Brief Biography of Professor Henri Hogbe Nlend

Professor Henri Hogbe Nlend is another character. Although he was born in French-speaking Cameroon and was a member of nationalist French-speaking Cameroonian party: UPC, that fought the French, he is paradoxically, a French national and a distinguished intellectual. Professor Henri Hogbe Nlend was born on the 23rd of December 1939 in the village of Nkom-Ngambe. The village of Nkom-Ngambe is located in the Sanaga Maritime division of the Littoral province. He was from1962-1963, chair of the UPC branch in France and in Algeria. He held similar position for the UPC in Congo Brazzaville from 1963-1966. He is a mathematic professor and taught at the University of Bordeaux, France from 1974-1997. He became vice chair of the France section of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) from1985-1990. He was appointed minister of Technical and Scientific Research of Cameroon in December 1997 courtesy the mediation of Dr Moise Albert Njambe. Professor Henri Hogbe Nlend is since 1998, chair of a faction of the UPC known as UPC H. He is presented by his detractors as a very divisive political figure. To some members of the UPC, the French-speaking Cameroonian nationalist party, Professor Nlend is a dangerous opportunist.



While to his admirers, he is a hero and a venerated scientist. Concerning his controversial aspects, he is accused by some members of the UPC of having betrayed Ossende Affana, a member of the UPC, who was assassinated in 1966. Unlike most UPC members, Ndeh Ntumazah, doesn’t accuse professor Nlend of having betrayed any member of the UPC. Ndeh Ntumazah is the only surviving founding member of the UPC and chair the same party. Ndeh Ntumazah nonetheless accuses Professor Nlend, of being an opportunist. Paradoxically, Professor Nlend got the anointment and support of Ndeh Ntumazah, to stand as presidential candidate in 1997. I don’t therefore comprehend why and what Ndeh Ntummazah was accusing his protégé of being an opportunist. Professor Nlend may be a political villain or opportunist to some. But he is an honest intellectual with an impressive academic pedigree. In 1976, he created the African Mathematics Union or in French: Union Mathématique Africaine (UMA). He chaired the organisation for a decade and now he is the honorary chair and he presided the International Mathematic Union from 1978-86.



From 1979-88, he presided over the Centre of Pure and Applied Mathematics (Centre de Mathématique Pures et Appliqués), an organisation created under the auspices of UNESCO. Hogbe Nlend is a French-speaking Cameroonian and member of the UPC and also former member of the ruling party. He has been in France for so long that, he is thought to be a French national or holds a French passport. It is an accusation that he refuses. For if he accepts, it will confirm the rumours floated that, he is a traitor. This is so because, any French-speaking Cameroonian, who was a member of the UPC and belongs to the generation of Mr Hogbe Nlend and above all, have ambitions to lead the party with red flag and its black crab placed on the centre of the flag, must not obtains or apply for French nationality. In case he/she does and it is known, it is considered by members of the UPC as the utmost indignity and a passport for straight disqualification. For France is considered in French-speaking Cameroon and in particular in the former UPC strongholds as an enemy country. But whether Mr Hogbe Nlend is a holder of a French passport or not he was and is still considered by some within the party as a dangerous element. Immediately he came home and wanted to run for the post of secretary general of the UPC, his most virulent adversary was Augustine Frederick Kodock MP.