HILLTOPVOICES PERSONALITY of THE WEEK: #JOHN FRU NDI Honoured by Africa Focus

By Bakah Derick
For the Hilltopvoices Team

John Fru Ndi displaying Africa Focus Award

John Fru Ndi Receives award from Africa Focus Director

This phenomenon of a man  has been celebrated on several occasions but the one this week just ending looks like one of those celebrations one will not forget in a hurry. This week #Hilltopvoices celebrates this son of Baba II whose actions and activities have made an indelible part of Cameroon History. These are the actions and activities that took him to the United States of America where he was handed a #LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD on Saturday 25th of April, 2015 by the Non Governmental Organisation AFRICA FOCUS made up of some well grounded Africans in the USA.

Fru Ndi receiving Award

The impressive reception of this Bamenda son and his delegations by Africans and Cameroonians in particular plus this distinction gives us every reason to salute Chairman Fru Ndi for his efforts in Cameroon and beyond. The event which held at the Concourse Hotel at Los Angeles International airport was solemn and heavily attended with Nigerians celebrating Ace Comedian Chief Zebrodaya an honoree as well and others from across the continent.
In a five minutes autobiography of "John Ntarikon" presented in a slide show prior to his introduction, Africa Focus detailed his struggle as a student in Nigeria to an unsuccessful run for parliament in 1988 then a book seller, a farmer and finally the introduction of multiparty politics in Cameroon with him leading the most popular opposition party; The Social Democratic Front, SDF.
While handing over the award, African Focus Director Uchenna Nworgu explained that he grew up watching the chairman fight for democracy and multiparty politics in Cameroon. Adding that the chairman deserves this Lifetime Achievement Award for all what he has done for Cameroon's politics and democracy.

Ni John Fru Ndi Addressing Africa Focus Guests and Event

In Reaction the Chairman pointed out incumbents who have conceded elections such as Good luck Jonathan. Abdul diouf of Senegal and Nelson Mandela as his icons. According to the Chairman it was fulfilling being honoured though he sees it as a challenge for younger Cameroonians and Africans who should be worried about what to do for their countries and continent.

Ni John Fru Ndi and the Development Initiative of Nkwen (DIN) 

Fru Ndi and DIN Chairman Martin Fonjong

Talking to Dr. Andrew Ndiforngwa Vice Chairman of DIN-USA, he observed that it was incumbent on them to give the SDF Chairman a befitting reception through out his stay in the USA.

Picture with Delegation at the close of event

 Though based in the USA, DIN-USA has a strong affection for home and therefore celebrating someone from home for such outstanding achievements is necessary.

 DIN-USA chairman, Mr. Martin Fonjong and Vice Dr. Andrew Ndiforngwa(in white)

On arrival the Chairman of DIN-USA Mr. Martin Fonjong and his team gave the SDF leader and his delegation a deserved welcome.
Saturday April 25, 2015 7pm AT, the mobilisation by the Nkwen group was total with everyone showing up in typical Northwest traditional outfit.








Enter NI John Fru Ndi

Fru Ndi talking to a Nigerian Radio Stattion based in Lagos

Ni John Fru Ndi was born in Baba II, Santa Subdivision Mezam Division Northwest Province of Cameroon. The title of Ni, a marker of respect, was given to him when he was born. He attended school at the Baforchu Basel Mission and the Santa Native Authority before going to Nigeria to study at Lagos City College and work in 1957. In 1966, Ni John returned to Cameroon and began selling vegetables. He later opened a bookstore in Bamenda, the Ebibi Book Centre, headed a football club from 1979 to 1988, and headed the Lions Club International branch in Bamenda from 1987 to 1988. He was a candidate of the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (RDPC) in the Mezan Central constituency during the single-party 1988 parliamentary election, losing to a different RDPC list which was headed by his fellow Santa brother Simon Achidi Achu.
Fru Ndi then co-founded the Social Democratic Front SDF, an opposition party, in 1990. He was elected as the SDF's National Chairman at its 1st Ordinary National Convention, held in Bamenda in May 1992.
In the October 1992 presidential election, he made a strong showing against President Paul Biya, losing with 36% of the vote against Biya's 39% according to official results though it was believed around the  Northwest Province at the time that, he officially won with 86.3%. This election was condemned as fraudulent by the opposition, and Fru Ndi and third place opposition candidate Maigari Bello Bouba unsuccessfully sought for the election to be annulled by the Supreme Court.
 Amidst the outbreak of violence in the North-West Province that followed the election, Fru Ndi was placed under house arrest in late October 1992. After about a month, he was released.
 On 20 January 1993, Fru Ndi, along with his wife Rose, attended the inauguration of United States President Bill Clinton. He and Rose were photographed with Clinton and Clinton's wife Hillary, and Fru Ndi's presence at the event had a symbolic impact in Cameroon, giving the impression of recognition and legitimacy in light of Fru Ndi's claim to have won the 1992 election.

Mr/Mrs Goddy Tamunang. Organizers

Along with other opposition parties, the SDF chose to boycott the October 1997 presidential election. Ni John was re-elected as SDF Chairman at the party's fifth congress in April 1999, receiving 1,561 votes from delegates against 40 for his challenger, Chretien Tabetsing.
 Ni John was the SDF candidate in the October 2004 presidential election; according to official results, he took second place with 17.40% of the vote against 70.92% for Biya. He received his best results in Northwest Province (68.16%), followed by West Province (45.04%), Littoral Province (32.71%), and Southwest Province (30.59%).
“Pa Ntarikon” alleged fraud in the July 2007 parliamentary election and called for it to be annulled; in the election, the SDF won the second highest number of seats but was far behind the ruling RDPC, which won an overwhelming majority of seats. After the election, Fru Ndi said that Biya should recognize him as the official leader of the opposition.
The Chairman said on November 14, 2007 that he would be willing to meet with Biya. He said that Biya had not invited him to meet and that he had tried to meet Biya several times, contradicting Biya's statement on French television that Fru Ndi had not responded to his invitation.
On 12 April 2008, Fru Ndi called for a national day of mourning on 21 April 2008 to commemorate the individuals who died during the 2008 anti-government protests and the "death of democracy" in Cameroon. Fru Ndi indicated that he believed the 2008 changes to the Constitution were intended to enable President Biya to be lifelong dictator of Cameroon and that the changes would institutionalize corruption, immunity, and inertia.
Ni John Fru Ndi again stood unsuccessfully as a candidate in the October 2011 presidential election, placing a distant second behind Biya. A few days after the election, on October 17, 2011, Fru Ndi, alongside other presidential candidates, called an emergency meeting to demand that Biya annul the election.

Hon Mbah Ndam and one of the organizers. Mr and Mrs Beltus Ngwafang

In the April 2013 Senate election, Fru Ndi stood as a candidate in the Northwest Province, his primary support base. The indirect election marked the creation of the upper house of Parliament; previously only the National Assembly had existed. Fru Ndi failed to win a seat in the Senate. He alleged that the ruling party had bribed some SDF local councilors.
Since then Chairman Fru Ndi has preoccupied himself with the wellbeing of his party, family though without wife (wives…….) Rose Ndi deceased.
He remains an active Christian of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon PCC, with a strong show of religious solidarity. 

 As John Fru Ndi returns home to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of his Party, We at Hilltopvoices Can only wish him well in his endeavour with a strong appeal for the chairman to maintain his stand on the need for peace in Cameroon

CONGRATULATION NI!!!