From a self-governing entity as a country, the people of southern Cameroon have been brought down to nothing other than mere beggars. A people proud of their culture and colonial heritage were brought down to their knees some sixty years ago after a failed unity.
Southern Cameroon was one of the first democratic countries in Africa in the early fifties with successive changes of power. Dr. Endeley Lefaka from 1954-59, John Ngu Foncha from 1959-64 and Augustine Nkong Jua who forced out of government by the Ahidjo of French Cameroon.
With just the Mobile Wheel Police, the peace, defence, and security of the population was assured. The court with its common law supplemented the stability.
Economically, Southern Cameroon had a strong and solid foundation. We had three airports, a seaport at Victoria and a strong financial institution. From infrastructure perspective, all major towns and cities connected by good, tarred roads. The un-tarred roads were regularly maintained thanks to the existence of the Highway Department, just as we Highway England in the UK. For the airports, we had the Tiko international airport, Mamfe Airport at Bessongabang and the Bali Airport.
We had our natural deep seaport in Victoria where large ships could anchor. Railway lines were constructed to ease transportation of bulky and heavy goods. The palms section of Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC) benefited greatly from this operation.
The West Cameroon Marketing Board was one of the aspects that boosted our economy. Under this board co-operatives were organised all over the territories to buy cash products, select best yielding seedlings before accepted by the Board. Meanwhile fertiliser and other agricultural tools were given to farmers via cooperatives including. Productive farmers benefited from loans to expand agriculture and yields.
Our lone financial institution, Cameroon Bank was flourishing providing even long-term loans to businesspeople from across the border in French Cameroon.
We also had the National Lottery agency. The proceeds from this operation were used to construct hospitals and other health facilities.
Yoke power plant in Muyuka supplied us with energy including others like the Malala plant for the rubber factory.
After all the above mentioned and others it took La Republic of Cameroun a very short time to destroy everything. Meanwhile president Amadou Ahidjo was slow and consistent in his destruction for his 25years in office, Paul Biya used less than 10 years to accomplish their mission.
Nevertheless, today as we speak all the institutions like Marketing Board, Cameroon Bank and Highways departments don’t exist anymore. For now, only CDC – Cameroon Development Corporation exists at a limping pace. The traces of all the airports today are French Cameroon military bases. Any good road linking some few towns in southern Cameroon is always sponsored and supervised by foreign organisations, or directly links a to nearby French Cameroon town if sponsored by the French Cameroon government.
Faced with carnage on our institutions and destruction of our once economy sustainability models, our people have been taught nothing but corruption as sole of means of survival. Southern Cameroonians via corruption now hangs their hopes on powerless positions of powers in the Cameroon government administration which itself act as extension of the annexation process of our territory. Southern Cameroonians have become inferior adjectives to describe.
Whilst wise forward-looking nations lure annexed areas or united territories with economy favourism and development, the French Cameroonian government to the contrary uses depravity and destitution to keep us Southern Cameroon to her fake union.
It is for these reasons that we the people of Southern Cameroon continue to call the international community to pressure the Cameroonian authorities to return our autonomy and stop the ongoing killing and incarceration of our people.
Author: Moh Amstrong Moh