The untold story of Buea Catholic University

Happy Birthday The Catholic University Institute of Buea (CUIB) will be eight years old this year, 2015. But already, by all indications, the impact the institution has made has by far supersedes its age, if one compares it with other institutions within the same time frame.

A milestone

Within that period, CUIB has gone national and even international. Some of its hallmarks include its pioneering status as an “entrepreneurial” university, which the institution`s authorities define as one that teaches its students to be “job creators and not job seekers”.

That is why the establishment took off with professional schools with a highly professional orientation. These are the School of Management and Socials Sciences, The School of Engineering, The School of Information Technology, and the School of Agriculture, Forestry and Animal Husbandry.

So far, the university has graduated two Higher National Diploma (HND) batches and a pioneer BSc. Science batch. During public ceremonies such as the National Youth Day, the National Day or the annual inter-university sports jamboree that rotates from institution to institution, CUIB has firmly held its ground and won over many admirers.

The rocking of the boat

Even so, it has not been a bed of roses for the establishment. In its relatively short span so far, it has had to grapple with major challenges, some of which even threatened its very existence. The fact that CUIB weathered the storm and is today able to sail on unperturbed waters can be attributed to the caliber of men and women who stood by it through thick and thin.

A historical document

It is the entire story of this new university of Cameroon that Dr. Atem George recounts in his book: The Unquenched Candle Light: The Story of the Catholic University Institute of Buea, 2007-2014. Yet, if there was one person to bear witness to the path taken so far by CUIB since its inception, it is undoubtedly Dr. Atem George. He was one of the founder members of the university and is still part of it today.

In fact, he serves as the university`s pioneer Director of Academic Affairs. Later, he became Vice President in charge of Resources, a post from which he was appointed concurrently Director of Examinations and Records on the one hand and Director of Publications, where he is to this day.

Previously, Dr. Atem who holds a PhD in History had taught that subject at Government Grammar School Molyko-Bamenda, after which he rose to the rank of Provincial Pedagogic Inspector for History and then National Inspector for the same subject. When the University of Buea was created, he became the pioneer lecture in the Department of History at the university.

A glance at the book

In the preface to the book, Dr. Richard Talla who is currently Head of the History Department at the University of Buea which happens to be the mentor University of CUIB says: “Dr. Atem has been very objective, plain and frank in his analysis of issues and events at CUIB over the last seven years. He has given credit where it is due, and above all made public some of the backstage activities to clarify the public`s misreading of certain decisions which were taken by the authorities of CUIB.

He has also succeeded to establish in the work that the egoistic interests exhibited by some administrators of CUIB, only reflected the dialectic nature of human society and that such were identified and surmounted to achieve the successes the institution has witnessed in its seven years of existence”.

Walking in the eye of the storm

In the introduction, Dr. Atem sounds a note of warning though: “The main actors in the story are alive and may hold different opinions and give varied interpretations to the issues raised. But they must be reminded that historical facts are stubborn; they are never cowed down.

One of the canons of history is the acceptance of truth as the basis of any healthy argument and it should be accepted as such.” To lend credence to his story, the author makes direct quotations of people who were part of the events narrated. He also makes specific references, including whole speeches and interviews – all of these in an appendix at the end of the book.

The Synopsis

The book is divided into eight chapters which are: Conception of a Catholic University in the Diocese of Buea; Planning for a University in the Diocese of Buea; Structures for the take-off of UIDB; Events leading to the Imaginary Strike; UIDB in Search of stability; The re-emergence of the old guard; and, CUIB External Relations. An eighth chapter is included on `Which Way Forward`.

Genesis and mission

The account is a record of how the Bishop of Buea conceived the idea of a university for the diocese: ‘The Catholic University Institute of Buea is the brain child of His Lordship Immanuel Bushu. It was the outcome of the appeal made to him by the lay faithful of the Diocese of Buea when he took over from Bishop Pius Awa in 2007.

He had a foresight of what he had to do and the nature of the university to be put in place. He set up an advisory board and spelt out what it was expected to do. The board did most of the work in committees and by the end of 2009 much had been achieved. The university envisaged was not going to be a duplicate of what the government was doing.”

The author goes on to explain that the new university was to be “an autonomous institution whose mission would be to produce professional servants leaders with moral and spiritual values, who would be good leaders of their communities.”

The spanner in the works

However, not long after its take-off, the university hit troubled waters. In the words of Dr. Atem, “All went well from the start, the staff and students applied themselves diligently to their different spheres of activity. Within the administrative core, there were two opposing forces, those of opportunism versus those of patriotism.

The opportunists were more interested in posts and financial benefits. The patriots were those who respected hierarchy within the administration, maintaining the fact that CUIB did not have enough finances to spend at the satisfaction of staff. That was the reality on the ground. The division among the top administrators on these issues led to blackmail.

Consequently, some top administrators were removed, being accused of fomenting a strike. A period of instability set in and the institution lost direction. As events later unfolded, the strike was imaginary and the lies were exposed. Some of those removed were brought back and CUIB once again went on a positive track.”

Answering the critics

In the books the author answers the criticism that a Catholic university for the Diocese of Buea was unnecessary, considering that the Catholic Bamenda Province of which the Diocese of Buea was part, was already setting up a provincial university and a regional Catholic university already existed in Yaounde. In addressing the polemic, the author uses a map which demonstrates that the Buea Diocese was so large it was made up of up to four administrative Divisions – Fako, Meme, Kupe Manenguba and Ndian.

He also uses statistics to prove that the population of the Diocese is large. But he lets the Bishop say it himself in a pastoral letter: “The Diocese of Buea alone runs 15 secondary schools and high schools with a population of 5,954 students and 73 primary schools with a total of 24 407 pupils.

These young Cameroonians are potential candidates for admission in the Catholic University and have the right to choose a confessional institution for their tertiary education.” The argument that the lone state university in Buea was overstretched in terms of the number of candidates knocking at its door and the number it could actually admit was also used to justify the need for another university in Buea.

Dr. Atem further states: “As to whether the Catholic University of Buea was part of the Provincial University in Bamenda, the Bishop was clear. He stated that the University in Buea was an independent university from that of Bamenda. The two universities were independent of each other and the Diocese of Buea was one of the proprietors of the provincial university.” Citing Ex Corde Ecclesiae (The Apostolic Constitution on Catholic Universities by Pope John Paul II) and the Code of Canon Law, the Bishop maintained that “every Diocese has the inherent right to found a university in line with the teaching of Christ who commanded the Apostles to go and teach all nations (Mt 28:18-20).”

The author`s gratitude

Dr. Atem pays tribute to institutions and individuals who contributed in making CUIB what it has become today. Among those are the Minister of Higher Education, Prof. Jacques Fame Ndongo, who authorized its creation and its opening; as well as the mentoring institution, the University of Buea whose then Vice Chancellor, Prof. Vincent P.K. Titanji and the then Deputy Vice Chancellor in Charge of Teaching and the Techniques of Information Technology (today Vice Chancellor) Prof. Nalova Lyonga, were at the forefront of getting CUIB going.

He also acknowledges a host of people who either encouraged him or facilitated in one way or the other the research and subsequent publication of the book.

Among these are the Provost of the university, Prof. Wilfred Ndongko, a seasoned economist and international consultant, whom he says gave him the encouragement that spurred him up. He cites the Rev. Fr. George Nkeze Jingwa, the university`s President/Pro-Chancellor, a holder of a Doctorate degree in Sciences of Education and a Diploma in Spirituality “for allowing me to have access to the university file.”

He equally thanks the Chancellor/Proprietor of the university, His Lordship Bishop Immanuel Bushu “for the audience he granted me immediately he removed me from the institution.” Dr. Atem adds: “Though I came out of the audience very dissatisfied, my belief in the fragility of falsehood and the triumph of truth in life situations was very much strengthened.”

The boomerang

Interesting, the Rev. George Nkeze Jingwa and Dr. Atem George were among the top administrators who were sacked by the Bishop following the blackmail about the “imaginary” strike that was reported to have taken place at the university. However, as we are told in the book, when the Bishop later found out the truth behind the allegations of sabotage and incompetence, he recalled the officials and reinstated them in their functions.

The author`s outspoken nature

After reading the book, I was struck by the writer`s outspokenness. I felt that he had really told everything and in the process, spilled the beans (so to speak), without holding back anything. I went back to him and asked if the Bishop was aware of the existence of the book and its contents. He said he was.

My conclusion

The Unquenched Candle Light: The Story of the Catholic University Institute of Buea, 2007-2014, is not just a book of information, it is also one which anybody would want to read and keep reading. It is a powerful message addressed to everybody. I therefore strongly encourage everyone to obtain a copy and proudly own it.

For further details, contact Dr. Atem Geroge, Author, Catholic University Institute of Buea (CUIB), Buea, South West Region, Republic of Cameroon. Tel +237 67724 4361 EMAIL: gatem@cuib-cameroon.net.