Legal icon, peace and anti-corruption crusader, Sir, Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle, has stated that his fight for peace to always reign, as well as his crusade against pilferers of state and community resources, will only stop the day he returns to his creator, God, through death.
The legal icon made the remarks recently in Douala in a small gathering with journalists who were taking a sneak peek down Ntumfor’s journey as a successful legal luminary, an impactful peace and anti-corruption crusader and community person. In the chat with journalists, Ntumfor x-rayed his over-three-decade journey in peace and justice efforts, as well as in campaigns against corruption and other societal ills.
Asked what inspired him to engage the journey, Ntumfor told journalists that he was inspired by his father, a man of God, who made everyone in his household to understand the importance of peace not just for society, but also for the person who needs to promote it. “My father told us peace is the most precious asset to a family, and for a person. He made us understand that you can have everything the world can give, but that it will all be meaningless if you don’t have peace. As such, he told us not to only talk peace, but to also practice it,” Ntumfor said.
He said after taking in all the lessons from his father, he told himself that the fight for peace is a noble course mission to embark on and, over 35 years later, he does not regret starting it, and will continue to pursue it until the day he dies.
He said, if all fought for peace, no one would try to hurt the other, and no one would try to embezzle public and institutional funds because that in effect sows conflict because many people would be aggrieved. As such, to Ntumfor, peace can only exist in a platform of love, equity, justice, transparency, truth, kindness, goodness, fear of God, integrity, and other good virtues that make society a better place.
He told journalists that he has learnt a lot from philosophers and from great books they have written. He said the works of philosophers and advocates who stand for non-violent solutions to problems are what keep inspiring and guiding him. Ntumfor said his he works, generosity and crusades.
To him, everyone should be engaged in the fight against bribery and corruption, because, “if you are not fighting bribery and corruption, then you are encouraging it”.
Asked why he does not work together with NGOs and others who are also out to fight for peace and against bribery and other vices, Ntumfor said he tried, but discovered that they were rather out to make money, and since he was rather out to use his own money and resources to finance his crusades, he could not work with them.
Ntumfor said, throughout his career as a lawyer, he has never bribed a magistrate to win a case. He added that a good lawyer is not one who wins all his cases, but a lawyer who wins cases he should win and lose those he should lose. He said, as a legal practitioner, he tells his clients who are on the wrong that the case cannot be won and that they will rather try to take responsibility and plead for a reduced court sentence, rather than lie or employ other crooked means to win a case at all cost. He also dismissed the notion that lawyers are dishonest people, stating that lawyers win cases on basis of technicalities and law, and not crookery as many people assume.
Ntumfor in a chat with the media
Ntumfor Title Controversies
Asked about controversies that surrounded his title as Ntumfor, Messenger of Northwest Fons, the legal luminary narrated how he served the Fons and tradition for a while before the Fons decided to confer the title on him, and how Fons were also told that the title was only for him, and should not be given to others.
Ntumfor narrated that when he received the title and, together with his works and crusades alongside popularity, some people started nursing ambitions of taking the same title and as such, got to individual Fons to confer the title on them. He remarked that the Ntumfor title did not make him popular as many had interpreted. “A title does not make a man,” he said, arguing that it was his integrity and several works and crusades that endeared him to people. He said he does not care if the title is handed to millions or billions of people, because it does not put food on his table.
Two More Awards, Adding Total To 184
During the chat with the media, Ntumfor received two awards for his services to the Church, as well as his crusades and campaigns for over the decades.
Ntunfor received “Man of the Decade” award from the Lifetime Media Group.
While presenting the award, the CEO of Lifetime Media Group CEO said Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle has been relentless in promoting the culture of good governance, accountability, transparency and above all, the defence and protection of human rights.
“For the past decade, Ntumfor has been consistently using the legal profession as a vehicle for change. As a proponent of pro-bono legal services in Cameroon since the 90s, Ntumfor has been advancing the community courses. By helping people freely in the communities in which they come in conflict with the law, Ntumfor since understood that this responsibility to give voice to those who would not otherwise have access to the law or the ability to champion the cause of justice. He has been reconciling Fons, journalists, lawyers and individuals in society. More importantly, he has been promoting justice and peace as the only way to resolve the raging conflict in the two English-speaking regions of Cameroon. Since the outbreak of the conflict in the two regions of Cameroon he has taken the risk to meet with stakeholders in the two regions using his personal funds and risking his life,” he justified.
Ntumfor had also recently bagged another award, a Certificate of Recognition, for his exceptional service and steadfastness in fostering the mission and vision of the Congressional Youth Choir. This was given by the PCC’s Mungo Presbytery – Bonaberi Congregation.
By Andrew Nsoseka
