Administration, Prince Jesco At War Over Village Ownership

A Correspondent

Monday, 08 June 2009 07:43

Emmanuel Ndengu, Idenau DO Sending Warning To Prince Jesco Manga Williams The Administration of West Coast led by the Diviaional Officer, Emmanuel Ndengu, the Brigade Commander and the Police Commissioner has promised hell to Prince Jesco Manga Williams who claims to be the owner of Enyenge, a coastal village located in the West Coast District of the South West Region. Speaking in Enyenge recently during an emergency working session with the population of the village, the Chairman of the Village Council, Augustine Kum, told the Administration that after the installation of the village council by the Divisional Officer the situation of harassment by Prince Jesco and his men worsened. He said that, Prince Jesco Manga Williams still claims that he has a land title indicating that he owns the whole of the village and that the administration has nothing to do with the village. "Jesco still collects rents on the land which is supposed to be owned by the state and therefore blocks any positive developmental initiatives from any one", he said. Quoting the example of the ADAX Petroleum Company, the village council chairman said, when the whites came with the initiative, they were received by all since they knew the benefits the community will derive from their presence, especially since they had already promised to provide pipe-borne water to the village. He regretted that words trickled to Prince Jesco Manga Williams through his caretaker, a certain Hugo and the chairman of the village council was dragged to court by Prince Jesco Manga Williams for trespass into private property. Enter Jesco's Representative Also present during the working session was Prince Jesco's representative and caretaker of Enyenge Village, popularly known as Hugo. Seen as a very controversial man by the population of Enyenge since they believe that rent for state land should not be paid and especially to a private individual, Hugo told the administration that, administrators have come and gone and all have administered Enyenge. He said he is just a caretaker and takes instructions from Jesco and that in his opinion, the Bombokos are the owners of Enyenge and not a particular individual. While refusing allegations that he threatened to kill the Village Council Chairman,he said the village is in dire need of a third class chief which will be the representative of the government in the area. Another victim of Jesco's harassment is one Mr. Tambe, the oldest Cameroonian in Enyenge .He has lived in Enyenge for the past 27 years. He recounted how Hugo had led a gang of 17 men to attack him and disposes him of some money in the process of construction of the recently inaugurated bridge in Enyenge. He told participants at the working session that Prince Jesco had sued him but he managed to survive from the arms of the law since he was not guilty. Administration Says Enough Is Enough After listening to all the parties, the Divisional Officer of Idenau, Emmanuel Ndengu, as angry as a wild cat, told the population of Enyenge that the problem lies within themselves. He said the people seem to be confused as they prefer to take orders from Prince Jesco's men than from the administration which is in Idenau, represented by the village council. He warned Jesco's men and ordered that they should take the message back to him in the usual way, saying enough is enough. The Divisional Officer asked why they would be giving allegiance to an individual after all the government and the council is doing for the village. "The Administration will ensure that the population lives by the rules governing the state and not by rules set by an individual" he said. "The Administration and the competent authorities will probe into the authenticity of the alleged land certificate that Jesco claims he has. That is the next step and Prince Jesco will be treated according to the laws of the State", he added. Jesco's Land Certificate Reacting to the threats from the Administration and the Idenau Council, Prince Jesco Manga Williams told Eden at his residence that he is in a process of suing the administration for trespass on his personal property. While brandishing land certificate number 1608 of 30 April 1996, Prince Jesco said he has the right to the land near Onge River in Bibundi, now called Enyenge. According an abstract of the certificate, the land is 124 hectares, 5 Ares and Ninety Three centares in conformity with the cadastral survey plan No EBUE.C.194 which was originally surveyed and demarcated on 6 April 1933 by Mr. S.A Beckley and confirmed on 26 April 1995 by Mr. Tchouen Jean Celestine, a sworn in surveyor of the surveys department. The extract of the certificate also reveals that the developments in the said Free Hold Estate had been evaluated at FCFA 10 Million. The land is said to be bounded to the North by Crown land, to the East by Onge River, to the south by Onge River and to the west by Crown land. With this land certificate and the threats from the authority of Idenau to investigate its authenticity, both parties are certainly in for a clash in the law courts. From Eden Newspaper

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