Voice Of The Oppressed

Know Your History : Future Of Southern Cameroons, Rival Policies Argued At The UN

Did Dr EML Endeley initially advocate for an "Autonomous Southern Cameroons" OR an "Autonomous Region In an Independent Federation Of Nigeria"?

Why did John Ngu Foncha resist the whole idea of ending the trusteeship system 'abruptly', before settling down on the option of "independence by joining La Republique?

Did Any of them highlight the third option: "Complete Independence Of Southern Cameroons" ?

Know Your History

Neba-Fuh

It is impossible to carve out a better future if you discount your past. In as much as Southern Cameroonians are figuring out ways of reversing the status quo, it is worth revisiting some of the historical events that put us in this present quagmire.

Storm Clouds Over The Cameroons (1961)

 (Source: The Times of June 19, 1961)
  From Our Africa Correspondent

As one looks westwards from Douala, the busy port and commercial outlet of the Republic of Cameroon, the view is filled by the rising hulk of the Cameroons Mountain, an active volcano 13,350ft. high, the spreading slopes of which cover an area of some 400 square miles. Wooded mountains stretch northwards in a crenellated chain along the frontier between the Republic and the British trusteeship territory of the Southern Cameroons, frowning on Douala with an air which at this time of year, when the clouds hang low, is heavy with menace. The hills are the invulnerable fortress of terrorists who for six years have carried on a sporadic rebellion.

A Humanitarian Situation- Yes We Can Save His Life!

VOTO(Voice Of The Oppressed) has just been notified of a serious health condition of one of ours,  Bright Asangwei Fuh . The little 4 year old Bright from The Cameroons  has been diagnosed with a rare kind of orbital tumor. A humanitarian organisation African Women's Development Foundation(AWDF)**  has already taken the lead in this little boy's cause. The plan is to  relocated him to the United States of America where treatment is suppose to begin. But the dollars have to come in to cover the bills  for such a giant medical operation. Therefore, as the tears trickle as we read this story, let's remember to check out  our wallets or credit cards etc.

Southern Cameroons Has No Independence Day!

By Neba-Fuh

If historical facts are indisputable, then October 1 is a day no true Southern Cameroonian would  like to 'celebrate' positively. 1st October 1961 was the worst day in Southern Cameroons history! It's the day Southern Cameroons was 'forced' to become part of La Republique du Cameroun. It was that day Southern Cameroonians became slaves under a regime which was a by product of colonial brewing. Southern Cameroons was annexed on 1st October. Southern Cameroons never gained independence on October 1! 

Gunmen Besiege Limbe Banks, CFA 240M Vanishes

Source: The Sun Newspaper (Victoria)
By Norbert Wasso Binde

There is now a very heavy deployment of troops in Limbe, following an early morning raid on banks in the city. A group of heavily armed men of the underworld early Sunday, September 28 laid siege on some banks situated in Down Beach, Limbe for about three hours.

Down Beach Limbe where attacks took place

In a shoot out during the early morning raid, a lady was shot dead while three banks, Amity , Societe Generale (SGBC) and SCB-Credit Agricole were intensely attacked, ransacked and robbed at varying degrees.

Bakassi: What Next?

By Neba-Fuh

The disputed  Bakassi peninsula handover ceremony has come and gone. The International Court of Justice ruling and the Greentree commitment have been respected by the Camerounian and Nigerian authorities despite the fact that peace is still to find rest in that area. The Southern Cameroonian claim to ownership will still linger for years to come, as long as its right to self determination is not settled.

Who Really Owns Bakassi? Part 2

The Bakassi Story -Part 2

By Nowa Omoigui**

In the first installment titled "The Bakassi Story", we reviewed a very brief summary of the history of the dispute starting from the Treaty between England and Old Calabar in 1884 all the way through to the ICJ judgement of October 10, 2002.  Those who want more information about the fall of Calabar should consult “Politics and Society in South Eastern Nigeria” by KK Nair or “Old Calabar 1600-1891” by AJH Latham. A nice summary is available in “The Fall of Nigeria – The British Conquest” by Obaro Ikime (Heinemann, 1977).  In Part 2, we shall focus more specifically on the twenty-five-year period from 1950 to 1975.

Who Really Owns Bakassi?

Neba-Fuh

The disputed oil rich peninsula of Bakassi has its history and it's only through this history that clear judgement can be made on the ownership of this strip according to international law. The International Court of Justice(ICJ)'s  judgement on the dispute was holistic, Bakassi was handed to Cameroun and Nigeria grudgingly succumbed to the ICJ's decison. This grudge has been constantly evident by the numerous casualties that have occurred even after the 2002 ICJ ruling. Will the Bakassi Palaver ever be over? How do we situate British Southern Cameroons in this whole issue?

Today, We present a two part  chronicle concerning Bakassi since colonial time, as reported by a Nigerian. It is a must read!!!

An Eye On Bakassi

By Neba-Fuh

Bakassi peninsula is a border strip  extension into the Atlantic Ocean ,between Southern Cameroons and Nigeria. The discovery of  huge deposits of the crude oil brought this formerly neglected  stretch of the land into the limelight.

Normally, if Southern Cameroons was self- governed , the peninsula would have had all the amenities and facilities necessary for any integral part of the territory to function. Roads, schools, hospitals and other government services will not be a matter of negotiability but an unconditional right of the people of Bakassi. As is expected, any border area has a tendency to trade with its neighbours, in this case Nigeria, but to ignore the administrative, social and economic lives of the people is a glaring example of  how the Yaounde oligarchy has constantly neglected the welfare of the people of Southern Cameroons. The Bakassi dispute brewed up in 1981, when 'United' Republic of Cameroon almost went to war with Federal Republic of Nigeria. Clashes reignited again in the nineties and the case was later to be settled at The Hague by the International Court of Justice(ICJ) in 2002