OCDA gains fresh impetus as Keng Wilfred is elected president

By Mua Patrick Mughe in Yaounde

The Oku Cultural and Development Association, OCDA now has a new executive Bureau. The no nonsense nine -man executive bureau headed by Keng Wilfred Nshom who is also Mezam divisional delegate of Trade was voted into office last March 26 during heavily attended general assembly meeting of the development outfit.

The election of Keng Wilfred as OCDA president has been saluted by Oku aborigines within and without the country who are now hoping for brighter days for the association whose activities had gone comatose for close to two years for issues related to lack of accountability and transparency.  Keng Wilfred who picked up his three years mandate at the helm of OCDA last week had equally served as president general of the Ichim Development Association, IDA for several years. The ever -smiling and people-friendly man who hails from Ichim, one of the 36 villages in Prime Minister Philomon Yang’s native Oku village is a well known and established development propeller.

Meantime, the nine man Keng Wilfred- led executive bureau comprise of Kwei Gregory as vice president with Fonkwa Eugene occupying the position of secretary General. Ngangwa Mathew grabbed the post of Treasurer with Chumtom Walters emerging Financial Secretary.

“I was surprised by the outcome of the elections. I didn’t expect to be elected”, a seemingly humbled Keng Wilfred submitted to The Cameroon Watch in an exclusive interview.

“During the general assembly, we revised the constitution of the association. We changed certain portions of the constitution in order to revive OCDA. We were looking at the errors of the past especially what had caused the collapsed of the association. Most of the changes were geared towards rendering the management of the association to be transparent” adds the newly elected president who has already promised transforming the association.

It is unclear what actually led to the collapsed of OCDA some two years back. However, The Cameroon Watch gathered that the former regime had been roped in issues related to unaccountability. “There was some lack of transparency and coordination. Most of the executive members surprisingly resigned” said President Keng.

Asked if he is aware of the challenges that lie ahead of him and his team, it was a visibly confident Keng Wilfred who told The Cameroon Watch that “I am not quite new to such challenges. The first major challenge is to gain the confidence of all those who had lost confidence in OCDA. Also we need to get on board all the development stakeholders of Oku. We are putting in a place a plan and my vision is to make sure that a majority of Oku people are satisfied with the functioning of OCDA”
he then added “We need to take care of the needs of the people in Oku. It’s a big challenge given that Oku has 36 villages”

Commenting on the Involvement of some Oku elite in the activities of OCDA, the newly elected president said the role played by PM Yang and former Governor Fai Yengo in the rebirth of the association was outstanding. “Both PM Yang and Fai Yengo are the brains behind the revamping of OCDA. The PM is one of my technical advisers” he said further

Worth stating that OCDA currently counts over 40 branches across the country. Plans are however afoot for the creation of more branches, The Cameroon Watch  has been hinted.