Bamenda Rejoices as October 1 comes with heavy rains

Bamenda greeted with heavy rains

Comments on so many whatsApp groups have been asking God to ensure that October 1 becomes a rainy day in Bamenda and across the North West Region.

This, to deter any clash between the military and separatist fighters as October 1 has been adopted by pro separatists as the day of independence of Ambazonia.

In a build up to October 1, 2020, the death toll in both the separatists and military camp grew in their numbers. The population was scared how October 1 will look like. Behold, it was a rainy day across the region.

Some streets painted in blue and white. The military had to erase them days after

This is October 1, 2021. The armory of the fighters displayed in a video in Bamessing Ndop is telling of the kind of October 1 they were planning to celebrate. Portions of the road in some streets around Bamenda had been painted in the colours of the flag of the yet to be created nation. Days ago, the defense and security forces had to wipe out the paint.

And here is October 1. The rains have answered present.

Bamenda and some parts of the region have not experienced the heavy downpour recorded this morning for weeks now. This can only mean even the heavenly forces stand with the people who been at home for 16 days now in a lock down imposed by the separatists fighters.

Mezam SDO restricts holding of meetings

In a build up to October 1, some SDOs like in Mezam and Boyo banned gatherings meanwhile beer parlours have been restricted to remain close across the Divisions this October 1. Some persons who live in red zones tried trekking to other parts of the city of Bamenda for the fear of their safety as events could easily turn deadly.

This is the morning of October 1. The rains are here and the hearts of many are at peace.

Southern Cameroons on October 1, 1961 gained independence by joining La Republique du Cameroun after the 11 February 1961 plebiscite.

60 years after, the North West and South West regions have been plunged into a five year armed conflict that started in 2016 with teachers and lawyers going on strike. Their demands kept increasing. From 16 to 25 points.

Measures to arrest the situation by the government led to these bodies forming a consortium which tilted their demands to the form of state. Here, they were requesting that the Anglo-Saxon heritage can only be protected if the state is into Federalism. What was adopted in Foumban in 1961.

The banning of the consortium and later the arrest of its leaders in 2017 gave birth to a group of radicals led by Sissiku Ayuk Tabe who demanded an outright secession of former Southern Cameroons to form a new state known as Ambazonia.

5 years since this demand was launched, no fewer than 3500 lives have been lost and some 100,000 persons have fled the crisis hit regions.

Access to health care has been seriously affected with calls of ghost towns and lockdowns that hamper movements.

School activities were gradually picking up though children go to school without their uniforms.

On this October 1, 2021 the prayer is for the rains to be as hard as possible to deter any confrontation between the two parties that can add to the number of deaths already recorded. Calls continue to be made from several quarters for the government to call a sincere Dialogue and arrest the situation. A call the government says had been made in 2019 with the organization of the Major National Dialogue.

By

Ndi Tsembom Elvis