Niat Njifenji Marcel

Nevertheless, Thomas had an advantage over John. He had well established connections within the ruling CPDM party that even John’s cousin who was prime minister, did not have. Why? Because Peter Mafany Musonge was not a real CPDM militant, he was not even a politician, for he did not have any elective post, his political career was achieve via the chaperoning of Paul Biya. It is the connections that Thomas Tobbo Eyoum had within the ruling party, which he employed, like a steamroller against John Epee Mandengue. In the beginning, John resisted like a rock, because Thomas had problems with Laurent Esso, who was at a point, a partner in the nefarious fabulous four (John, Thomas, Laurent and Armand), who were the ideologues of the tribal and supremacist group, that was viscerally against the Bamilekes in Douala and in the Littoral province in general. However John had another pressing problem, which made him vulnerable. This time around, it was the contract with the Song-lulu section of the National Electricity Corporation (SONEL), which his company Broking Services International had and was thus, insuring the staff and equipments. The said contract was on the line or facing termination. For the managing director of the state utility, late Niat Njifenji Marcel, who was a member of the central committee of the ruling party as Thomas Tobbo Eyoum MP was, and he was considering revoking the contract.

Why? It is/was the friendship that Thomas had with Marcel, who was an ethnic Bamileke, and whose tribe or nationality were the staple and target of hate from Elimbi newspaper, owned by John Epee Mandengue, that made Thomas Tobbo Eyoum to have a decisive lead in his battle against John Epee Mandengue. How? At the heat of their battle, Thomas took a copy of Elimbi newspaper to Yaoundé. It was during a meeting of the Central committee of the ruling CPDM party and gave it to Niat Njifenji Marcel. Immediately, Niat read the paper, as an ethnic Bamileke, he came back to Douala annoyed and rang John. He told him that, he was suspending the insurance contract linking Broking Services International with SONEL. All attempts at explanations from John Epee Mandengue did not change things. The lost of the insuring contract with the Song-lulu division of the National Electricity Corporation of Cameroon (SONEL) meant that, John had to curtail his expenditure and also his political ambitions. He no longer had the same financial withal to continue his political battle with Thomas Tobbo Eyoum. But he could console himself that he still had an important contract with CDC. The mediation of the traditional chief of Deido, His Royal Highness Gustave Essaka Ekwalla, may not have averted the showdown between two of his illustrious subjects, but it certainly delayed the political and economic demolition of John Epee Mandengue, embarked upon by Thomas Tobbo Eyoum.