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73 20 Journalism, Watchdogism and Alarmism Monday , May 24, 1999 Mola Luma is a peaceful middle-aged farmer, resident in the Bokwaongo neighbourhood of Buea. He grows pigs, goats and fowls, and for the sake of division of labour, he employs a night watchman to look after his cartel. One night in the heart of the dry season, a fire broke out in his back-yard and gradually began to consume his investment. His watchman, Mr. Mumu Ngombe, stood transfixed as the raging inferno leapt unto his “caraboat” house and proceeded to do damage. The Lord was merciful and Mola Luma was divinely jolted from his slumber and immediately embarked on damage control. After dousing the flames, Mola queried his watchman why he did not raise an alarm. Mumu Ngombe, replied, rather astonishingly that: “Oga, this thing happen for night and a bi di wait say for morning time, you go give me permission for raise alarm.” The back drop of Mumu’s attitude was conditioned by a robotic relationship with his employer, whereby it is forbidden for a subaltern, menial or slave to cry, without seeking permission from his boss or oppressor as the case maybe. It is with unmitigated consternation that I was made aware of the fact that a trusted watchdog, Mr. Zachary Nkuo of Radio Buea, like all residents on the foot of the Buea Mountain, has been queried, bullied, intimidated and chastised for having alerted the authorities that there was “danger for Cameroon,” that the bowel of the earth was rumbling, that the earth was quaking. It is a month now since the earthquake yet no one in authority has had the decency, honesty and sheer guts to thank Zachary for having fulfilled his most divine mission as the watchdog of society; a conscious and conscientious professional of a quarter century experience, who, with a sense of dedication, alerted the nation with promptitude that the “Chariot of 74 God” was crashing not at Mvomeka, but in Fako; that the ancestral powers, the intermediaries of the God- head, have stomached enough of the trash and decadence, the brutal obliteration of a segment of the universe called Cameroon. Mr. Zachary Nkuo was not decorated, given due recognition for having incarnated and courageously staked his neck for the collective good and protection of humanity. It is with outrage and a sense of righteous indignation, disgust and distaste that we learn that an errand boy descended from Yaounde, to reprimand Zachary Nkuo, for having done nothing else but his job. S-N F. ...

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