Skip to main content
ELOQUENCE FACES OFF GRUDGES: BAMENDA 1 PEACE RIDE A SUCCESS

BY MILDRED NDUM WUNG KUM

The words of the Biblical proverbs
"a gentle tongue breaks a bone" Prov 25:15 was the sole principle in the Bamenda one peace ride.

A four man delegation for the peace caravan in that jurisdiction with Professor Fru Angwafo as regional team coordinator and Madam Caroline Bi Bongwa as coordinator for the Divisional team  used gentility to get across to the population.

They were on mission to restitute recommendations of the major national dialogue to locals.

Bitterness during the session was subdued with the cozy pidgin English Language, admittance of failure and a determination to do better.





Left -right: D.O Guliai, Mayor Caroline, Prof Angwafo, Mr Mbafor, behind them peoples representatives. Picture taken after successfule caravan at Bamenda 1 Council


In the Bamenda one Conference Hall were gathered representatives of the population including traditional heads, motor bike riders, teachers and counsellors.

The peace caravan was present with mission to enlighten people on proposals that emerged from a national dialogue held October 30th to September 4 in Cameroon's headquarters Yaounde as means to solve the now three years old Anglophone crisis.

The four man team were Caroline Bi Bongwa Head of Peace Caravan Bamenda one, Professor Angwafo head of Peace Caravan Northwest region,  Mr Mbafor Member of Commission for Bilingualism and Multiculturalism  Gilbert Guilai -DO Bamenda one.

Meeting with representatives of the population in the hall, they said this is a time to build peace love and reconciliation, to forget the past and look ahead to the future, to voice disturbances and see how to repair.

A reading of the recommendation of the major national dialogue by Mayor Caroline Bi Bongwa was followed by reactions.

A post dialogue caravan with no measurable action on the ground, Killing people, burning houses and harrasment by military, no concrete measures by government in the crisis, sluggishness of the government to solve a problems...

These and many others were words of resentment after listening to reading of dialogue recommendations.

"Government has been slow, we must tell the truth,
We can't revenge against ourselves, people are dying and we can't stay back. Let's avoid the blame game because blaming won't move us forward. We should be active citizens, concerned by looking up to what government is doing and follow"
Prof Fru Angwafo told people in the hall after hearing them blast the peace caravan.
He spoke in Pidgin English.

A few others however applauded the move to present dialogue proposals. They were of the side that there have been no formal forum to enable them know the outcome of the dialogue until now.

The people appealed for a ceasefire, release of those arrested in connection with the crisis and a follow up for implementation of the dialogue proposals.

They took the commitment to take the message of peace to the subjects and to educate others on the dialogue recommendations.

"Instructions being given to us would be followed. We are going to photocopy and distribute the resolutions to various quater heads. I'm satisfied because everything has been explained It's left for us to go and sensitise the population. Twenty three of forty eight chiefs answered present and we are sure that the message of peace would be understood" said Fonche Joseph chairman of Quater heads.

According to Madam Caroline, not much can be done in an environment where there is no peace. "Peace is a valuable commodity. We have to be at peace with ourselves. True happiness cannot be attained where there is no peace".

The peace caravan in Bamenda one took place at the Bamenda one Council Hall, Thursday 21 November 2019. The session lasted three hours.

The message of peace in Bamenda one was coming after launching of the Peace Caravan both in  Mezam division and the Northwest region.

The intention is to insure a soft and receptive ground in case president Paul Biya  grants the demands tabled by  Anglophone Cameroonians after the Grand National Dialogue


Comments

Editor's Picks

CANONICAL POSSESSION BUEA: BISHOP AVOWS TO DIE FOR FLOCK By Mildred Ndum Wung Kum Bishop Michael Miabeseu Bibi gave his word to lay down his life for the flock as he took canonical possession of Buea Diocese, Cameroon.  The rites accompanying the ceremony was modulated by His Excellency Julio Murat, Nuncio to Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea where the newly installed bishop of Buea officially assumed episcopal office which was symbolised by  taking the crosier and sitting on  the cathedral .  In a firm mood at the occasion,  Bishop Bibi said "I would like to request one thing from all of you who have come here today. Please remember me in your prayers so that I may be a faithful servant to carryout the mysteries that have been entrusted to me and this responsibility of shepherding the people of God in the Diocese of Buea. Pray that I may be a good shepherd. Pray that I may give my life to the service of the people of God in this Diocese even to the point of accept...
  TRADITIONALISTS FROWN  DISREGARD OF CULTURE AFTER FON GOES  MISSING By Mildred Ndum Wung Kum Conservatives have expressed dismay that the traditional medium that was supposed to be used to announce the disappearance of the King of Mankon has been obliterated.                         HRM  Angwafo III SAN Multiple news sites reported the disappearance of the King of Mankon, His Royal Majesty Solomon Anyeghamotu Ndefru Angwafo III on May 22nd, 2022. No official statement of the traditional ruler's disappearance from the appropriate quarters was heard.  "It's rather unfortunate that the roots of Mankon Culture has been adulterated .   However, we still have to wait for the official message from the Kwifor of Mankon Kingdom" relieves a die heart traditionalist. In keeping with the customs and tradition of Mankon, the normal channel to disseminate information of the Fon's disappearance would ...
MENCHUM DIVISION PANTING FOR EDUCATIONAL SALVATION BY MILDRED NDUM WUNG KUM Menchum, one of seven divisions of the Northwest region has in no little way been spared by the prevailing Cameroon Anglophone crisis. With the crisis raging on for four years now,  a number of establishments in the division have shut down. The educationional sector keeps the area a little boosting but at the same time attracts empathy for reasons of teaching apathy. FRONT VIEW OF ADMINIDTRATIVE BLOCK GHS WUM  The Menchum Division, of the Northwest region is in  greivous desperation of education. The situation is worsened by the absence of teachers in schools against an impressive majority of school children in need of knowledge. It is the third week of the second term, 2019/2020 academic year, yet Government High School Wum with an enrollment of about 400 students has a teaching staff of less than 20. The statistics of school attendance in GBHS Wum taken on a day shows  ...