When it comes to Anglophone Cameroon and Manyu Division affairs, there is one man who will always like to share his thoughts and pearls of wisdom with the public. God in HIS infinite image created and planted him in Manyu Division. Dr.  Joachim Arrey who grew up in New Layout Mamfe town is very concerned when the Manyu constituency is in the spotlight for the wrong reasons. The news that the Division is in the grip of a drug crisis has kept him awake all week and he says the issue can be addressed if the Division’s elite and Diaspora lend a helping hand. Read and enjoy this conversation with our Editor-In-Chief Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai  

Cameroon Concord News: Manyu is in the spotlight these days for all the wrong reasons and that is unsettling. Drugs have taken over the lives of the Division’s youths. What do you make of this and how can the issue be addressed?

Dr. Joachim Arrey: Thank you for inviting me to share my pearls of wisdom with the citizens of Manyu. Indeed, my mind bleeds for those parents whose kids have been caught up in the drug crisis that is giving Manyu a very bad name. When I hear that my beloved Manyu is dealing with a massive drug crisis, I am very disturbed. I grew up in New Layout Mamfe and I carry the Division in my heart. I have gone round the world where I have seen beautiful towns and cities, but I still hold that I can, with the help of other people, transform Mamfe and the other villages into an El-dorado if given the chance to do so. News about those hard drugs is keeping me awake all night. I have seen videos of desperate men and women demonstrating in Egbekaw-Mamfe, Sumbe and other villages of Manyu in a bid to stem the tide of drugs which is hurting their children.  In my days as a young man walking the streets of Mamfe, I never had any concerns. There was security. There were no drugs. Every old person was like my father or mother and each person you saw only gave you advice for you to focus on your studies. As a child, I respected everyone and like many of my friends, we listened to our elders without questioning their wisdom. Our parents and elders knew that the future of the Division was in our hands. It was always a great joy across Manyu when we passed our exams. In those days, it really took an entire village to raise a child and every child was expected to live by known social norms. These days, things have changed and young men and women have opted to go down a dangerous path that is likely to rob them of a beautiful future. They are flushing their future down the toilet and this is not good for the Division. This crisis can be addressed if all Manyu elites and the Diaspora lend their voices to those of our brothers and sisters who are on the ground combatting this scourge that is blighting the lives of our children and grandchildren.

I think in the short term, efforts should be focused on identifying the suppliers whose objective is to make money even when lives are being destroyed. This will require administrative and political leaders as well as security authorities to be part of this vast effort. According to some people I have spoken to in Mamfe, some of the suppliers have been  identified but the unfortunate thing is that whenever the matter is taken to the police, the suspect gets arrested, but he gets released shortly after and he continues plying  his trade as if nothing has happened. The police and administrative officials who are also parents must help us. We need help! Our people cannot do it alone. They should be seen as partners in this complicated war which is tough to be prosecuted and is destroying young lives.

As a people, we must talk to our children. Real education starts from home. Parents must let their children know that engaging in irresponsible behavior will hurt them and their future. Members of our Diaspora can also help by weighing in. Their voices count and their financial support to those NGOs which are struggling to combat this plague will go a long way. No amount is too small, especially when it can deliver a child from the throes of this crisis. We must use the radio stations in Manyu to sensitize our youths to the need to stay focused in order to prepare for a beautiful life. Our children should choose people who have succeeded in life as their role models and not drug addicts and unscrupulous individuals.

Cameroon Concord News: In addition to the drug crisis, there is another crisis which is hurting young innocent girls. The level of promiscuity among young girls of fourteen and up is disturbing. What is your take on this?

Dr. Joachim Arrey: This is very disturbing. Our kids must focus on their education if they really want to have a bright future. Parents must encourage their teenage girls to postpone sex for a better life. I have heard of girls having sex with irresponsible men, some of whom could be their grandparents or are uniform officers. This is wrong and we must decry it. The residents of Manyu must be made to understand that it is a criminal offense to engage in sexual activities with minors. I understand that the humiliating and dehumanizing poverty prevailing in the country is morally disarming young girls in Manyu, but our young girls and children should resist temptation if they want to have a good life tomorrow. Our Manyu women organizations such as Nyene Mawn, EYUMEMA and MOHWA which are well structured could lend a useful hand to efforts currently underway to bail the Manyu girl child out of sexual exploitation and distraction. I am therefore urging the sons and daughters of Manyu Division to channel their financial assistance to these organizations for them to deliver on their mandate. I am personally prepared to make a financial contribution for this purpose.

Cameroon Concord News: There is also a more serious moral crisis which is tearing the Manyu social fabric apart. It is alleged that a few young men in Manyu who have made a little money are adversely changing the social dynamics in Manyu. There is no respect for elders and even the chiefs have fallen prey to financial temptation. What is your opinion regarding this unfortunate situation?

Dr. Joachim Arrey: I read in one of your articles published last week that money has restructured our people’s thinking and this is leading to a collapse of the social fabric of our Division. Our chiefs are not only traditional leaders; they are supposed to be moral authorities whose word should carry a lot of weight. If they are letting themselves to be tainted by money and sex, then they should know that they are shooting themselves in the foot. Some people allege that the distribution of Manyu traditional titles to any and everybody is immoral as it is money-induced, especially as one businessman, Tabe Bisong, is involved in some of those projects. I heard he brought a prophet from Nigeria who left Mamfe with the title of Sesekou. I do not know the bases upon which the prophet was handed such a title and it will be preposterous of me to condemn something whose details I do not know. I would also like to point out that I do not really believe that those titles are being awarded because money has changed hands. However, our chiefs must never throw caution to the wind. We count on them to uphold those values and principles which make Manyu a respected Division. For Tabe Bisong, I don’t know him. He is younger than I am but would advise that such a young man should be protected if his wealth is genuine. It is not everyone who knows how to make money and if Manyu has finally found someone who can create wealth, I think we should advise and protect him. In your article, you insinuated that the source of his wealth could not be determined and now that drugs have taken over the lives of our children, anyone whose wealth cannot be accounted for is a suspect. You may have your reasons to think so and as a seasoned journalist and writer, you have your sources on the ground. I would, however, like to point out that Tabe Bisong is innocent until proven guilty. I have heard that he is hard-working, strategic and humane. I have been reliably informed that he had a huge share of the cocoa market for a long time, and he single-handedly ran beer operations in Manyu Division at the height of the socio-political crisis. He brought Brasseries du Cameroun drinks to Manyu and this initiative delivered much money to him. I think if he is engaged in such businesses, his riches should be legitimate. However, I have one piece of advice for him. His love of the spotlight is hurting him in a big and bad way. In life, if you want to be heard very early, know that you could be beheaded.  When you step into the spotlight, know that you have opened yourself up for criticism. That is human nature and none of us is capable of rewriting human nature.

Cameroon Concord News: Dr. Arrey, you now speak like a real politician. Does this imply that you will eventually end up in the political arena, especially as it is rumored that you are the right person to replace Senator Tabetando of blessed memory?

Dr.Joachim Arrey: Senator Tabetando is dead and gone, and he was buried a few days ago. He should be with his ancestors now where he is rendering account of his time on earth. He did his best as a lawyer, a businessman and a senator. May his soul rest in peace! I don’t know where you get your information but I trust that as a successful and respected journalist, you are talking to many people in Manyu Division. If the majority if the people want to pin their trust on me, I would not reject that. In my 60s, I have already achieved all the goals I set for myself. At this stage in life, I really do not have anything to prove to anyone. If that is the choice of the people then what you have in mind will come true. Vox populi, vox dei (The voice of men is the voice of God). Always remember that 2028 is still two years away and a lot can happen between now and 2028. You should also understand that the road ahead is still long and senatorial elections are not popular elections where everyone can vote. Party leadership has a key role in determining who has to represent the party. Moreover, Manyu has many competent human resources and there are other people who are also holding their cards so close to their chests. Regardless of the situation, we must always bear in mind that it is all about Manyu and that we must strive to make Manyu a better place than we met it.

Cameroon Concord News: Thank Dr. Arrey for sharing your brilliant thoughts with our audiences.

Dr. Joachim Arrey: The pleasure is mine. Let’s keep on sharing our perspectives with a view to educating the younger ones who will eventually take over the mantle of leadership tomorrow. Thank you, once more, for giving me this platform for me to share my golden nuggets of knowledge with our people.