Bokwaongo chieftaincy: hey, your majesty Njie Mbonde!

The celebrated Crtv broadcaster has been designated new traditional ruler of Bokwaongo in Buea, South West region, by kingmakers Tuesday, March 18.

Celebrated Cameroonian journalism maestro, Albert Njie Mbonde has been designated as the traditional ruler of Bokwaongo village in Buea Subdivision of the South West Region. The multimedia personality was designated by Bokwaongo kingmakers yesterday. He was selected ahead of several other contenders who were vying for the same top traditional position.

The official designation of the journalist who presently works as the political desk editor for the radio service of state broadcaster, the Cameroon Radio Television, is a major step towards filling the vacancy that had been left in the Bokwaongo chiefdom since the exit of the village’s former ruler. His Royal Majesty, Chief Njie Mbonde joins a growing list of Cameroonian journalists who have, in recent years, bagged other major posts of responsibility outside their traditional professional milieu.

His designation was received with joy and jubilation by the people of Bokwaongo. His journalist colleagues also expressed the same reaction, sending congratulatory messages on social media networks and other digital and nondigital platforms. HRM Chief Njie Mbonde is married with children.

New ruler expresses gratitude, vows to prioritize population’s interest

Speaking in an interview shortly after his designation, the newly-designated ruler, HRM Chief Njie Mbonde expressed gratitude to the people of Bokwaongo and the God almighty. He described his selection as new ruler as an opportunity to once again, diligently serve a Bokwaongo people that he has over the years, held dearly at heart.  “First of all, to strongly say that it was only delayed but never denied.

Because I think honesty requires that we say that the choice of the kingmakers was made since the first consultative talks. I can readily tell you that the consultative talks at the end of the day was a formality to fulfill administrative requirements because the choice was made very long ago,” the new ruler stated humbly. “So first of all, I want to give gratitude to God who has directed my footsteps from this modest home.

I am a product of these two hills so I am glad that God has raised me to oversee the destiny of this village,” Chief Njie Mbonde added. The traditional ruler urged the population to remain united and join him as he embarks on a long journey toward continuing with the project of building the Bokwaongo village and making the village a place to be for all, regardless of their backgrounds and other personal differences.  “…We may be different families. But we are one people.

Before these consultative talks, I did not know the other people. As a young man, my grandparents taught me that Bokwaongo people are one people,” the multimedia personality-turned traditional ruler said. “Each time I did something to help the community or individuals, I did not do so because I knew. I did the little I could do as, first of all, a Cameroonian who knows that you must help people, but also as a Bokwango son who helped Bokwaongo people,” the chief added.

Peace a nonnegotiable requirement

According to HRM Chief Njie Mbonde, one of his biggest priorities as the ruler of the Bokwaongo people will be to ensure that Bokwaongo continues being a peaceful community like it was during and after the reign of his immediate predecessor. He said he will push to continue having a Bokwaongo people that are fully law-abiding and respectful to the republic and its institutions like they have done over the years.

“That he (the former ruler) left a village that remained in peace in a very, very violent and turbulent environment given the socio-political upheavals, gives me the opportunity to thank the population of Bokwango for remaining peaceful, law-abiding and republican and respectful to the institutions and the one who incarnates them.

That is the challenge for me,” the new ruler said after visiting the tomb of his predecessor following his designation yesterday.

No land grabbing issues

HRM Chief Njie Mbonde said his leadership will be void of all-land related crises. “Being a traditional ruler is not only talking about land. We shall be firm on the management of land in our village.  Questions will be asked about what was done before,” the newly-designated ruler said.

Focus on addressing development issues

Beyond addressing the peace, security and the overall stability of the Bokwaongo village, HRM Njie Mbonde told pressmen that he will also be strongly channeling his energy towards pushing for the continuous development of the Bokwaongo community and in addressing issues related to youth unemployment and others. In terms of development, the traditional ruler said his interest will be on finding a long-lasting solution to the electricity crisis that has been affecting the village.

He said he will achieve the target by notably mobilizing the community to purchase a new transformer and penning partnership with authorities and institutions in the energy sector. Chief Njie Mbonde said similar energy will be directed to fixing with the portable water headache that has also been affecting the village. “I know their problems. I can tell you that on a number of issues, I am not happy with the state of the village.

The problems are persistent electricity cuts.  A lot of people know me for my rigor. I got some problems. Part of my problems came from my sense of rigor. We need to help the young people. A lot of them are educated but do not have jobs,” the ruler said. “We are thanking the government already for efforts that will be made in the health center. We are looking into the problem of water. We have water sources.

I do not want to start making announcements too quickly, but we are making some serious public and private partnerships to see what are the various possibilities. We are engaging with energy company, ENEO very soon to see how we can buy a transformer so that the transformer does not become a source of contention or ridicule in our community,” the traditional ruler said.  “We are bigger than that as a village. We can buy a transformer as a village.

I am taking that as a firm commitment. That is either we share the responsibility with ENEO because they are doing business or we buy the transformer and give them conditions because they are making money,” he added.

HRM Chief Njie Mbonde the Man

HRM Chief Albert Njie Mbonde has been one of Cameroon’s finest media personalities in the last over two decades. He is celebrated for his prolific approach to journalism as highlighted over the years while serving as a talk show host, sports editor, newscaster and now a political desk editor all on state broadcaster, the Cameroon Radio Television, Crtv. He has won dozens of national and international awards as compensation and recognition for his works in the field of journalism and beyond.