Limbe City Mayor Attacks Eden Radio Journalist At Town Hall Meeting

The Limbe City Mayor, Paul Efome Ngalle, openly attacked journalist Raymond Njume Njikang of Eden Radio Limbe, during a town hall meeting on Wednesday, September 25.

Mayor Efome Ngalle accused Njume of rebelling against the City Council as well as illegally using the council’s logo for his campaigns.

The verbal attack occurred at the City Council’s Down Beach hall, where hundreds of residents gathered to propose development initiatives for the city of Limbe.

Prior to the event, Raymond Njume Njikang had done a flyer sensitising the population of Limbe on the importance of the town hall meeting, and mobilising them to massively attend the event with their development initiatives.

Direct Attacks

That action infuriated the City Mayor, who used the town hall meeting to attack Njume, accusing him of attempting to incite rebellion against the council.

“The City Council didn’t authorise you to use its logo in your flyer or did we permit you to invite people to this event. It’s only the Mayor who is permitted to invite people for a town hall like this because he is responsible for the transportation after the meeting,” Paul Efome said.

Also Read: Eden Radio Responds To Fako SDO, Upholds Journalistic Integrity

“How will you handle those people whom you have invited and are not recognised by the council? Soon, when some receive transportation and others don’t, won’t it be that you have incited the population to rebel against the council?” he retributed.

He went ahead to demand a public apology or he would take actions against Raymond Njume Njikang.

“I am demanding for a public apology from you for illegally using the logo of the City Council, without which I shall take measures against you,” he said.

When Raymond was given the opportunity to apologize, he instead went on the defensive, quoting laws and justifications that permit him to carry out such actions.

“As you reprimanded men for using the council logo for a flyer I did last night, I like to state here that my intentions were genuine,” he said.

“I intended to make many denizens know about the city consultations and to take advantage of the consultation to give their own contributions for the development of the city…,” Raymond said.

Broader Conflicts in Play?

Raymond could hardly finish his intervention before the microphone was taken away and the City Mayor rained insults on him.

“Will you shut up? You have the guts to stand up and talk rubbish? This is outrageous. You were supposed to get up and tender apologies to everyone here but you stand up and say rubbish? You people keep tarnishing the name of the City Council and you take our quietness for weakness? Who are you to judge the activities of the City Council? I demand a written application from you or you will get the other side of me,” Paul Efome fomented.

The Limbe City Mayor’s outbursts exposed the broader conflict between the City Council and Eden Radio.

The city had petitioned the Senior Divisional Officer of Fako, Viang Mekala, to caution Eden Radio against its repeated attempts to water down on the development activities of the City Council.

The SDO did send the cautioning that attracted a reply from Eden, stating that they carry out their activities in strict respect of journalism principles.

©Mimi Mefo Info