By
Bakah Derick
Some
Youths of Nkwen have since Thursday October 22, 2015 been in what many have
described as a xenophobic protest. The protesting youths say they are against “the
Bansonisation” (excessive presence of Nso people in Nkwen.) of Nkwen land. According
to the youths, this is happening with the complicity of the Paramount Fon of
Nkwen HM Fon Azehfor III who is still to clock two in office and provocation
from Nso Nkwen settlers who are promising to buy the entire Nkwen Fondom
including the palace.
The Youths against
Fon’s Decision
The
youths took to the street Thursday October 22, 2015 following what they say was
the illegal sell of a parcel of Land behind the Fon’s palace to the Nso
community in Bamenda. Though Fon Azehfor III has denied the sale of the land,
he however accepts that he gave the said land to the Nso people for free
following the outstanding and long history binding the two peoples. Accepting
the generosity of their Fon, the youths said he should however allocate land
for the Nso hall project elsewhere not behind the palace.
During
a crisis meeting chaired by the Sub divisional officer for Bamenda III Ayuk
Takang Walter this Friday 23, the Fon disclosed that for hundreds of years now,
the Nkwen Palace has being “a breaking point” for the people of Nso during their
coastal journeys. While explaining that there are matrimonial relationships
between the Royal families of Nkwen and Nso, Fon Azehfor also disclosed that “the
Fon of Nso even has a palace in Our Palace” (in the Nkwen palace he means)
called “Ntoh Nfor Nso” meaning The Palace of the Fon of Nso.” According to the
Fon there was no reason to worry about his gesture particularly at the time
Nkwen is fast becoming more cosmopolitan.
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| HRM Fon Azehfor III of Nkwen |
Nkwen Youths
versus Nso and the Catholic Church
After
Fon Azehfor III diplomatically brought the matter to rest, the youths then
turned their attention Friday October 23, 2015 in what they described as “the
Bansonisation” of a church that is supposed to be theirs. To show their discontent,
the youths stormed the Futru Parish main church house where only one of the
Priest Rev Fr. Romeo Nguemteu was in. In a bid to calm the youths, he requested
for a conversation with five representatives but the youths rejected the
request. Following uncoordinated presentations of the facts, Fr Romeo then asked
that they go and send the representatives for a talk later in the day. As the
youths went away Fr. Romeo explained, he then contacted the Sub divisional
officer who was attending the graduation ceremony of the Bamenda National Sports
School with the Minister for Sports and Physical Education present. He however
contacted the Auxiliary Bishop of Bamenda His Lordship Agabitus Nfon who
instructed him to put his Parish Pastoral Council together to seek a way out. Before
the programmed meeting security stormed the church yard to guarantee the
security of the priest following instructions from administrative authorities
in Mezam. Interpreting the situation, the youths said it was a calculated
attempt by the Priest to get them arrested! a claimed Fr Romeo denied saying he
did not call the security forces. Before leaving the church yard, the youths
promised to return on Sunday with the intention to interrupt church services
should there be no appropriate response to their complaints before 7am on Saturday
October 24, 2015.
The
DO during the crisis meeting accepted Fr Romeo’s denial saying that the
security forces where alerted by other security services with the intervention
of the Mezam SDO now Governor of the South Region Nguele Nguele Felix to
protect the Priest.
Following
what the Bamenda III sub divisional officer told the crisis meeting, the youths
had four major complains.
·
That since the creation of the St Michael’s Catholic school
Futru-Nkwen only Nkwen people have been Head Teachers until now that a Nso
woman has been appointed to head the over 20years school. According to the
Nkwen youths only Nkwen people should ne head teachers and no one else worst of
all Banso people (people from Nso in Bui Division)
·
That all assisting staff in the Parish of Nkwen extraction have
been dismissed and replaced with Nso people.
·
That a hall project to cost a good number of millions has been
awarded to a Nso man just like a project in the Nazareth center they say is
worth over 50million.
·
They also blamed the priests for not recruiting Nkwen sons and daughters
as nurses and staff of the St Francis of Assisi Catholic hospital Ntasen Nkwen.
Responding
to all of these complains Madam Theresia Taminang President of the Futru Parish
Pastoral Council PPC, said the recruitment and appointment of school
authorities within the archdiocese was the exclusive preserve of the Archbishop
who is the proprietor of schools. To the change of head teacher to non Nkwen
only the Archbishop could answer.
On
the Hall project, Ngominang Kingsley member of the PPC and the project
committee denied the award of the Hall project to a non-Nkwen man saying that
no contract has been awarded so far. He said there was a heavily announced project
committee with Nkwen people making up over 80% of the total number.
Fr
Romeo while answering to the recruitment of non Nkwen as assisting staff in the
parish house said “all night watchmen are Nkwen, two of three cooks are Nkwen,
and for the drivers he said one was Noni and the other from the west Region. To
him there was no discrimination particularly on the recruitment of Staff. On the
Nazareth Center project Fr Romeo noted that the center was
currently in bad shape financially and there was no projects ongoing talk less
of a project up to 50million. With inputs from Ngominang kingsly, Fr Romeo
added that there was a project going on in the Piarist community house in Menteh
not in the Nazareth center and “the project was handled by Brother Padro who is
Spanish and contractor for the Piarist Fathers. Again he clarified that there
was no project awarded to a Banso man.
Concluding
the Rev Fr explained that they could not answer any question over the
recruitment of staff for the St Francis of Assisi Catholic hospital Ntasen
Nkwen since it is not within their area of jurisdiction.
From
the submissions the DO Ayuk Takang promised to convene a meeting in his office
to explain the situation to the protesting youths.
Questions have however been raised on issues relating to the sale of land in Nkwen as clear link to love for money and laziness.
Questions have however been raised on issues relating to the sale of land in Nkwen as clear link to love for money and laziness.