Team Epey Lays Down 10 Points To Transform FAKLA

By Tarhyang Enowbikah Tabe 

Saturday November 21 will definitely go down the annals of history as power in the Fako Lawyers Association, FAKLA will be changing hands.

The Elections of a new executive of the association shall take place in Limbe and will bring together all who matter in the legal landscape in Fako.

The leading team according to popular opinion is Team Epey which is led by Barrister ASOH EBI EPEY.

To Barrister ASOH EBI EPEY, it is fashionable for a candidate to present a manifesto during campaigns for an election. The manifesto according to him usually carries promises of an agenda he/she intends to pursue which will only be tested during his mandate in office.

He said his team has the advantage of having served FAKLA and FAKLANS before so their abilities have been tested and proven.

Notwithstanding, team Epey took time to spell out a 10 point action plan  that his team intends to use to move the association foward.

The Manifesto

My Team and I shall be campaigning on the theme, “A UNITED AND ALL INCLUSIVE FAKLA”. We intend to achieve this by doing the ordinary things in extraordinary ways.

ON THE NEED FOR FAKLA TO BE UNITED.

There is no gainsaying the fact that we do not enjoy the unity we deserve in FAKLA today. The quest to unify us will therefore be top most on our agenda once voted into office. We intend to achieve this by creating a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to be headed by a reputable Senior Advocate. This commission is going to invite, meet and talk to members of the association who either bear grudge(s) with a member of FAKLA, a group of members of FAKLA or FAKLA itself. The commission shall receive complaints and reconcile parties within the first three months of our mandate. FAKLA members who have abandoned the association’s activities shall be contacted personally and brought back to the fold. We need each and every FAKLAN. The Exco shall equally visit ALL subgroups existing within FAKLA and plead with them to come to the main guild which is FAKLA. This process shall end in an ecumenical service and a party. It is our belief that our full potential as an association will be better exploited once FAKLA is united. We pray for a FAKLA REBIRTH 2020.

ON THE CONSTITUTION OF FAKLA

It is true that our constitution needs to be amended. We pray we be voted to office so that we can have the mandate of FAKLA members to affect a constitutional amendment and the necessary administrative changes. The need for a constitutional amendment is imperative given the fact that the membership of the association has grown. Amounts for financial contributions are now unrealistic and how these contributions are managed is not clear. Certain very important aspects of our wellbeing both social and professional were either left out of the constitution or mechanisms were not put in place for their proper implementation. We promise to cause the revision of our constitution to reflect current realities and take care of the future within a maximum period of six months in office. We must however realize that we need a General Assembly resolution to amend the constitution. Also that it is undemocratic to attempt to amend a constitution at a time when elections have been called and all is set. History of FAKLA has it that an attempt to thwart the constitution at the eve of elections can only lead to chaos and disunity. A thing we must avoid.

We pledge to respect our constitution.

ON ACCOUNTABILITY

Accountability has been a problem in FAKLA for some time now. Accountability is not only limited to rendering financial statements. Accountability also involves reporting to the members and General Assembly of all acts done on behalf of the association. We are cautious of the fact that some FAKLANS are today reluctant to make financial contributions because they feel that their money is being mismanaged. Their fears are founded were financial statements and other reports are not made promptly. Skepticism is further enhanced were the Exco violate constitutional provisions. We promise to abide by our constitution and promptly report all expenditure/activities carried out on behalf of the association.

ON PUBLICATIONS

The need for a regular publication in the form of a journal or bulletin cannot be overemphasized. Our association is blessed with practitioners and scholars who can impact the society by making valuable contributions through publications. Our jurisdiction is void of law reform commission. Regular well researched publications shall go a long way to provide meaningful suggestions to improve the law and practice. Once voted to office, we shall set up a committee in charge of publication.

ON THE REGULAR HOLDING OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY

It has been noticed that very few members attend FAKLA General Assemblies. This is worrisome and we must look for ways to cause members to attend General Assemblies. We shall do that by engaging the seniors and other colleagues to from time to time host us. This we believe will bring us together.

ON CONTINUOUS LEGAL TRAINING

FAKLA is blessed with well grounded and experienced professionals who are capable and willing to hand down and share their knowledge with colleagues. We also have the possibility of inviting colleagues from other jurisdictions as well as other professionals. It is our opinion that there exit grey areas of the law which we can encourage ourselves to venture into so that we remain competitive with colleagues of other jurisdictions. It is also important that we constantly remind ourselves of the basic legal issues of our practice like ethics.

We promise to engage FAKLANS in continues legal training by regularly organizing seminars, workshops, conferences etc.

ON BEING THE VOICE OF THE VOICELESS

Our community/people are going through very difficult times. It remains our duty to respect our oath as Counsel for the Defense. To speak out in defense of the voiceless and marginalized. It is our commitment to be the watchdog of our society. We are ready to speak truth to power.

ON THE PROTECTION OF THE JOB OF AN ADVOCATE AND THE PROTECTION OF THE COMMON LAW

The job of an advocate within our jurisdiction has witnessed and continue to witness attacks from the executive arm of the government, the bench and other actors of the judiciary like the police, gendarmes, bailiffs and the military. Non advocates are in a continuous attempt to do or take over our job. The erosion of common law remains a big threat to our very identity and the bijural nature of Cameroon.

We pledge to collaborate with our colleagues within the common law jurisdiction to fight against all these ills. We believe that it is a collective fight which we must put in all our might and solicit the support of other stakeholders to uphold our values.

ON RESPECT AMONG FAKLANS AND RESPECT FOR ETHICS OF THE PROFESSION

We must realize that Advocacy is a conservative yet dynamic profession. Respect for seniority is sacrosanct and cannot be traded for anything. We must note that we are juniors today but we shall become seniors tomorrow and equally that we were once juniors before becoming seniors. We shall put in place a commission responsible for the respect of the ethics of our profession. We place great importance to this because it remains the cornerstone of our profession. Our conduct shall also serve as an example for others to emulate.

ON THE NEED TO PROMOTE SPORT AND OTHER RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES

Our job as counsel is very demanding. Sports and leisure to relax and stay healthy is very important. We intend to promote the activities of FAKLA SPORTING CLUB if voted into office.

ON THE NEED TO PROJECT FAKLANS IN TO ELECTIVE OFFICES WITHIN THE BAR

This remains one very important area in which we have a good mastery. We pledge to support all FAKLA candidates vying for elective positions within the Bar.

I am a team player. All these and more can only be achieved if we work together as a team. We of TEAM EPEY pledge to serve FAKLA selflessly.

Dear Learned Colleagues, FAKLA remains our strength in all ramifications. It is in our collective interest that we do not allow our differences to destroy our guild. We should respect our constitution and democratic principles as we conduct our affairs.

I beseech you ALL to vote for me and my team to manage the affairs of FAKLA for the next two years. I represent hope for the young generation of lawyers and reliance for senior lawyers. Hope for young generation of lawyers because they see in me the fact that success in our profession is very possible with hard work, commitment and consistency. That you don’t need a “godfather” to succeed. Reliance for senior lawyers because they see in me the ability to mentor young lawyers. I represent the future of the Bar.

We count on your vote and support and most especially pray you to be present in Limbe on the 21^st of November 2020 for the FAKLA Elective General Assembly.

A VOTE FOR TEAM EPEY IS A VOTE FOR A UNITED AND ALL INCLUSIVE FAKLA

But Who Is Barrister Asoh Ebi Epey

Barrister ASOH EBI EPEY was born on the 31^st of March 1979 at Tiko to a very humble family. He attended Presbyterian Nursery School Mutengene, Roman Catholic School RCM Mutengene and was admitted in Government High Limbe in the 1991-1992 academic year and graduated in 1998-1999 academic year.

He was admitted in the University of Buea in the 1999-2000 academic year and graduated in 2001-2002 academic year. Barrister Epey would later obtain a Maitrice in Business Law from the University of Yaounde II Soa in the 2002-2003 academic year.

In 2015, he obtained an Advanced Diploma from the Center for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, South Africa.

He is currently an LLM International Law student in the University of Buea.

His professional life started in 2003 when he joined Liberty Law Firm Mutengene as an Aspirant.

While an Aspirant at Liberty Law Firm, he served in different capacities in Law Development Agency, the structure that publishes Cameroon Common Law Report.

Epey was sworn in as a Pupil Advocate of the Cameroon Bar Association in 2008 and became an Advocate on the 11^th of May 2011.

With the push to serve, he would quickly establish Peace Law Firm Limbe on the 1^st day of December 2011, hence 17 full and uninterrupted years of practice in and around Fako

While a Pupil Advocate, he was voted as Financial Secretary in the highly contested election that brought Emeritus President Ajong Stanislaus A. as President of FAKLA and served in that capacity for two mandates.

 He was appointed FAKLA Campaign Manager in the 2015 Bar Council elections because of his service and dynamism.

He would later move to become the Public Relations Officer of FAKLA under Emeritus President Nkongho Felix Agbor – Balla. As PRO, they succeeded in rebranding FAKLA and placing it in the national and international scene. During the last FAKLA elections of 2018, he indicated my interest to run for the Presidency of FAKLA and was advised by some seniors to wait for two years.

Barrister ASOH EBI EPEY is said to have heeded to that advice and is now presenting his team to run for the leadership of FAKLA with a unique desire to serve.

The married man and father of four children is also the Founder of Pro Peace For Sustainable Development NGO, Limbe based Civil Society Think Tank and a devout Christian.