of the Douala Chapter of BOBA, Ntumfor Halle expressed profound gratitude to Ba Nkom Gwanyalla for the great gesture.

Ntumfor Halle also expressed great thanks to the wife of Ba Nkom Gwanyalla, who gave her full support to the husband, to sponsor the End of Year Party of the Douala Branch of BOBA. He reminded the audience of the adage that behind any successful man is a woman, contextualising it to Mrs Gwanyalla having been behind the husband’s great success in fulfilling in a big way, his decision to sponsor the 2023 End of Year Party of the Douala Chapter of BOBA. Ntumfor Halle asserted that Ba Nkom Gwanyalla is a very generous person, and is also highly spiritual as he is a committed Christian. “He spends unstoppably, whenever it comes to doing something good to humanity, and to the Society”. Halle said he was still to find a BOBAN who has never benefitted from the generosity of Ba Nkom Gwanyalla, one way or the other.

“We Don’t Give Because We Have Much”

Still talking about the generosity of Ba Nkom Raymond Dinga Gwanyalla, the President of the Douala Chapter of BOBA asserted that giving is a function of love. “We don’t give because we have much. Rather we give because we love”, he further asserted.  He said generous people like Ba Nkom Gwanyalla are people who are simply good or are kind-hearted. He said they don’t share what they have with others because they have much, but rather because they are good-spirited, and nurture the conviction that it is a good thing to share the little you have with others. Ntunfor Halle said there a quite several people around who are quite rich, richer than Ba Nkom Gwanyalla, but who at the same time are very stingy. He said those rich and stingy people die and leave billions in their bank accounts, whereas they were people living in misery or abject poverty around them, and they would not help.  He said such people are wicked, and that they will certainly have questions to answer in the world beyond.

“We Are Used To Venerating People We Have Never Met”

Ntumfor Halle noted that Ba Nkom Gwanyalla is a great personality in this country, and has been recognised four times by the President of the Republic. Worthy of note that Ba Nkom Raymond Dinga Gwanyalla, a retired Senior Customs Officer last served the State of Cameroon as Director of Customs, having before then served as Deputy Director of Customs.  Ba Nkom Gwanyalla, who is a notable of Bali Nyonga, Mezam Division in the Northwest Region, has for some 15 years or more, been an economic operator, thus a member of Cameroon’s private sector.

Meanwhile, Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle regretted that in Cameroon, people are used to venerating foreigners who do great things to humanity or in their societies, while either ignoring or refusing to acknowledge their own people back at home who fall in that same category. He said Ba Nkom Gwanyalla is indisputably a personality that is supposed to be venerated in Cameroonian for his humanitarian spirit that leads him to do many good things for humanity and society.  Ntumfor Halle also said while the general tendency is that Anglophones instead bring down their own people, Ba Nkom Gwanyalla is one of the few Anglophones that instead never spare any effort, to in his own little way assist a fellow Anglophone to succeed or to climb. He asserted that BOBA is blessed to have Ba Nkom Raymond Dinga Gwanyalla.

“An Opportunity For Me To Say, Thanks”

Meanwhile, BA NKOM RAYMOND DINGA GWANYALLA, in his reaction, explained the reason behind his decision to fund the 2023 End of Year Party of the Douala Chapter of Bali Old Boys Association, BOBA. He first recalled that the idea to run for the post of President General of BOBA never crossed his mind, until at one time Dr Assam George and several members of the Douala Chapter where he belongs, separately came up to him and proposed that he should go for the post. He said after some reflection and consultations, he decided to go for the post and went on to win the election. He thus became the President General of BOBA, during which he had a lot of support from his ‘home branch’, the Doula Chapter of BOBA. He served his maximum two mandates, which ended mid-last year.

Ba Nkom Gwanyalla recalled that after he handed over the post of President General of BOBA, the Douala Chapter of BOBA which had as new President, Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle, had a great surprise for him one weekend that he had initially intended to travel out of town.  Suffice it to say to the pleasant surprise of Ba Nkom Gwanyalla, the Douala Chapter of BOBA that weekend organised a great party in his honour. The Douala Chapter of BOBA told Ba Nkom Gwanyalla that the party was to congratulate him for the great work he did when he was President General of BOBA, and that he brought honour and pride to the Chapter.

Ba Nkom Gwanyalla recalled that he came from a modest family and that he was thus brought up in a very simple way. As a boy who had very little compared to his mates, he learnt to greatly appreciate any little thing he had, as well as any good thing that was done to him. He said he grew up in that spirit, and that most of the time he gets very emotional in appreciating a good thing or a good gesture. Ba Nkom Gwanyalla said the gesture by the Douala Chapter of BOBA to organise a party in his honour, so much moved him. He said he immediately thought that he should show his deep appreciation for what the Douala Chapter of BOBA had done in his honour, by organising the traditional End of Year Party of BOBA. He said he concerted with his wife, and the wife too who was quite appreciative of the gesture or honour by his Douala Chapter of BOBA, gave her full support to the idea to organise the End of Year Party. And so the couple went ahead and put everything in place for the grand 2023 End of Year Party of Douala Chapter of BOBA, which took place at their residence at  “Afrique du  Sud –  Bonamoussadi’, Douala in the evening of  December 29, 2023.

The New Executive Bureau Of The Douala Chapter Of BOBA

Meanwhile, given that December 29, 2023, traditional End of Year Party of the Douala Chapter of BOBA was the first under the Executive Bureau that was elected on July 4, 2023, the new Chapter President, Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle, thus presented the new Exco at the event. Ntumfor Halle, an Election Expert, which includes being an International Election Observer, was happy to note that he and the entire members of his team got to office through free, fair and transparent elections.

Ntumfor Halle regretted that there were lots of reports or complaints about election riggings in the society, and even in the global Church.  He strongly condemned election rigging, insisting that people who get to office through rigged elections are nothing but thieves.  He added that those thieves will while in office rig everything.

Meanwhile, the new President of the Douala Branch of BOBA, Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle, expressed appreciation to his predecessor, Dr Assam George, whom he said has been very collaborative with the new Bureau. The Executive Bureau of the Douala Chapter of BOBA that was elected to office for a four-year mandate on July 4, 2023, and which was presented at the December 29, 2023 End of Year Party, stands as follows:

PRESIDENT – : NNTUMFOR BARRISTER NICO HALLE. VICE PRESIDENT– TAKWIFOR JOSEPH MOFOR. SECRETARY – NWUMFOR FONTEM AYIYU. VICE SECRETARY – NDONUE PAUL. FINANCAIL SECRETRARY – GANGBODGA CHARLES. TREASURER – MUSI GISELA LUM. SOCIAL SECRETARIES – EKWE EMMANUEL, MFUH ODILIA, LUCIA ATABONG. AUDITORS – TANGYIE SOLOMON, MEKOM GAELLE. CHIEF WHIPS (DISCIPLINE MASTERS) – FONKWA BRENDA, DR VICOR MOKUBE, PA ENYIH SCOTT, BENGWELLA NDIFON GAMUA. SONG MASTER – TANGYIE SOLOMON. ADVISERS TO THE PRESIDENT – BA NKOM RAYMOND DINGA GWANYALLA, DR ASSAM GEOEGE, PA AYUKEBA, HON STEPHEN NJINYAM, REV PROF LEKUNZE EDWARD, PA ENOW SUNDAY aka Bronco, DR VICTOR MOKUBE, PA ENYIH SCOTT, SANKOH VICTOR.

The New President Of The Douala Chapter Of BOBA

Worth noting that the President of the Douala Chapter of BOBA, Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle, is an international legal consultant and former President of the General Assembly of the Cameroon Bar Association. Besides his profession as a lawyer, Ntumfor Nico Halle is also a reputed International Peace Crusader, a Crusader for Justice, as well as a Crusader against Hate Speech and Xenophobia. His relentless efforts and sacrifices in the noble mission over the years, has been recognised both nationally and internationally with a total of as many as 178 distinctions that he received as of date.  Ntumfor Halle has also received two Honoris Causas (doctorates decree) from two international universities, though he has never used the title of doctor. It should also be noted that the title, Ntumfor, means the Spokesman / Messenger of the Northwest Fons. Nico Halle was designated by the Northwest Fons as their Ntumfor, and he was presented to the public by the Northwest Fons led by Fon Angwafor of Mankon, at a heavily attended ceremony that took place at the Bamenda Municipal Stadium.

Meanwhile, Nico Halle, a highly committed Christian, whose father was a man of God, has always made it clear that his most valuable title is CHRISTIAN. That is, what is dearest to his heart, is being a Christian. Nico Halle has over the years been very active in Church works, and he has held several elective posts in the Church, including that of the National President of the Christian Men Fellowship, CWF. Though a Christian of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, PCC, Nico Halle associates with all mainstream Churches. He says he worships God and not a religious denomination.

A former member of the National Elections Observatory in charge of the Northwest Region, Ntumfor Halle is currently a member of the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism (presidential appointments). Worthy of note that Ntumfor Halle is a member of the civil society, and has never belonged to any political party.  Prof Henry Namme Luma did mention some of these things about the President of the Douala Chapter of BOBA, Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle, when he spoke earlier at the December 29, 2023 occasion in his capacity as Chairman of the occasion. “I am proud that Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle is a BOBAN”, Prof Luma had concluded.

Distinction For Mrs Sama Aghenda Patience

Meanwhile, the Douala Chapter of BOBA honoured two personalities at the 2023 End of Year Party with distinctions – BOBA AWARDS.  One of the awardees was Mrs Sama Aghenda Patience. Pa Ayukeba, one of the advisers to the President of the Douala Chapter of BOBA, who was charged with presenting Mrs Sama Aghenda Patience at the event, explained that she was being venerated for the many years of her life that she dedicated as a teacher in the institutions of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, the PCC, among which was the Cameroon Protestant College Bali.  Pa Ayukeba said Mrs Sama Aghenda Patience who worked for PCC as a teacher for over 25 years, was an English Language / English Literature teacher at CPC Bali from 1990 – 1998. “The Douala Branch of BOBA says Congratulations for all what you have done (to impart knowledge into children) for over 25 years, and we wish you all the best in 2024”, Pa Ayukeba said. The message on the award read:” BOBA AWARD PRESENTED TO MRS SAMA AGHENDA PATIENCE, FOR HER SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND ENGLISH LITERATURE IN CPC BALI”.

In her reactions, Mrs Sama Aghenda Patience told the Douala Chapter of BOBA that: “Thank You is an understatement. I am really loss for words”. She recalled that her boss (principal) at CPC Bali once told her that only two people can effectively assess a teacher – the Almighty God in Heaven, and his or her students.  She said the award given to her by the association of former students of CPC Bali, thus meant so much to her, as it  among other things meant that  her students in CPC Bali and other PCC institutions, appreciated the efforts she made as their teacher.  “I stand honoured and humble. What good pay, than this”, she exclaimed in an unbridled state of emotion,  Mrs Sama Aghenda Patience said she was so happy and proud to see her products, that is, her former students, all over the world. She minced no words that if she has a choice to make in her next life, she will still choose to be a teacher, especially a teacher at CPC Bali.

The Douala General Hospital Under Prof Luma, A BOBAN

The other awardee of the BOBA Awards was the soft spoken and perfect gentleman, PROF HENRY NAMME LUMA, the   Director General of the Douala General Hospital, which is one of the three referral hospitals in the country.  One indisputable fact to many observers, is that for the five years or so, that Prof Henry Luma has been the Director General of the Douala General Hospital, he has transformed that hospital into one of the cleanest, if not the cleanest, public hospital in Cameroon. He has also instilled a lot of discipline in the personnel. To put is simply, Prof Luma is a good hospital manager.

The former President of the Douala Chapter of BOBA, Dr Assam George, who was the one assigned by the Chapter to present Prof Henry Luma as an awardee, and whom he personally knew so well,  did not fail to  make mention of the great work that he has done at  the Douala General Hospital, since he became Director General of the health establishment.  “Prof Luma has brought a lot of changes since he became Director General of the Douala General Hospital.  There is for example now, a lot of concern for patients at the hospital, which is the best thing expected of a hospital”, Dr Assam asserted.

Interestingly enough, Dr Assam George said he entered CPC Bali when Prof Luma was a senior student in the institution, precisely a Form Four student. Assam George became the ‘small ‘of Henry Luma.  Dr Assam George said something very apt of Prof Luma, and which many journalists in Douala have observed of him, since he became Director General of the Douala General Hospital. As Dr Assam rightly said, Prof Luma is somebody who does not like to be noticed, and so does not like to be talked about. As Dr Assam also added, Prof Luma is also somebody who is quite a humble person, and is as well quite a nice person and somebody who has done many good things.  “Prof Luma is quite a good man, and I am happy to have had as a ‘big’ somebody who is a good person in the society”, he stressed.

BOBA Venerates Prof Henry Luma

Dr Assam said though Prof Luma is somebody who does not want to be noticed, BOBA cannot afford to be passive when he is moving on in such a great way, and so the Douala Chapter of BOBA decided to venerate him with an award. The message on the award read: “BALI OLD BOYS ASSOCIATION (BOBA). DOUALA CHAPTER. BOBA AWARD PRESENTED TO PROF HENRY NAMME LUMA, FOR HAVING DEMONSTRATED PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE, COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP, AND A LONG –TERM COMMITMENT TO OUTSTANDING SERVICES IN THE FIELD OF MEDICINE”.

Worth noting that just like the other award that was given to Mme Sama Ndi Patience, the award that was given to Prof Henry Luma was jointly signed by the President of the Douala Chapter of BOBA, Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle, and the Secretary of the Chapter, Fontem Ayiyu.

Corroborating Dr Assam George, the President of the Douala Chapter of BOBA, Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle, said he was quite impressed with the state of cleanliness of the Douala General Hospital, when a delegation of the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism visited the hospital a few months ago. Ntumfor Halle said Prof Luma is a model of a good Cameroonian, and somebody who should be emulated by other Cameroonians. Worthy of note that Ba Nkom Raymond Dinga Gwanyalla, had earlier at the December 29, 2023 occasion, said that:  “IF WE WERE TO LOOK AT THE NOTION OF AN IDEALISTIC HUMNAN BEING, THERE IS PROF HENRY NAMME LUMA”.

“My Experience In CPC Bali Was Great”

Meanwhile in his reaction after receiving the award, Prof Henry Namme Luma thanked God for the opportunities He has given to  BOBANS to be what they are today in the society. Prof Luma said September 13, 1968 which was the day he entered CPC Bali at the age of 11, remains a memorable date in his life.  He recalled that he and a friend spent two days behind a van travelling from Buea to Bamenda.  “CPC was a very interesting place. We worked so hard in our studies, and we also had some leisure time for sports, music and so on.  In fact my experience in CPC Bali was great. Bali gave me knowledge, including religious knowledge”, Prof Luma said.   Turning to BOBA, Prof Luma stressed the importance of the association, as well as the need for all BOBANs to strive to be active members. Prof Luma expressed his gratitude to the Douala Chapter of BOBA, for honouring him.

By Joe Ding Pefok (Uncle Joe)

Facebook: The Mentor

Email: djpefok@yahoo.com

Contacts: Telephone / WhatsApp: (237) 699 71 83 92 / 677 17 54 51