The details of the discussions between Prime Minister, Head of Government Dion Ngute Joseph and Human Rights Lawyer Nkongho Felix Agbor alias Agbor Balla are now emerging in bits. Trusted sources say the federalist inclined Agbor Balla was firm on his two-state federation position throughout the in-camera meeting.
The President of the banned Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium (CACSC) met with the Prime Minister Friday at the Buea Mountain Hotel, moments before the PM left for Yaounde.
It has now emerged that Agbor Balla told the PM that the form of the state must be negotiated in the presence of separatists, federalists and conservative leaders.
"Dialogue must be holistic… I talked to the PM about online violence and hate speech. I told him and he knows my position. The form of the state has to be discussed. We are no longer in 2016. The form of the state is the cause of this problem and we cannot move forward without discussing the form of the state," Agbor Balla said.
Indeed, he had told Cameroon-info.net that he will not pamper the ego of the country's Head of Government when they meet.
After the audience, Agbor Balla reacted as follows:
"He [PM Dion Ngute] is a very respectful and listening person. He was very understanding and the discussions were very friendly. I appreciate the fact that he gave me the opportunity to talk to him.
"Government has to come down from its high-horse and they're gradually doing so. There are certain things that we disagreed on, but I let him know that if we need to find a solution, we need to be frank.
"We need to have a holistic dialogue. We need to invoke all the parties involved, be they separatists, federalists or they who believe in the unitary system."
The Founder/President of the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa (CHRDA) had earlier described as laudable the peace mission initiative of Prime Minister Dion Ngute to the restive North West and South West Regions but hopes it is "sincere and holistic".
Agbor Balla, the former President of the Fako Lawyers Association (FAKLA) who was among those who held talks with government in 2016 and January 2017 to rescue Common Law practice in a constitutionally bi-jural Cameroon says it's time for those who have taken up arms to reconsider their positions in favour of lasting peace.
Balla was arrested on January 17, 2017 along with Consortium scribe Dr. Fontem Neba moments after the CACSC they led was banned by Cameroon’s Territorial Administration Minister at the time, Rene Emmanuel Sadi.
He was held in detention until September 1, 2017 when he was freed along with some detainees arrested in connection to what has become known as the Anglophone crisis. During his stay in jail, he was charged under the 2014 law on the suppression of acts of terrorism and appeared before the military tribunal facing the maximum sentence.
Today, he has forgiven all who have wronged him and also calls on those he might have hurt through his actions and inaction to forgive him.
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