Thursday, March 28, 2013

CAMASEJ Lauds Prof. Elvis Ngole Ngole



          Ace and dynamic politician, Prof. Elivs Ngole Ngole has been recognised as ‘South West All Time Best Minister’ by the Cameroon Association of English Speaking Journalists (CAMASEJ), Meme, Ndian and Kupe Muanenguba Chapter.
          The award by implication means, Prof. Elvis Ngole Ngole stands as the highest and most preforming minister the South West Region has ever had since 1961. The former Minister of Forestry and Wildlife received the prestigious award amidst a jam-parked Tombel Council Chamber on the occasion of the 28TH Anniversary of the CPDM.
          According to Larry Esong, Managing Editor of The Scoop Today Newspaper cum President of CAMASEJ, Prof. Ngole stood as the most suitable awardee for this category because of his steadfastness in the protection of endangered species through the Last Great Ape programme and other; his resourceful management of the eco-system for sustainable development; and the recruitment of many forest guard in his ministry. Prof. Elvis Ngole Ngole is also noted for his good mediation effort as well as his untiring struggle in the fight against youth unemployment.
          While receiving the award from the watch-dogs of the society, the former Forestry and Wildlife boss, expressed optimism and implored everyone to keep on doing their best for the development of Cameroon.
          CAMASEJ officials told reporters that the award was initially to have been awarded in December 2012. But at that time, the winner was unavoidably absent as he was out of the country for an academic exchange visit.
          It should be noted that Elvis Ngole Ngole was first appointed to the government as Minister of Special Duties at the Presidency of the Republic on December 7, 1997. After close to nine years as Minister of Special Duties, Ngole Ngole was promoted to the position of Minister of Forestry and Wildlife on September 22, 2006. As Minister of Forestry and Wildlife, Prof. Elvis Ngole Ngole worked to enforce anti-poaching laws and curb the illegal sale of bush meat. Apart from being a resource person for the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), he participated in the 1990 tripartite talks and subsequently took part in talks between the CPDM and the main opposition Social Democratic Front.
          Born on April 14, 1953 of Bakossi origin, Professor Elvis Ngole Ngole taught political science at the University of Denver in the United States from 1983 to 1985, and he subsequently taught at the University of Yaounde’s International Relations Institute of Cameroon (IRIC).
By Amindeh Blaise Atabong

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Tikum Mbah Azonga, PhD: One of Cameroon’s Endangered Species of Journalism and Mass Communication Instructors

Dr. Tikum Mbah Azonga is famed for meticulous and conscientious utilization of synonyms while speaking, his published books and his gut-splitting humour and gut-wrenching honesty.
Dr. Tikum in office
A well traveled scholar, Dr. Tikum had practised full-time journalism as a worker with the state media- Cameroon Radio and Television (CRTV), now a writer, a journalism and mass communication lecturer, an interpreter and translator and media consultant.
Over the years as a lecturer, Tikum has had an unflinching determination to make things to make things stick and click together in the prestigious Department of Journalism and Mass Communication in the University of Buea.
His workaholic attitude and his conspicuous achievements has recently earned him an appointment as Pioneer Head of Media Division at the University of Bamenda.
Tikum Mbah Azonga of Cameroonian parentage, hails from the North West Region of Cameroon. Born on March 5, 1957 at Baforchu in Santa Subdivision, he did primary education at St. Micheal’s School Musongmuabu and completed in 1970 at St. Francis School Bambili.
After going through Sacred Heart Mankon for five years, Tikum finally graduated from CCAST Bambili with an Advanced Level Certificate in 1977.
With his intrinsic passion and burning zeal for teaching, Tikum Mbah Azonga took up the teaching of French in private colleges. And in 1980, he enrolled into the bilingual series of the Ecole Normal Supèrieur de Yaounde. As was then, he went to France and was trained as a teacher of French. While in France, Tikum also attended a school of translation and was churned out as a translator/interpreter.
On completion of formation in France, the French Government entreated Tikum Mbah Azonga among others to go to Britain and teach French. Inasmuch as Tikum’s mission to  Brtian was to teach French, he ventured into a postgraduate diploma in journalism, where he specialised in production journalism and press and public relations affairs.
When his official mission to Britain ended, he continued teaching French and Spanish and was Head of Department of Spanish at John Lonburg School in London. Tikum also worked for Africa Magazine and West Africa Magazine, all based in London. He also has been one time Editor-in-chief and Publication director of Emet Magazine. Tikum significantly acted as Press ad Public Relations Officer for London Borough Council.
After spending many years in the diaspora, Tikum returned home with a heavy background in journalism and good mastery of the teaching of French as a foreign language. He was poised to contribute to the development of his own country by working in Cameroon and paying taxes to the government.
Following a highly successful early morning radio programme called “Wake Up Show” which Tikum ran on CRTV National Station with late Becky Ndive, he was called by CRTV and offered a job.
While at CRTV, Tikum felt some of his skills were been stifled. So when vacancies were advertised in the University of Buea, he seized the opportunity and was offered two jobs as lecturer. One in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication - JMC and the other in the Advanced School of Translators and Interpreters – ASTI. Tikum chose JMC in order to practise teaching, do research and stay within the domains of journalism. He saw journalism as an avenue to speak to the world. Since then, and until before his appointment, he has been a budding journalism in the University of Buea.
In his quest for more knowledge, Tikum Mbah Azonga enrolled for a PhD in Mass Communication and in 2011, he was a laureate from Ecole Supèrieur Robert de Sorbon in Nancy-France.
Dr. Tikum is a well-known author and has published many books in the likes of: “Say No To AIDS”, “The Wooden Bicycle”, “Tomatoes For Four”, “Sighs and Whisper From Within”, “Modern Cameroon Poetry” and so on.
This media practitioner who speaks over 30 local and international languages is married and father of 5boys, 5girls. He takes reading and writing as hoppies and likes practising the language he knows and learning the languages he does not know.

                                                                    By Amindeh Blaise Atabong