Cameroon Bar Elective General Assembly
Our sources at the Multipurpose Sports Complex in Yaoundé have confirmed to Hilltopvoices that Barrister Gbaka Ernest Acho has been elected as the President of the General Assembly of the Cameroon Bar Association during the ongoing elective General Assembly.
This outcome carries significant implications for the ongoing elections. In line with a long-standing gentleman’s agreement within the Bar Association, if the General Assembly President comes from the English-speaking regions, the Bar Council President traditionally hails from the French-speaking side and vice versa.
With Gbaka’s election, it is now widely expected that the Bar Council Presidency will go to a Francophone lawyer. This could effectively end the tenure of incumbent Bar Council President, Barrister Mbah Eric, who also comes from the English-speaking regions, unless the tradition is broken and this is a move that would be unprecedented.
Who Is Barrister Gbaka Ernest Acho?
The new General Assembly President, Gbaka Ernest Acho Esq., is a prominent legal mind and founder of Gbaka & Co. Law Office. A sworn attorney at the Supreme Court of Cameroon, he brings over 15 years of experience to his new position.
Gbaka holds two Master’s degrees with one in Business Law and another in Intellectual Property Law both from the University of Yaoundé II Soa. He also boasts a certificate in Patent Law and Global Public Health from the Harvard Law School/WIPO Academy, and has undergone high-level training at the University of Oxford’s Bonavero Institute of Human Rights on Freedom of Expression.
Throughout his career, Gbaka has been actively involved in legal reforms and professional development, attending international seminars in Business Law, IP Law, Human Rights, and Humanitarian Law. He is a Global Council Member for Africa at World Commerce and Contracting, and served as a juror for their 2023 Excellence Awards in the EMEA region.
His leadership extends to civil society as well, notably as Executive President of the organisation “Association Bonne Information et Gouvernance-Cameroun”, which promotes access to reliable information and good governance.
What Happens Next?
With voting ongoing at the General Assembly, attention now shifts to the Bar Council race, where eyes will be on whether the Bar will honour the traditional Anglophone–Francophone power-sharing structure or allow an exception.
Hilltopvoices Newsroom will continue to monitor the event and provide updates as the election progresses.
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