Jean de Dieu Momo: Jubilation Greets Appointment

It was partying and jubilation at the residence of the newly appointed Minister Delegate to the Minister of Justice, Jean de Dieu Momo in Ndogbong, Douala, upon announcement of his appointment. Though Momo himself was not present, his wife and mother took centre stage receiving congratulatory messages from visitors on behalf of the husband and son. People danced excitedly hugging one another and sang the popular song by the Ivorian musician Kerozen “ma vie a changé oh!” while others blew vuvuzelas in sign that a new day is dawn. “A Bafou has become Minister” one reveler said referring to the village of origin of Minister Momo. Pressmen were also present conducting interviews and shooting pictures. In the absence of the president, the secretary general of PADDEC, Narcisse Zebaze Donfack, improvised himself as the spokesman for the minister and party.

Zebaze who claims to be a longtime companion of Jean de Dieu Momo, said he initially wanted to be a public notary while in Ebolowa but later on changed his mind to become a lawyer and did his internship with former Bar President, Charles Tchoungang, before setting up his own chambers in the early nineties. He chose to be a human rights lawyer in order to be able to protect the weak and did this to the point of risking not only his own life but also that of his family.

Jean de Dieu Momo, he said, has a rich professional experience having been the president of a consumers associati...