50 HIV/AIDS Peer Educators Descend On Fako

    The South West Regional Technical Group For The Fight Against HIV/AIDS, has deployed 50 peer educators to create HIV/AIDS awareness in Buea, Limbe, Tiko, Mutengene and Ekona.
    During the ceremony of the South West Regional Launching of the AIDS-Free Holidays 2012 at the Cameroon Cultural Center in Buea, the youth sensitisation peer group was given the baton of HIV/AIDS awareness creation. Sending out the crack team, Mr. Tata Julius, Social and Cultural Affairs Adviser at the Governor's Office, told the educators to lobby the youth to spread the message and not the virus.
    This year's AIDS-Free Holidays campaign, which is in its 10th edition, is place under the patronage of Mrs. Chantal Biya, First Lady of Cameroon, and sponsored by the National AIDS Control Committee in collaboration with its partners. It is observed under the theme:" Knowing my HIV status is a necessity for my health".
    Speaking during the launching, Dr. Pascal Nji Atanga, South West Regional Coordinator For The Fight Against HIV/AIDS, called on youth in particular to avoid inter-generational sex and endeavour to know their status as free HIV screening exercise will be carried out by mobile vans. Dr. Atanga, noted that in 2011, the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in the South West Region stood at 5.7%, with a regional rate of 7.9% for females and 3.3% for males on the national scale. "From statistics, more females are vulnerable", Dr. Atanga stressed.
    Against this backdrop, the coordinator for the fight against HIV/AIDS, urged particularly female youth to take the HIV/AIDS struggle more seriously, ensure fidelity, promote proper use of condoms, know their HIV status and above all, practice abstinence.
    Much earlier, the Regional Delegate for Youth Affairs and Civic Education for the South West, Mr. Ajarp Asaha Forbin, challenged the churned out educators to rigorously target spots where sex is easily negotiated such as inter-quarter competitions, youth camps, night clubs, and so on. He equally reminded parents to guide their children ( youth) especially during this holidays.
    In line with the HIV/AIDS campaign, students of Inter-Comprehensive High School Great Soppo kick-off the sensitisation effort by a sketch and poem presentation.
    Statistics hold that, during the AIDS-Free Holidays 2011 in the South West, 715 people were tested and 25 recorded positive. The peer educators will be faced with the task of sensitisation, counseling and condom (both female and male) distribution while free HIV screening will be carried out by mobile vans.
    The AIDS-Free Holiday 2012 campaign, which is expected to end on August 10, will be extended to other places within the South West Region, The DETECTIVE was told.

By AMINDEH BLAISE ATABONG

UB Don Releases Another Law Book

          Associate Professor Michael Akomaye Yanou, a practicing advocate and senior lecturer in law at the University of Buea, has published another law book entitled: Practice and Procedure in Civil Matters in the Courts of Records in Anglophone Cameroon. This book is the first of its kind by a Cameroonian author which deals with practice and procedures in the English Speaking Courts of the former West Cameroon.

          The blurb of the book describe it as the first of its kind in the rather dynamic domain of civil procedure in the Anglophone regions which brings significant local context into practice of law particularly at a point in time when civil practice has been radically altered by the country’s ongoing effort at harmonizing both the substantive and procedural laws applicable in the country.

          According to the author, Michael A. Yanou, it was very necessary for legal practitioners to read and understand the very important verdicts of Cameroon judges, reason why he published the book. The same source revealed that, “most law books that have always been used were either written by Nigerian authors or other foreign authors and the scope did not really reflect our contemporary society”.

          Former Supreme Court Judge and Attorney General for the South West Region, Justice Fonkwe Joseph Fongang, prefaced the 248 page book while the foreword was written by the President of the South West Court of Appeal, Justice (Mrs) Lucy Asuagbor.

          Among those who turned out to support Prof. Yanou at the book launch in the sumptuous Amphi 250, July 11, 2012, was the Nigerian Consul General for the North West and South West Regions o Cameroon. Others included Kama James Shona, General Manager of Ashuka, which does maritime transport. He procured a copy on behalf of his company with the sum of 2.000.000frs.

          On hand also was Barrister Ettah Bisong Jr, President of the Cameroon Bar Council, while Justice Batuo Paul Akong, State Prosecutor for Meme was remarkable. Numerous attendees at the launch including legal practitioners and luminaries, colleagues and students of Yanou purchased copies.

          It should be noted that, Barrister and Advocate, Michael Akomaye Yanou is a senior lecturer in law at the Department of Law of the University of Buea. He was prior to this a lecturer in law at the faculties of law of the Universities of Uyo and Calabar in Nigeria respectively. Besides holding a PhD from Rhodes University, South Africa, he has gone down in record as the first candidate to obtain the PhD in this field within only two years. He is a one time winner of the Visiting Research Fellowship of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. Yanou is a practicing advocate of the Supreme Courts of Cameroon and Nigeria who has published several articles in learned journals. Conspicuously, Yanou is the incumbent President of the Syndicate of Teachers of Higher Education – SYNES, University of Buea Chapter.

By AMINDEH BLAISE ATABONG

Dr. Nalova Spurred To Inculcate New University Governance Policy

Dr. Nalova Signing To Take Office

          Prof. Jacque Fame Ndongo, Minister of Higher Education and Chancellor of Academic Orders, has called on the newly appointed Vice Chancellor of the University of Buea, Dr. Pauline Nalova Lyonga (Associate Professor), to work in line with the new university governance policy.

          The MINESUP Boss made the request in the Amphitheater 750, July 4, while installing UB's fourth Vice Chancellor who appears to be the second female at the helm of a university across the country.

          While describing Dr. Nalova as an astute researcher and tenacious administrator, Prof. fame Ndongo implored her to always encourage dialogue among stakeholders, sustain regularity and performance of academics, pursue the maximisation and improvement of infrastructures left by predecessor and to consolidate the climate of peace and conviviality that reigns in UB. In addition, Dr. Nalova will be faced with the task of giving the University of Buea more doctoral schools in order to produce teaching staff and to scrupulously respect laws of the country and that relating to the management of state affairs and resources.

          "I am confident Dr. Nalova will make the government proud as she has always done", the Minister revealed and thanked His Excellence Paul Biya, apostle of the New University Governance, for the appointments.

          According to the Former VC, Prof. Vincent P.K Titanji, who is due retirement, UB's voyage will be safe, because henceforth the captain is a woman of mettle, full of foresight and passion for excellence.

          On her part, Dr. Nalova Lyonga of Bakweri extraction expressed much optimism. "Everyone should bring their cards on the table and we are going to go where the university and the government would want its citizens to go".

          It should be noted that Dr. Nalova is ingrained in the university system. In 1985, he was recruited as a lecturer and transferred to the University of Buea in 1993 where she has been involve in Feminine Literature, Gender and Literature. She was Director of Academic Affairs in UB from 1999 till 2005 when she was appointed Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Teaching. From 2007, Dr. Nalova was Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Teaching, Professionalization and Development of Information and Communication Technolgies until Friday when she was elevated to the post of VC by Presidential Decree No. 2012/33 of 29 July 2012.

          On hand during the installation ceremony were Bakweri chiefs on behalf of South West Chiefs, who poured royal blessings on Nalova. Prominent among the elites in attendance was Rt.Hon.Chief.Justice Benjamin Itoe who urged all Cameroonians of goodwill to appreciate the merits in Dr. Nalova.

          The DETECTIVE observed that the expectations of staff and students are high, ranging from rebuilding the image of UB, ensuring staff discipline, ensure proper lighting on campus, improving on the transcript situation, to several others.

                                                                       By AMINDEH BLAISE ATABONG