In a research piece titled “THE NGALA GERARD SYNDROME”, the scholar of political science writes that Ngala Gerard has spiced the political, social, cultural, and economic climate of Nkambe, creating a kind of solidarity, warmth and sense of responsibility among the youths.

He writes: “Since the outbreak of the crisis ravaging Cameroon’s North West and South West Regions, Cameroonians of good faith, despite their political or social differences have not ceased to reflect and encourage measures that will bring back stability, preserve territorial integrity and ensure a real political and socio-economic development.

“Despite all the accusations that can fly from left to right, the problem is Cameroon and the solution must be Cameroon if a social justice, equity and fairness is what we seek. It is equally important to hold that, the people in their great whole can’t deny their responsibility to be politically active but at the same time cautious in checking political actors as to the pertinence of their actions.

“That said, the greatest portion of responsibility remains that of the political actors and elites who have proven to be completely strange and irresponsive to the aspirations and needs of a people who no longer identify themselves with their representatives.

“Cameroon today is made up of a population which constitutes 65-70% youths. Our political field is animated by actors who are over 90-95% above a certain age group and have been there for decades. The clash of age is not really the bone of contention here but rather the aptitude to reflect a people’s aspiration, needs and this people identifying themselves with their representatives despite their political family or wings.

“Despite the oligarchical nature of his (Ngala Gerard’s) political formation which is the case with political parties, some barons of his party took upon themselves to bestow trust and open a political corridor for this young man to showcase his how-far.

“The year 2013 therefore marked a turning point in the political landscape of Nkambe which was traditionally dominated by the SDF as the tough municipal and legislative elections saw the victory of the CPDM in the municipal and a kind of narrow escape for the legislative by the SDF.

“The style and touch brought by this young parliamentary aspirant could only lure the admiration of youths and the elderly whom like never before had felt a real political touch and warmth within their area.  Ngala Gerard didn’t abandon his people like is the case with most politicians who only remember their people when elections are around the corner.

“He kept that proximity and attentive ear to the worries and needs of his people which he tried to manage with several initiatives to empower his people, humanitarian and developmental initiatives which in reality today, is making the difference between life in Nkambe and any other area in the North West during this crisis.

“Such initiative and sense of responsibility from a youth only demands encouragement and not the old fashioned style of stigmatization and tricks which does not help our people and nation at large.

“With the outbreak of this crisis, political elites in both regions took upon themselves to call their people to order, reasoning and to be constructive in their anger, frustration and worries affecting their social, professional and economic situation. But the people rejected the calls from their “political leaders” who today can’t freely go home and are even internally displaced persons.

“Even the almighty Chairman of the SDF, whose notoriety, out-standing charisma and fame in dismantling mass tension and anger some years back in his region failed this time around in checking the killings and destructions ravaging our regions.

“What is even more important to note is that the Chairman’s notoriety and fame has not just been checked, himself and his family have suffered several attacks and kidnappings, the Chairman being the latest victim. This yesterday, could never cross our minds since the Chairman’s security and protection was from the streets and the ordinary man in Bamenda and the North West. They could die for the Chairman’s security and interest.

“Administrative authorities during escalating tension sometimes count on the charisma of the Chairman to bring serenity and order. The failure of the political elite is general despite their attitude to shift blames.

“Within the present constellation, is it not normal to think of a new generation with a different STYLE, TOUCH, and FEELING? Can we not encourage a bipartisan approach such that the proposed solution reflects the aspirations and needs of the people? Does political responsibility and honesty vis a vis this crisis plaguing our regions and Cameroon in general not compel us to honourably “permit” a young and dynamic generation of young politicians to continue with the “elephant” task of bringing development to our people, communities and country at large?

“Nkambe, it is important and even primordial to note that Nkambe remains the only place in the North West and South West regions in which insecurity, destruction has been wholeheartedly denied by the entire population not because of CPDM or our brave forces but because the population can identify themselves with a SON of the soil who seems to have a STYLE, TOUCH and FEELING which meets the people's aspirations and expectations.

“Nkambe is proving to us all that, the problem is not really CPDM, SDF or Cameroon but rather a responsive, responsible leadership with which a people’s aspirations, needs and hope can be confidently inscribed within and relate with without any fear.

“The 2019 May 20 National Day celebrations in Nkambe remains a myth to many as not only did the people in their numbers came out to march but most importantly put on the most dreaded outfit now in North West and South West regions – the CPDM uniform – without any fear of being kidnapped or amputated after this celebration.

“The Nkambe “miracle” we live today was a vision and will from Barons like Shey Jones Yembe, Talla Godlove Nji and others within this constituency. They took upon themselves to open the doors of the party and not just support Ngala Gerard's bid as Section President CPDM but support him to speak the language youths like him could understand.

“Since then, Ngala Gerard has spiced the political, social, cultural, economic climate and above all creates a kind of solidarity, warmth and a sense of responsibility among the youths of Nkambe. This is something that is rarely done in the Cameroon political arena especially within the ranks of the CPDM where one would hardly see a determined and charismatic young man supported and encouraged by the political barons of their areas.

“This tells us that, if elites could embrace and support youths in their different localities knowing very well that youths constitute 65-70% of the population, we could possibly have had many Ngala Gerards in all subdivisions and divisions and the crisis would have been different from what we have today.

“The youths of Nkambe who are home today and ensuring the security of the constituency would have been in the bushes today if this vision and will wasn’t initiated back then by these Barons in 2011. The tendency of suppressing youths and believing their own time will come when obviously they’re around 60 years remains a fundamental generational problem which today accounts for the loss of trust and understanding between generations. There are thousands of Ngala Gerard in different constituencies, it only suffices that there is a will to march with the dynamics of time as leadership from behind has never been a problem.

“The essence of politics is to serve the people. The Greek etymology see’s politics as anything that touches the city; in extension anything that affects the management of a group. Plato in this like see’s politics as the art of good governance and Aristotle talking on Politeia talks of a non-corrupt form of democracy. Montesquieu with the concept of Representation sees a political activity built on a dual delegation: to be in the place … and decide for.

“A representative enjoys a kind of legitimacy which is defined as social acceptability built on shared believes. Leadership in this same line is defined as the capacity of a representative to manage in a dynamic manner the relation of power within a given group. It is but obvious that a people follow leaders because they believe and identify themselves with the leaders who deliver, can best understand, manage and defend their interest and aspirations wherever and under any circumstance.

“The Chairman of the SDF party with an interview granted to a private TV on the June 2, 2019 and his direct attacks on this young politician (Ngala Gerard) failed to realize that he is simply denying security, development and hope the people of Nkambe find in this young politician who is simply serving the people of NKambe in this touching moments.

“Most elites or representatives of the people just like the SDF Chairman can’t get home and stay comfortably simply because their people don’t identify themselves with them and consequently can’t protect them.

“The position of the SDF vis a vis the crisis remains questionable as not only they refuse protection from the republican forces in their outings thinking they’re with the people on the ground, has proven them wrong because even the Chairman suffered abduction at some point. The position of the SDF remains controversial equally because even the separatists don’t identify themselves with them “anymore”.

“All what the people of Nkambe and the entire regions under this crisis and Cameroon at large want is HOPE, TRUST and the APTITUDE to deliver. They want people who will speak to them from mind to mind, not from mouth to ear. The crisis has proven that generational differences which can explain why aspirations and dreams don’t meet, and the inability of the people's representatives to calm tension and anger warrants a change not just of persons but of vision regardless of our political stand.

“The security, serenity and life enjoyed in Nkambe today are a consequence of humanitarian and developmental initiatives piloted by this young dynamic entrepreneurial politician who has reasoned the real sense, essence of politics and leadership. Sovereignty is the people who can only bestow, entrust and confine in representatives because they could situate, identify and match their worries within the vision of a person who is them in their immediate cosmology.

“Any logic of legitimacy which does not share this attribute of social acceptance and shared believes will only suffer the fate of politicians who are rejected when real situations arise. Like Machiavelli holds it is fundamental for a system to evolve with the dynamics of time and ensure concrete adaptability with the time lived. So too politicians are to know when to leave the stage and how to encourage and empower the energy of times.

“Without any intension to attack any personality trapped with circumstances of our country today, we and never will deny the contributions of our political leaders despite their political family but are realizing that we can’t force a solution and acceptance with a people who are denying to identify themselves with us.

“In public policy, it doesn’t suffice to take a decision in resolving a social deed, implement it but rather ensuring the people identify themselves with the decision/solution consequently acceptability. The Ngala Gerard syndrome as we call it is just a change of vision, perspective and responsibility which should be encouraged and supported as an honourable path in bringing a change which reflect today and can match the developmental and security aspirations our senior political elites have always aspired for which today has been threatened and almost deleted by the current plague ravaging the North West and South West regions of Cameroon.”