Dr Yaa Lydia Fondufe deserves my vote (what about you?)

She has not asked me to campaign for her but i have chosen to let her know i will vote for her if i can.

                                                 By   Shey Tatah Wo Scandy

Dr Yaa Lydia Fondufe
My first time to come across this women physically was at her brother in-law's residence in Stuttgart Germany some 3 years back. We had just returned from Launching the Nso Family Union (NFU) group in Belgium and i was on my way back to the Scandy palace and as you know i like traveling with the palace Nontang by land. I have heard about her, and for some; she was too pushfull and always at the forefront. Although this sounded negative to them, i considered them as strengths and nicknamed her "an iron lady".
Yaa Lydia & Shey Tatah


Then i had the oppotunity not only to see her but to share a meal and talk with her. By this time she was neither a Doctor nor a yaa. The food and drinks offered by her in-law Christian Fondufe (now Mformi) became heavy and too much for the both of us and as news spreading like while fire of the presence of Shey wo Scandy and Shey Lydia, transformed the house into a party.

Dinner in stuttgart at Mformi Kris Fondufe
We never spoke politics but about Nso Culture, she admired the Shey i was and without any thought of any women in the Scandy palace (Wibaas) promised me one, a certain Celine i have never met but i am still looking forward to that. How generous she already was from day one. Before i left with my Nontang for the palace i gave her a verbal invitation to attend the NFU convention and watch the Nontang display live.

Little did i know that this "woman of substance" had taken my words seriously. She told me she was going to sleep over it with her husband and get back to me. Before the NFU Convention in Stuttgart last year, she sent me an email asking me what i would do if they appeared at the convention. As excited as i was, i ordered one of the Sheys in the palace to hand them some Nontang secret stuffs well wrapped but handed to the husband. This humble gentleman Colonel Fondufe happily accepted as an initiated nontang member to bear them to the scandy palace.


This couple stood up when the Scandy Nontang came to the stage accompanied by Shufai Nsobahti who also surprised me by flying all the way from the USA to Stuttgart for the NFU Convention. These are real Nso people one can count on. Nso men and women we can rely on. They all paid for their flights to and from Cameroon and USA respectively incurring all the hotel bills.


These invited guests made heavy contributions to the Union financially and supported Rev Fr Andrew Ngah during the farewell decoration
This couple did not travel to stuttgart empty handed. They brought me some provisions that i never asked for nor expected. The dry fish, vegetables, Garri etc that i received from them fortunately forgot some of the dry vegetables in  one of my traveling luggages.

I must confess i do not have any private discussions with this lady, even despite the promise she made to me, i have never visited her in Yaounde as i promised, despite my numerous trips there. The only time i met her was some 5 months ago in Bamunka Palace during the Nwerong's visit and that was by Divine providence. She could not believe that for three years i have never looked for her.


When i met her for the third time in Bamunka and still not in a political scenario, i knew that this woman belonged to her people. She understands where she comes from, she is also sociable talkless of her role in the Nso culture. She is the woman every nso son and daughter should go to bed praying to God for her. While at the Bamunka palace, i concentrated on making videos and taking pictures,but  this woman ran after me  leaving other title women where they were seated to insist i visit her before i disappearing into my usual thin air  .


As i write today about her i still have not fulfilled that promise yet.

                                       Hunger in the Scandy Palace
Some few days ago while talking to Shey Kosho Donatus on medical attention in India, complained of hunger in the palace. One of the boys that run the palace errands ran into some food stuffs in the luggage hidden at the Nontang sanctum. The two packets were boldly addressed; "To Shey Wo Scandy, Huckle berry & Bitter leaf" with Love from Yaa Lydia & Family." You can imagine the joy in the Scandy palace...I immediately called Shey Kosho back, shared the miracle and asked him his stand about this Dr Yaa lydia Fondufe. His experience about her was even far more better than mine. I immediately told him there was joy in the palace thanks to her gesture. Shey Kosho Donatus suddenly expressed his wish to share in the meal as all he could lay hands on was Rice in India.



Two weeks ago, i read in the "shundzev" forum that she was one of the candidates for the twin elections in Bui. I have her number but i have not called her to find out which position she is standing for (Municipal or Parliamentary).  I was just carried away by the fact that i saw her name mentioned. I do not know who she is contesting against and for which political party she intends to represent but i am sure such elections sometimes we have to look beyond party inclination and choose a candidate that can move Kumbo- Bui forward. I also have another candidate in the person of Joseph Dindze alias Ta Kifu ke samba Wo Douala. He officially informed me of his intentions to lead the CPDM list for the municipal elections. My worry now is, what if Dr Lydia Fondufe has to contest against him? A childhood friend that i know very well and one that the youth are all assembling behind? Well i leave that for another day.

Why This Long Story about Dr Yaa Lydia?


She is a woman of substance, before making this public campaign, i also spoke to a few people, asking them about their position on her and that i could not judge her competences based on the fact that she brought me food without a request, that she promised the palace another wife, that she traveled with her family to Germany for the NFU convention etc. Ethel Kerla from Douala also informed me of the support she has from the Nso people in Douala who are willing to go back home and vote for her. She herself had this to say as a Bongkisheri member, "She is a good candidate, I know her, she is a good person - from personal experience with her..." This means that i am not alone about my encounter with her. If she can do it for me, she can do it for Kumbo- Bui.

What has she done so far?



Yaa Lydia and the FON OF NKAR


Peter Njodzeka exposes her community life and work in images, an album he uploaded on facebook some 9 months ago with her promoting the Bui Foot sports. You see her with dignatories like Roger Milla and awarding prizes to the deserved. He titles this album "A Woman with the difference" .

He goes further to describe her in that Album  "As we see her busy in these pictures, her life is all about being busy for good, for the good of the people, for the good of our culture, for the good of our nation. Dr. Mrs Lydia Fondufe is a woman with a difference. Her support first for humanity, charity and most expecially her contributions in the girlchild education and practical training to become good and respective women in the society. She supports female sporting activities in the rural and urban communities. She suports and contributes fully in agricultural activities. These pictures shows just a little of our busy schedule in one of her support for female sporting activities, she is one and only woman we see among the men in action making a great difference in the lives of these female soccer players. We are celebrating you Mum and will keep our eyes open on your continuous activities. You inspire millions of other women out there. Thank You and May God continue to bless you."
The Link to the above quote for those on facebook is:
http://www.facebook.com/penjo.baba/media_set?set=a.4492318837807.2166373.1585357584&type=3

I think the people of Kumbo-Bui should go out massively and vote for this woman. We shall not regret, she knows the right doors to knock, she knows and understands Nso. She is from Dzeendzev compound and can know how to blend culture and politics for the development of Nso.  I leave each and everyone to make a choice and judge for themselves. I have nothing to gain from this campaign financially and i repeat, she did not ask me to campaign for her. I did it freely and willingly.

Shey Tatah Sevidzem

1 comment:

  1. The expirience could be more better. If every one were to write their expirience with her, u would be shoked that she knows almost every one if not by name , it will be by appearance, lineage or affiliation. A rare quality that Dr Mrs Lydia Fondufe posses.
    Fonyuy Leonard

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