"Fru Ndi left behind many Fru Ndis": SDF Adviser says founder’s legacy lives on across Cameroon

The National Adviser of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) and party leader in Mbengwi, Barrister Ndangoh Tah Calvin, has said the late Ni John Fru Ndi may be gone, but the ideals he championed continue to live on through countless supporters inspired by his example.

Speaking during activities marking the third anniversary thanksgiving service in honour of the SDF founding chairman, Barrister Ndangoh described the return of the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) to Bamenda as both symbolic and emotional.

The thanksgiving service, organised jointly by the Fru Ndi family and the SDF at the Presbyterian Church Musang in Bamenda, brought together party leaders, government officials, clergy, supporters and well-wishers to celebrate the life and enduring influence of one of Cameroon's most prominent opposition figures.

For Barrister Ndangoh Tah Calvin, the anniversary was  an opportunity for introspection and renewal.

"It is a wonderful opportunity to come back to our roots. It is a wonderful opportunity to come back to where it all started from," he said.

The SDF adviser noted that the party's return to Bamenda and Ntarikon, where the SDF was launched in May 1990, offered a chance to reflect on its journey and reassess its future direction.

"After more than 36 years, it is high time we come back to the drawing board and ask questions. Where did the rain start beating us? What went wrong? What happened?" he said.

He also described the gathering as a tribute to Ni John Fru Ndi, whose residence remains an important symbol in the history of the party.

"It is an opportunity for us to pay homage to our late national chairman, who surrendered this compound to us as the headquarters of the SDF. It remains the headquarters of the SDF," he added.

According to Barrister Ndangoh Tah Calvin, entering the compound without seeing Chairman Fru Ndi remains a difficult experience for many party faithful.

"It is a very emotional moment because once we entered here, we expected to see the late chairman. His passing is still very fresh in our minds and we are still mourning him very seriously because of what he did for society," he said.

The SDF leader argued that Fru Ndi's greatest achievement was not only the political party he founded, but the political consciousness he helped cultivate across the country.

"Fru Ndi is dead, but before going, he left behind so many Fru Ndis," he said.

"People are talking politics today freely. People are challenging institutions today freely. People are holding government accountable today freely because of Ni John Fru Ndi."

Barrister Ndangoh Tah Calvin and some party officials 

Reflecting on previous NEC meetings hosted by the late chairman, BBarrister Ndangoh Tah Calvin painted a picture of a leader known for hospitality, accessibility and fellowship.

"If the chairman was here, NEC would have started a day before with a lot of discussions and exchanges," he recalled.

"He would receive people personally at the door. He never discriminated. Whether you were a NEC member or an ordinary militant, he would sit and eat with you on the same table."

According to him, those experiences offered valuable lessons in humility and leadership.

Asked whether he considered himself one of the many "Fru Ndis" left behind by the opposition icon, Barrister Ndangoh answered without hesitation.

"Of course, I count myself as one of the Fru Ndis he left behind," he said.

He explained that Fru Ndi's commitment to helping others had profoundly shaped his own approach to leadership and public service.

"The highest good that you can make is to make others happy," he said, recalling one of the lessons repeatedly emphasised by the late chairman.

Among the many values he inherited from Fru Ndi, Barrister Ndangoh singled out one principle he intends to carry throughout his life.

"He always told us to plant until the day we are planted," he said.

"Everything we enjoy today was planted by others. We should continue planting for future generations."

Looking ahead, the SDF adviser expressed confidence in the party's future and reaffirmed its commitment to democratic change through peaceful means.

"The SDF has come back home and we are starting the journey again from where we started in the 1990s," he said.

"We believe that change can come through the ballot box. We started changing this country before the crisis pushed us out of institutions."

As the anniversary commemorations continue, Barrister Ndangoh's reflections captured a sentiment shared by many attendees: that while Ni John Fru Ndi is no longer physically present, his values, vision and influence continue to shape political engagement across Cameroon. 

By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoices web

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