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Buea decays after reunification festivities
April 17, 2014
Prior and during the celebrations of the golden jubilee of Cameroon�s
reunification, Buea, venue of the event had a facelift and was a near
pearl. Sad to say this is not the case today.
A few months ago, the Cameroon's president Paul Biya and wife Chantal were in
Buea, headquarters of the South West Region, for the 50the anniversary
celebrations of the reunification of the former British Southern Cameroons and
the East or La Republique du Cameroun.
Prior to their visit, Buea underwent some infrastructural innovations including
construction of roads, administrative buildings and Hotels, all in a bit to give
the visit the grandeur it deserved. There was no doubt that when the
presidential couple drove into Buea after landing at the Tiko airport, the town
was really beautiful. The president himself said that the town was indeed a town
of legendary hospitality.
In fact, the South West Region benefited a lot as far as development was concern
when Paul and Chantal Biya went visiting. The development package that
accompanied the visit was felt throughout the Region with Buea, Kumba and Tiko
having the lions share. The visit gave Anglophones the opportunity to enjoy the
company of their president, a president for both French and English speaking
Cameroonians. South West inhabitants saw the president�s determination to unite
the two parts more fully when he delivered a bilingual speech with English
dominating. The biggest gift to South West during the visit was the Creation of
the Higher Technical Teacher Training College in Kumba. All these benefits will
never leave the memory of South Westerners.
But then barely few months after the visit, critics have termed it a mixed
blessing. This to them is because the beauty of Buea during the reunification
festivities is gradually but surely disappearing. Road side vendors are taking
their places back, callbox operators have returned to their normal yellow
umbrellas and boxes along the Molyko streets. The taps have ran dry and
strangely so because this is the rainy season.Infact the town is fast taking the
look it had months ago before the president went visiting.Traditionally,
authorities are in conflict as their association is now in factions with the
Fako chiefs boycotting activities and meetings organized under the banner of the
South West Chiefs Conference because as they say they were sidelined on during
the event. Worse, the sudden death of their president Senator Fon Njifua Fontem
is raising dust accompanied with question marks and fingers pointing left to
right. In the domain of education, the newly created Higher Technical Teacher
Training College in Kumba is facing power tussle as to who takes credit for the
presidential gesture. The problem of location is also a problem as was the story
of the Bamenda University. Traditional, political and even religious authorities
are at loggerheads as to where the university should be located. Many have
proven their ego or maybe zeal by donating pieces of lands to the government for
the construction of that university.
With all these controversies, one is tempted to say that if care is not taken the
unity, peace, progress and development preached during the reunification
celebrations will not materialized as is the objective of Head of State,
President Paul Biya.
Neba Anyangwe
Foundation Radio
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