A Brief Narrative on the Man Ni John Fru Ndi
By Sarli Sardou Nana (1)
Ni John Fru Ndi, the Chairman of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) is a business executive cum politician. He was born on July 7, 1941 in Baba II at the outskirts of the North-West Provincial capital city, Bamenda. He was given the title “Ni” at birth which means a respected notable in the local language. He is the first in a family of 16 children (2 of his siblings are now deceased).
He attended the Baforchu Basel Mission and the Santa Native Authority schools, Cameroon where he completed in 1957. He then proceeded on self-sponsorship to study at Lagos City College, Nigeria. He worked as a Traffic Officer at the Ikeja Airport in Lagos. Mr Fru Ndi’s honesty, diligence, intelligence and hardwork earned him a scholarship from Aero Contractors to study to become a Pilot at the Zaria Flying School, Nigeria in the early 1960s. Unfortunately the Nigerian civil (Biafra) war broke out and disrupted his study plans. He returned to Cameroon when the civil war escalated.
Ni John Fru Ndi, upon return to Cameroon set up the Bamenda Vegetables Society. He quickly diversified into the newspaper business and became the sole agent in the North West Province for Cameroon Outlook and Cameroon Times newspapers. He built his own kiosk in Bamenda and imported and sold magazines and journals from abroad. One of his long time friends testified as follows:
"Ni was introduced to me when I was the editor of Cameroon Times in 1969… Ni John adhered to the policy of rendering monthly sales returns each month with cash. Unlike most newspaper vendors who usually invest their publishers money in their business, Ni ensured that he transmitted all monies to his publishers less his commission."(2)
An incident led him into setting up his own bookstore. He went out to buy books for a sister-in-law (now in the USA) and the bookshop proprietor was very ruthless and arrogant charging exorbitant prices for books. When Mr Fru Ndi tried to ask for a discount, the book dealer asked him to pay what he requested or leave. He resolved to set up his own bookshop to break the rip-off monopoly at the time. He did set up the Ebibi Book Centre almost immediately which became a chain of bookshops in subsequent years with outlets in Yaounde, Garoua and Mamfe. Ebibi became national agent in Cameroon for many UK, USA and Canadian based book and office equipment suppliers.
"I admired his strictness in business and his principles and rare gift of common sense… He had very impeccable manners… At Ebibi Book Centre “Knock and Enter” was the sign on the door. At every given moment there were no less than five people discussing with him. His office was festooned with slogans and epigrams. John F. Kennedy and slain civil rights leader, Rev. Dr martin Luther King Jnr.’s photographs hung conspicuously in his living room."(3)
From the proceeds of his successful business, Mr Fru Ndi is renowned for giving out most generously to charity.
“His generosity always goes beyond ethnic, political and religious confines.”(4)
Some of the educational and health establishments that benefited from his donations include: the Manyemen & Mbingo Leprosy Centres, Sacred Heart College, Our Lady of Lourdes Secondary School, Presbyterian Secondary School, Longla Comprehensive College (all of Bamenda), Cameroon Protestant College (Bali), Njinikijem Baptist College. He was one of the first concerned individuals at the site of the Lake Nyos Disaster in 1987. He carefully documented the sad incident and offered support to survivors as much as he could.
Ni John Fru Ndi was President General of the premier division side P.W.D. Football Club for a decade at the time when the team was the only premier division club in the Province. He was President of Lions Club International, Bamenda, and attended several international conferences on behalf of the Club. Despite being a Presbyterian, he is a member and patron of the non-denominational Catholic-led Focolare Movement. He was Councillor in the Bamenda Urban Council and ran for Parliament in 1988. Ni John Fru Ndi took management courses during his years as a business executive – for example, he did a Management course in UK under the auspices of the British Council. Ni John Fru Ndi’s life took a dramatic turn in 1990 when he, and 11 close associates decided to form a political party to challenge the one-party dictatorship that has ruled Cameroon since independence. He is widely travelled.
“…In 1984 I saw Ni John making enquiries among ...students about the type of government they would prefer for Cameroon. He investigated and recorded their grievances against the regime. I could foresee then that he was preparing himself for active politics. But I could never believe the force and courage he took to launch out…”(5)
On May 26, 1990, Ni John Fru Ndi launched the SDF against all odds, not least of which were the over 2000 troops deployed in full combat in the city of Bamenda. Independent sources estimated the crowd at the launching rally at 80.000. Six unarmed peaceful civilians were shot dead after the rally. Mr Fru Ndi’s unrelentless stance took everyone including his close associates by surprise. He ignore all attempts from some prominent personalities and some family members to stop the SDF project. He passionately believes in placing the general good above all other interests.
“Today in Cameroon there are two categories of politicians – politicians of “the stomach” and politicians of principles. Ni John has already proven by words and deeds that he is a politician of principle.”(6)
He has since 1990 been re-elected to the position of the Chairman of the SDF twice: in 1992, and 1999. In 1999 he receive 97% of the votes from delegates as against 3% for his challenger. In 1992 he was Presidential Candidate for the SDF and a group of nearly 20 political parties and associations organised then under the name Union for Change.
Ni John Fru Ndi is widely believed to have won this Presidential election in Cameroon against Mr Paul Biya. But instead of handing over to the winner, Mr Biya placed Ni John Fru Ndi under house arrest and declared himself the winner. Official government figures gave Mr Biya 39% and Mr Fru Ndi 37% of the votes. Independent observers including the National Democratic Institute of the United States described the elections as seriously flawed and designed to fail. Mr Fru Ndi has rejected all attempts by the regime in Yaounde to buy him over or intimidate him into exile.
Ni John Fru Ndi holds a Knighthood of the Cameroon Order of Valour. He has received the Cameroon Press Award as Man of the Year in Cameroon twice in recent years. He holds an honourary Award of the City of Atlanta (USA) for special contribution to human progress. He is listed in the Who Is Who in the World published in the USA. Ni John Fru Ndi has met many world leaders including Presidents Bill Clinton of the USA and Nelson Mandela of South Africa. Mr Fru Ndi was a guest of honour at Clinton’s inauguration ceremony in January 1993. Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu visited him when he was placed under house in 1992. Mr Fru Ndi was married to Mrs Rose Ndi (who tragically died in 2005) and is a father of 9. His first wife Mrs Susan Ndi tragically died during childbirth in 1973.
Footnotes
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