Mbua James Chama can no longer have access to his two kids age seven and two. He got the children with Epolewane Verklin, today the Divisional Officer for Kumba III Subdivision, Meme Division in Cameroon’s South West Region.
Mbua James Chama laments that his kids have been deprived their right of enjoying the warmth of a father both physically and other forms of modern communication. Besides him, other family members of Mbua James are not permitted to visit the kids who presently live with their mother Epolewane Verklin in Kumba.
“My first son will be seven on March 21st, it’s sad I am not allowed to see him or hand the gift I bought for him.. ” Mbua James lamented.
The frustration of being abandoned by his wife and his kids brainwashed to see him as a worthless, irresponsible and useless outcast, caused Mbua James Chama to not only quit Kumba but Cameroon in search of solace elsewhere.
Today, the former worker of Guinness Cameroon is jobless in Dubai, United Arab Emirates – the trauma of losing his once upon a time beautiful home and family after eleven years keeps hunting Mbua. He fears that upon his eventual return to Cameroon, his ex-wife, Epolewane Verklin ( Divisional Officer for Kumba III) will connive with other top administrators of Meme Division to eliminate him.
He also complains that his former mother- in-law has promised him hell. “The family of my former wife wants to see me useless, jobless and a pauper. Epolewane’s mother has ever wanted her daughter to get marry to a minister so when I lost my job, it provided an opportunity for them to kick me out of my home.”
Marriage, Life and Divorce:
It all started on the 13th of April 2013 when Mbua James Chama and Epolewane Verklin officially tied the knots in a marriage ceremony in Limbe promising before man and God to love each other until death does them part.
At this time, Mbua James explains that he was an employee of Guinness Cameroon SA with a duty post in Bamenda and the then wife Epolewane Verklin was a fresh graduate from the National School of Administration and Magistracy – ENAM.
Epolewane Verklin worked at the governor’s office just for three months in Bamenda and was transferred and promoted as the Assistant Senior Divisional Office for Meme with Headquarters in Kumba in the South West.
Mbua James Chama worked in Bamenda until 2016 when he was a victim of a massive layoff from the company.
Joining the family in Kumba, Mr. Mbua writes “…I noticed my marriage was not moving on well. My wife was acting strange. When I confronted her, she confided in me that her boss Mr. Charmberlain Ntou Ndong (Senior Divisional Officer for Meme) was harassing her sexually in the office. I could not confront him because of his position so I encouraged my wife to resist the advances. During this time the family of my wife was already looking at me as a pest given that I was jobless”.
To Mbua James Chama, his wife later succumbed to the sexual advances of the SDO of Meme.
To him, this manifested in several ways like keeping late nights in the pretext of work in the office, Epolewane Verklin prevented him ( Mbua James Chana) from attending public gatherings with her and other verbal degrading assaults.
Contacted on phone by Mimi Mefo Info to react on the allegations, Chamberlain Ntou Ndong- SDO for Meme explained:
“…Mr. Mbua James Chama had marital problems with his wife. They came to me as an elder and administrator. I advised them to solve their problems and live in peace. Epolewane Verklin is not my girlfriend and I am too old to mess up myself in such things. I am legally married and I cannot do that. I am a believer. I warned him that he will one day accuse a man wrongly as he is doing to me and he will be taken to court.”
In the mist of all these, Epolewane Verklin filed and obtained a divorce from the Kumba High Court.
Mbua James attests that this happened without his knowledge and consent added that she took away everything he has worked for in their eleven years of marriage. To the man, he did not react for two reasons: lack of financial and influential means and for the sake of his kids.
Mimi Mefo Info questioned why he has opted to get the story published, Mr. Mbua James Chama confessed that Epolewane Verklin (former wife) is denying him access to see his two kids after their divorce. For him, their divorce should not affect the innocent children.
He did not also conceal his intention of having his wife back whom he believes is under the spell of her family “I definitely want her back that’s why I married her. I did all I could to save my marriage. From Bishops to priests.
The family insulted me and even priest I contacted to resolve the problem. The reason she advance for wanting a divorce was that, I smoke cigarettes and I am irresponsible”. Mbua James narrated.
According to Epolewane Verklin (Kumba III DO), Mbua James Chama (her ex-husband) is a liar.
Questioned if Mr. Mbua James Chama still has access to his kids after the divorce, she said: “…he knows where to see and communicate with the kids. He can get the kids anytime he likes. This is my private life and I find no reason discussing this for a news article. If I tell you that Mr. Mbua is telling lies you should understand what it means…”
On the question of access to kids after divorce, Barrister Mudi Jude Nfor, member of the Bar in Cameroon states that the divorce of a husband and wife do not concern the kids.
This means that the kids can be visited by the father or mother at any time. The exception according to the lawyer is when there is violence between the former couple.
In this case, the court will specify times and days of the visit of kids to avoid clashes.
Quizzed on the issue of obtaining a divorce note without the consent of a spouse, Barrister Mudi said the law permits that so far valuable reasons are presented for the divorce in a court.
Reacting to allegations of haven maintained extra marital relations with the SDO of Meme which led to their divorce, Epolewane Verklin in a telephone interview denied all these.
The civil administrator maintained that her promotion from the position of Assistant SDO to that of DO of Kumba III is based on merit and not a dubious relationship with her boss Mr. Ntou Ndong Charmberlain. “…does it mean for a woman to be appointed or promoted she has to sleep with her boss? I am a competent civil administrator and am proving my worth which merits promotion”.
Mbua James Chama lives in Dubai and has never communicated with the kids since he left Cameroon. He has packaged gifts for one of the kid’s birthday, Mandela Ngwese, on March 21st but says his ex-wife won’t permit even his relatives back home, to see the children.
Mimi Mefo Info Exclusive
By: Dominic Meme Nwakimo
Wasap: +237679135573
