Legal Luminary and Community Developer

"Humanitarian Aid in NW & SW should be distributed by Churches & Credible NGOs" -Barrister Divine Momuluh.

Divine Momuluh is an Attorney by profession though he also studied for a Master Degree in Conflict Management and Conflict Resolution. He equally has another Masters in Social works. He therefore has a wide background in Law, Social Works, Conflict Management and Conflict Resolution. This young Cameroonian Attorney was born into a Christian family in the Northwest Region. The globe trotter after graduating with a Law Degree from the University of Yaounde II went to Law School in Nigeria. He later returned home and practiced for three years and eventually had an opportunity to further his studies in the USA. He studied at the William Mitchell  College of Law. In this establishment he also had a Masters in Conflict Management and Conflict Resolution. He also did an online Master Degree in Social Works at Walden University. He is also one of the youngest members of the Board of Directors of the Azire Cooperative Credit Union, the largest of its kind in the country.According to Barrister Divine Momuluh the huge quantity of Humanitarian aid that left Yaounde recently should be left in the hands of churches and credible NGOs. In this interview he begins by vividly presenting his life from childhood.

Excepts

"I was born into a very Christian Family. My dad was a Presbyterian Christian just like my mother and so we grew up as Christians. My father was a leader and one of the leading roles that he assumed was that of the General Manager of the Azire Cooperative Credit Union AZiccul. My father always said that at no point in time should you demonstrate any quality of being irresponsible. Physically, he always wanted to see you dressed properly. He placed a lot of emphasis on neatness and always said no body could take you serious if you were shabby. He constantly reminded us that one day he wasn't going to be there and that when that time came, we would be capable of taking care of ourselves. He equally loved farming and he made sure we went to the farm. Even when he paid hired labour he made sure we worked alongside with them."

Can you shed light on your educational itinerary?

I attended Nursery School at the National Social Insurance Nursery School Ntamulung in Bamenda. At that time I was a kid so they always dropped me at school in the morning and picked me up at the end of the day. However, immediately I entered Primary School I had to trek like any other child and there was no place for me in the car anymore. I had to walk to school like any other child. One day while in school I played Football and soiled my shirt. Even my sheos got really dirty. My dad came to school that day to pay my fees. I was so excited to so my dad and completely forgot how dirty I was. I ran to him and seeing how dirty I was, he got me beaten in front of everyone. I later moved on to Secondary School at Presbyterian Secondary School Bafut. After my GCE Ordinary Levels I moved to Longla Commercial College for my High School studies from where I obtained GCE A Levels. Unfortunately I lost my dad. When he died, I had written the entrance exam to go into the Presbyterian Seminary. I passed the written exam but failed the oral part of the exams. This served as turning point as I decided to study Law at the University of Yaounde II where I had a first degree in Law.

What do you think are the major challenges faced by the average Legal Practioner in Cameroon today?

Any Legal Practitioner who comes out of Law School has a problem of specializing. For most of the time they are only interested in looking for money without thinking about tomorrow. In this manner, they become General Practitioners and not a specialist in any domain. 90% of Lawyers practicing in the Northwest Region are General Practitioner. Now that they are caught up in a crisis of this magnitude almost everyone is at home. If they were specialized in specific domains this should not have been the case. When Lawyers complain that things are difficult, it is because they are focusing only on criminal matters whereas if you had done Intellectual Property, Company Law among others then the situation would not have been the same. Lawyers should specialize in Civil as well Criminal matters. There are lots of opportunities out there. I encourage young lawyers to continue their studies after graduating from Law School. If you don't do this, you will remain a General Practitioner.
How can someone with your background be of help in the present circumstances in Cameroon?

The first thing is that to be useful in the present circumstances one must be completely neutral. Both parties must understand that for a conflict to be resolved both parties must give up something. You cannot put down your position and you stand by it. Both parties must be ready to give up something if they want to come to a compromise. They have to be ready to give up something for any solution to be reached at.
What does being a Social worker entail?

Its a broad field but I had to specialise in Child Protection and the Family. The average child today especially in the villages has a lot of problems. Within the context of what is going on today in Cameroon, children are suffering a lot and they have to be protected. The Girl Child especially is most vulnerable as she is constantly a victim of rape. You have children who are abandoned, some are not going to school. As a Social Worker and Child Protector we come in to make sure that these children regain their Rights such as the Right to be protected, the Right to go to school, amongst others. Social Workers are generally advocates in all situations.
A few days ago, 55 trucks loaded with goods meant to be humanitarian assistance left Yaounde and Douala for the two conflict riddled Regions. Do you think the desperate ones in the bushes will benefit from it?

Its unfortunate that things meant for the needy sometimes end up in the wrong hands. A lot of people in Cameroon have given up and are of the mind frame that nothing can be changed. There are still lots of honest people out there. The government should sort them out and use them. Unfortunately some of the Government Officials are equally corrupt. Some of them will take these things and keep them in their homes. Conscience is the greatest Judge. If you don't have conscience then you can't go ahead to talk about humanitarian efforts. To talk about humanitarian activities you must be a person of good conscience. The Government should look for credible NGOs, credible persons and churches. Use the churches since they have direct links with the communities as well as credible NGOs in the distribution of Humanitarian Aid. If this is not done then the exercise will end in futility. Even the Government Officials themselves will grab some and keep in their houses. Some of the NGOs belong to Government Officials themselves. If you ask my opinion I will say they should use the Catholic, Presbyterian and Baptist Churches in transmission of Humanitarian aid to the needy.

Are you a Community Person like any other true African man?

I play it real simple. I was recently commissioned as an elder of the church. You need to be linked to your community so that the community  feels you. It doesn't suffice to be aloof and distant. Divine Momuluh likes to go close to his people. I love them and I think it is my responsibility to stand by them, advice them and tell them that no matter the difficulties they should not give up on life. Life is a battle and in a battle you must keep fighting and keep moving on. I love to go close to the young people because I think it is a moral responsibility to guide them.

The average young Cameroonian is a frustrated one. What message do you have for them?

Life is not given on a platter of gold. You need to be focused and be a visionary. You should always reflect on things that have to be done. Each time you fall, it gives you an opportunity to learn by questioning where  you went wrong. You don't fall and you stay on the same position. You have to continue fighting and moving on. We don't have to sit and say our parents will give us or that the government will give us. My dad died when I just had the GCE A Levels but where am I today. I have a Jurist Doctorate, I have a Masters in Social Works, I have a Masters in Conflict Management and Conflict Resolution. He wasn't around but he gave me that basic rule: "You have to keep fighting." People should serve as icons to you. Their successes should inspire you. Don't believe in the Cameroonian principle of "man know man". True that networking is a very important tool but everything must begin with you. You must first have the zeal for someone to spot you and give give you the push.

Interviewed By Francis Ekongang Nzante

Les Gens Du Cameroun

Email: francoeko@gmail.com/ Tel: +237678401408/ +237696896001