Fontem Neba


Dr Fontem A. Neba is a Cameroonian University lecturer, author and an civil rights activist who emerged on the Cameroon political stage as the founding Secretary General of Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium before it was banned by the government of Cameroon on January 17, 2017. He was arrested on the same day alongside Barrister Nkongho Felix Agbor and deported to Yaoundé overnight where they would both spend nine perilous months in the Kondengui Maximum security prison. Before becoming Secretary General of the banned Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium, he was the Secretary General of teachers’ trade union of the University of Buea before his arrest on 17 of January, 2017 for staging peaceful protest in the defence of Anglophone Cameroon Common law system of education. He is the author of English Language Mastery and Academic Success which was launched on June 18, 2015.

Early life and career

Dr. Fontem Aforteka'a Neba was born on August 8, 1970. He holds a PhD from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. He is a linguist, lecturer, author and an activist. He is the author of English Language Mastery and Academic Success. He was the Secretary General of teachers’ trade union of the University of Buea before his arrest on 17 of January, 2017 and the Secretary General of the banned Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium.

Arrest

On 17 January 2017 at about 6:15 PM, it was reported that Dr. Fontem Neba was arrested alongside Barrister Agbor Balla, Ayah Paul Abine in Buea by a combined squad of police, gendarmes, elements of the military intelligence unit and the dreaded secret service unit known by its French Acronym as DGR. The arrest immediately followed the banning of the Consortium which had waged a civil disobedience campaign to protest grave marginalization and systemic assimilation of the English speaking minority in Cameroon by the majority Francophones.

Court charges and trial of Dr. Fontem Neba

Dr.Fontem Neba and Co, were charged with 8 counts by the Cameroon Military tribunals in Yaounde for treason, terrorism, civil unrest, jeopardizing the peace and unity of the Republic of Cameroon and if found guilty would have faced the death penalty. On the 23 of March the Neba Fondem trial at the Yaounde military court tribunal was adjourned for another hearing in April 27, May 24 and July 27 same year and on the 31 of August through a presidential decree by president Paul Biya. Neba Fondem and friends where released and all charges against them were cancelled. While in prison, Fontem Neba spoke to the French daily le Jour Newspaper during the visit of members of the Social Democratic Front parliamentary group on the 7th April 2017, he said