Thursday, 14 January 2016

SABAS Atem Asong: A rare blend of the Educationist and the grass root politician





What attracted Les Gens Du Cameroun to this personality is his tenacity of character in the things that he does. As far back as 1978, this respected son of the Southwest Region has been involved in politics first as an active militant of the defunct Cameroon National Union CNU under President Ahmadu Ahidjo and eventually as an influential militant in the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement-CPDM. 

That aside he has contributed enormously towards efforts in improving the sanity of the Basic Education landscape in the Southwest Region of Cameroon. He is one of those who does the job out in the field and because of his self effacing nature almost goes unnoticed. This is the personality that is being showcased as a Southwest personality in the domains of Basic Education and politics at the level of the Basic Organs of the CPDM in the Southwest Region of Cameroon. He’s one of the many who go unnoticed despite everything that they put in for their communities.
Sabas Atem Asong is the Divisional Delegate of Basic Education for Meme (Peni Hors Echelle) Knight of the National Order of Valour. Sabas Atem began with President Ahmadou Ahidjo’s Cameroon National Union CNU Party in his native Fontem which at the time was part of Manyu Division. At the time he was the Assistant Secretary of the CNU in Manyu. At the level of Fontem Sub Division he was the Secretary of the party. His political life experienced a little study spell which saw him attending the Higher Teacher Training College Bambili, popularly referred to in Cameroon in its French abbreviation as ENS. At this establishment, he still didn’t let go politics as he became the Secretary of the CNU party at ENS Bambili.
With the birth of CPDM he emerged as the Branch President for Fiango North East. This came about with the transformation of CNU into CPDM on August 24, 1985.
As an educationist, Sabas Atem became the Interprovincial Inspector of Anglophone Education in the North of Cameroon in 1987. From 1990 to 1995, he worked in the West Province as the Provincial Inspector for Anglophone Primary Schools, Nursery Schools and Teacher Training.
At the political level, he was in 1997 nominated as Parliamentary candidate, the lone seat for Lebialem Division which was no longer part of Manyu Division. According to his account, his party, the CPDM won the parliamentary seat but the opposition party, the Social Democratic Front SDF was accorded the parliamentary seat after they took CPDM to court.
Back to education, Sabas Atem became the pioneer principal of Government Teacher Training College GTTC Fontem, a post he occupied from the year 2000 to 2005. Meantime the political map of his Division was changing. In 2002, Lebialem was split into three sub-sections and he became Sub Section President for Lebialem 1. Following the party’s re-organisation he was retained as President for Lebialem one.
The most recent re-organisation exercise which took place in 2015 saw him retaining his present position as the CPDM Section President for 18 continuous years.
His educational story continued with him being moved from GTTC Fontem to the post of the Divisional Delegate of Basic Education for Lebialem Division. He worked in this capacity from 2005 to 2013 from where he was re-appointed and transferred to Meme Division.
With so many years of hard work, recognitions started coming in. Three congratulatory messages came in from the Head of State congratulating him for services rendered. They were all signed by the Director of the Civil Cabinet on behalf of the Head of State. Four letters of congratulation have so far come in singed by the Secretary General of the CPDM Central Committee. Two letters of congratulations came in from Prime Minister Peter Mafany Musonge as Head of the CPDM Delegation to the Southwest Region. Last but not the least, a letter of congratulations also came in from Wilfred Mbellem, the Secretary for Economic and Social Affairs at the Central Committee.
Considering the rich cultural background of Lebialem Division and the respect for culture, it came as no surprise that in 2003, Sabas Atem was crowned a notable in the Fontem Kingdom qualifying him as a NDI. A great title owner who can appear infront of the King without removing the cap and an individual who can also act as an adviser to the King. This was in recognition of his services rendered to the Kingdom.
In May 20, 2003 he was decorated Knight of the Cameroon Order of Valour and on May 20, 2015 he was again decorated Officer of the National Order of Valour. This qualified him as a Sir Sabas Atem Asung. He has declared that he remains grateful to God.

EDEV CONCEPT

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