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

BENAKUMA CHRISTIANS CELEBRATE PRIESTS RETURN TO PRESBYTERY AFTER YEARS OF DISPLACEMENT IN CONFLICT HIT ZONE By Mildred Ndum Wung Kum Christians of Saint Paul's Parish Benakuma have rendered thanks to God for the return of their priests to the parish House. The priests were forced to leave the presbytery in 2019 due to tensions and took refuge at the outskirts of the parish in Befang.  Their return has been celebrated as a sign of peace. Christians of Saint Paul's Parish Benakuma have rendered thanks to God for the return of their priests to the Parish House. A thanksgiving Mass to that effect took place at the main Mission at Saint Paul Benakuma where the faithful celebrated the coming of Father Michael Sullivan Ngwa and Father Vitalis Ake Njang. The occasion equally brought together sons and daughters of Menchum Valley Sub Division amongst them dignitaries including traditional, religious and administrative leaders.  Also conspicuously present was the wum Deanery Pastoral Cou...
ABDUCTED SENATOR ATTRACTS SOLIDARITY of BAMENDA ARCHBISHOP The Office of the Archbishop in the Archdiocese of Bamenda has published a communique requesting for the release of Senator Regina Mundi, one of Cameroon's Senators wallowing in captivity after she was kidnapped April 30th, 2022. The communique dated May 10, 2022 carries the insignia and signatory of the Archbishop of Bamenda, His Grace Andrew Nkea.    "I am sending out this open appeal to those who are keeping Mrs Regina Mundi to kindly show mercy on her and liberate her from captivity. To those who kidnapped her, Mrs Mundi is a senator but I am appealing to them to remember that, she is also many other things than being a senator" The letter notes The communique goes ahead to note the reputations of the kidnapped official; she is a mother and grandmother, an ex student of the Catholic school -Queen of the Rosary College Okoyong, a devout Christian of the Presbyterian Church and an advocate for rural women. The p...
SPECIAL ABILITIES OF DISABILITY PERSONS MESMERIZE ONLOOKERS By Mildred Ndum Wung Kum Unique talents of those whom soceity classifies as "persons with disability" mesmerized onlookers during a ceremony to celebrate the 2020 international day of persons with disability. Tens of persons with disability exhibited a blend of dexterity, artisanal skills, sports and intuitiveness thereby affirming their special abilities. Amputees play football during celebration The ceremony was organised by an NGO known as "Think Big" to mark the 2020 celebration of International Day of Persons with Disability. The occasion which took place at the CBC Field, Bamenda was a moment for persons with disability to showcase their skills and special abilities. Think Big's Chief Executive Officer is Fon Dieudonne. He is a right limb amputee rendered by elephantiasis disease.  Mr Dieudonne said he organised the celebration to showcase to the world that persons with disability have special abi...