Dr Epolewane Verklin crowned Best Female DO.

Dr Epolewane, who currently serves as Divisional Officer of Nlonako Subdivision in Moungo Division, Littoral Region, was awarded during the 7th Edition of the Golden Awards. 

The event held Saturday, August 22, 2026, at the Sentir Plus Hotel in Douala. In attendance were high-profile personalities, drawn from all walks of life. 

The 2026 Golden Awards was organised by a select committee of some 20 English-speaking Investigative Journalists, drawn from the North West, South West, West, Centre, Littoral, and East Regions; led by Fah Elvis Tayong.

During the event, over 50 laureates from Cameroon and abroad, were recognized, based on their social impact on the welfare of women and girls.

Organisers disclosed that Dr Epolewane stood out among other 50 laureates recognised for their selfless service to the nation and contribution to national development. 

The brain behind the award Golden Award initiative, Fah Tayong, explained to guests during the ceremony that Dr Epolewane has, through her professional trajectory, demonstrated the power of female leadership within Cameroon’s territorial administration.

In a field that is historically dominated by men, Tayong said Dr Epolewane’s outputs have brought new lease life in the various areas she has worked. He underscored her measurable and courageous impact in addressing issues that improve the lot of compatriots.  

He described Dr Epolewane as a trailblazer in territorial administration, with proven leadership resilience in highly challenging and hostile administrative units. 

‘I am a grateful State servant’ 

Speaking shortly after receiving the award, Dr Epolewane Verklin, expressed gratitude to organisers for closely monitoring her activities in her area of command. 

“It is very gratifying to know that when you give your all, there are people who are watching and appreciating how you show up for the community and the people. I am a servant of the State, and if the people appreciate what I do for them, I can only be grateful,” Dr Epolewane stated. 

The unassuming civil administrator used the opportunity to express gratitude to the Head of State, President Paul Biya, and all her hierarchy, for renewed confidence in her humble person. 

She said the award is a call for her to redouble efforts in better administering the population of her area of command and wherever she is called to serve. 

“The State has always given me its renewed confidence over the years. I think with this, I will work harder to continue to merit the confidence of the President of the Republic and my hierarchy; to continue serving the people of Cameroon,” Dr Epolewane stated. 

Dedicates award to late father 

Dr Epolewane recognised the uncommon wisdom and grace God Almighty has bestowed on her, which she said, continues to enable her to excel even in challenging contexts. 

She also dedicated the award to her father, who was recently called to glory. “If I am the leader who I am, it is greatly thanks to my late father,” the celebrated civil administrator said. 

Female touch in administering Nlonako

Dr Epolewane has since August 12, 2025, brought in a female touch in administering the population of Nlonako.  She is the 12th DO of the administrative unit.

Cognisant of the importance of the transport sector in the peace and tranquility of every administrative unit, she immediately went to work and has restored order in the sector. Through dialogue sessions with actors, she has restored order in the bike sector.

Dr Epolewane has also been perfectly liaising with the municipal authorities, local population and elite of the area to lobby and push for the development of the cosmopolitan Subdivision. 

Nlonako has a population of over 50,000 people, with 23 villages. The DO has also been bent on improving the living conditions of people. 

“We are already working on a project, which we launched last Women’s Day to valorise Miondo made in Nlonako; because the administrative unit produces the best Miondo in the country,” she said. 

Locals of Nlonako have been very excited since the coming of Dr Epolewane at the helm of the Subdivision. Till date, they continue to talk about her inclusive approach to leadership.

We gathered that even State servants in the area have been inspired to stay at their duty post and better carter for government property because of her style of administration.

The DO and elite have continued to work as a team to prepare schools for the effective reopening for the 2026/2027 school year. 

Zoom on Dr Epolewane’s track record   

The seasoned civil administrator and a native of the Bakossi area in the Kupe-Muanenguba Division, is a graduate of the Advanced School of Administration and Magistracy, ENAM. 

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, a Master’s degree in Political Science. She is currently one of the few State administrators with a PhD, earned at the University of Buea.

Dr Epolewane started her career in Meme Division, as First Assistant Senior Divisional Officer. She also served briefly as interim SDO of Meme, when her former boss, the late Koulbout Aman David, was transferred to the Dja and Lobo Division, in the heat of the onset of the crisis rocking the North West and South West Regions. 

Within that period, she braved security threats to maintain administrative order, before Chamberlain Ntou’ou Ndong was appointed as Meme SDO. 

She was later transferred to Ndian Division, still as First Assistant SDO, a position she held for months before she was promoted and appointed Divisional Officer of Kumba III. 

Dr Epolewane served in the area, defying intimidation and security risks to successfully restore calm, establish administrative order, and inspire parents to safely send their children to school. 

She again gained the confidence of the Head of State and was appointed to Limbe III Subdivision as DO. She held the office between 2019 to 2025, when President Biya appointed her as DO of Nlonako. 

While in Limbe III, she served firmly, spearheading key road development projects. She was instrumental in establishing the Service Heads' Association, LITSHA, for community outreach, and fiercely combatted land grabbing, drug trafficking, and armed robbery. 

Dr Epolewane is now a household name in Cameroon’s civil administration. She is considered the most courageous and daring female civil administrator who once served in troubled English-speaking Regions.

Her unmatched administrative savvy, simplistic attitude and management skills, she has demonstrated over a decade career, has won for her global admiration.

She engaged an intrepid approach to separatist threats while in Kumba and stamped her authority as a no-nonsense administrator by encouraging pupils and students to effectively attend school. 

D Epolewane gave Limbe III a new face lift in terms of hygiene and sanitation. She also relentlessly fought separatist-imposed school boycotts to have the highest pupil and student turnout in Kumba urban. 

She convinced population to shun ghost town, lockdowns, and let go violence as well as mobilised officers of the Rapid Intervention Battalion, BIR, to carry out a health sensitisation campaigns in several localities in the Subdivision.

Epolewane brokered peace between irate Kumba bikers, and organised football tournaments to light up the Subdivision and ensure living together between military and the population. 

Despite her busy schedule, she is an active civil society leader through the The Verklin Foundation, where she is Founder and Chief Executive Officer, CEO.

She has through the Foundation been helping to empower young girls and women become economically independent, hold leadership positions and be able to achieve their life dreams.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3889 of Tuesday August 25, 2026