Senator Wanlo C. John from the North West
Region of Cameroon has spent a spell working with Cameroons Customs. When he
eventually joined politics he started off as Mayor of Fonfuka Council in Boyo
Division. He stayed in that position for about 6 years and in 2013 he was
elected into the Senate.
He kick started as the National President of
Bum Development Union and he was determined to work towards opening up the area
which was locked up and needed to be disenclaved. Along the line he knew that
the herculean task that lay ahead of him needed some help from other
development stakeholders from Bum specifically and Cameroon in general. In this
interview which was carried out by Francis Ekongang Nzante, the Senator takes
us into development initiatives he and his collaborators have carried out in
the Fonfuka Council, Bum and Boyo Division in general.
After years
in the doldrums how can you evaluate development in Bum at the moment?
Firstly I will like to situate Bum. It is
found in Boyo Division in the Northwest Region. Bum culturally is of the grass
field. Boyo Division has four Sub Divisions. We have Bello, Njinikom, Fundong
and Bum. There are two main tribes in Boyo Division and that’s Kom and Bum.
There we live peacefully and we are neighbors with Mesaje and Lasn- Noni in Bui
Division. When you talk about evolving, development or changes, we think about
schools, roads etc. When I took over as Mayor of Fonfuka Sub Division the area
was really enclaved. Many schools were eventually created. As concerns roads, it
is often said that where a road passes, development follows. Now you can leave
Fundong and come down to Konene easily. At the moment that we are talking,
there are Caterpillars with Joe Corner Water digging from Konene to Fonfuka. He
has equally started the road from Fonfuka to Kimbi near Noni. I have improved
on portable water in Bum and at the moment there is also the Solar system
geared towards electricity. As a Senator I intervene in all the Sub Divisions
in Boyo. There have been a lot of changes but these remain unnoticed because
the ring road is still uncompleted. We want just development and pray that the
country should remain stable to create an enabling environment for development.
What was
your vision when you got into politics?
My vision is to see how people can change. We
therefore intend to leave a better place than the one we met. The future lies
in being people oriented and this is only achievable when you work with the
people and for the people. That is my prayer and that is what I am preaching
day and night. Division doesn’t pay. We didn’t choose ourselves to be in the
Northwest and we have to do everything to be united. In a similar manner, we
did not also choose ourselves to be Cameroonians. I am doing my best to see
that we put on one thinking cap. I know it is difficult for people to think in
the same manner but for the sake of the common good, it is necessary to give it
a try. With this spirit we can do many things. Irrespective of where you come
from in Cameroon, you have to be positive, united and development oriented.
When you start thinking positively, everything becomes possible. The Bible says
seek first the Kingdom of God and the rest shall come to thee. Think positively
and work for the common good and the rest shall come to pass positively. Do
everything and be on the positive side and God will bless you.
Tell us
about the Bum Development Union.
It has served as a wonderful tool for
development. We touch all the corners of Bum developmentally. When you are from
Bum you must be part of the Bum development Union. When you want to think about
water, schools and anything, you must come together. Now we have Daniel Wango,
a very strong personality and President General of Bum Development Union. When
I became Mayor, I handed over to him since he was my deputy. I did the same
when I came to the Senate.
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