Who will Lead the Cameroon Bar? Meet Five Lawyers Vying for Battonnier

By Tata Mbunwe

The race to lead the Cameroon Bar Association is heating up as five candidates, each with a distinct vision, compete to steer the institution for the next two years.

On July 14, over 3,000 lawyers registered with the Bar will head to the polls to elect a new president (Bâtonnier) and members of the Bar Council, which is the governing body of the association.

Current Bar President, Barrister Mbah Eric Mbah, is seeking re-election to complete the projects he has already set in motion.

Among his top priorities are working with public authorities to ensure the annual organization of the Bar entrance examination, which was organised for the first time in 10 years during his first mandate.

His biggest goal is to oversee the construction of an ultra-modern headquarters for the association, a promise he made during his first campaign in 2022.

In 2022, Mbah Eric faced stiff competition from Barrister Claire Atangana Bikouna, who is making a second attempt at the position this year.

With 35 years of legal experience and a degree from Aix-Marseille University in France, Atangana Bikouna says she hopes to reform what she believes is an overly politicized Bar.

She has outlined plans to strengthen the Bar’s voice on the international stage by encouraging Cameroonian lawyers to participate in global conferences and supporting their bids for leadership roles in international organizations.

When asked why lawyers should vote for her, she replied:

“It’s not easy to talk about oneself. But I believe I have an excellent knowledge of the Bar and a competence that would be difficult to contest. I hope to earn the recognition of my peers for what I have contributed and what I can still contribute.”

She previously served as interim Bar President following the death of Battonnier Charles Tchakounte in October 2020.

A graduate of the Faculty of Law and Economics at Aix-Marseille University in France, Atangana Bikouna joined the Cameroon Bar on May 2, 1991.

She first became a Bar Council member in 1988, representing the Bar President at the Sangmelima Court of Appeal, and later the Centre, South, and East regions.

Barrister Atangana Bikouna is remembered for her tireless work during her interim leadership.

“We had to intervene when young colleagues were incarcerated in Douala. We went to the authorities to explain and draw their attention to the fact that even when a lawyer is at fault, there is no need for prison. If they must be prosecuted, they still have guarantees of representation,” she recalled.

Meanwhile, Barrister Arlette Ngoula Fotso, a Douala-based lawyer, remains determined after her unsuccessful run in 2022.

She is campaigning on a promise to build a justice system that is more equitable for all her colleagues.

She says she wants to “reinvent” the Bar and is guided by the slogan, “The strength of will, the courage to act”.

“I promise to introduce health insurance coverage for lawyers on day one of my mandate, with the Bar paying a large part of the premiums for lawyers who are up-to-date with their membership dues,” she said during her campaign launch in June.

Barrister Philippe Olivier, currently a Special Adviser to the Secretary of the Bar Council, envisions a Bar that serves as a key player within Cameroon’s civil society.

His program is anchored on proximity, efficiency, and transparency.

Rounding out the field is Barrister Serge Mba, who is campaigning under the slogan “The Bar of Tomorrow.”

A specialist in business law, Mba has pledged to uphold ethics and professional standards while promoting fraternity among lawyers.

The five candidates have been meetings lawyers across the country to sell their manifestos. The election takes place on July 14 at the Yaounde Sports Complex.