Dust rose into the air as the bucket of a bulldozer tore into an ageing building in the heart of Bamenda.


Standing nearby, the Bamenda City Mayor watched as walls that had stood for years crumbled to the ground. The message from the chief executive of the city was unmistakable.

Bamenda, he declared, must become beautiful.

According to the Mayor, buildings that no longer meet the image and aspirations of a modern city have no place in the city centre. He called on owners of similar structures to take the initiative and pull them down before the council is compelled to act, warning that anyone whose building is demolished by the authorities would also face a financial penalty.

The demolition lasted only a short while but the debate it has triggered may last much longer.

Should old buildings make way for modern development?

What standards should define a city preparing for the future?

And beyond the demolition of ageing structures, what does a modern Bamenda actually look like?

These are the questions that inspire Future Fit Bamenda, a new twice-weekly Hilltopvoices editorial series that explores the choices, opportunities and challenges facing one of the most important urban centres in Cameroon.

The timing could hardly be more appropriate.


Across the city, major infrastructure projects are beginning to reshape Bamenda's landscape. The ongoing urban crossing project has widened major roads, constructed new bridges and improved movement through key corridors. Other neighbourhood roads are also undergoing rehabilitation, promising better connectivity for residents and businesses.

These investments deserve recognition.

They signal confidence in the future of Bamenda and lay the foundation for growth.

But roads and bridges, important as they are, do not by themselves create a modern city.

A future-fit Bamenda will require much more than concrete and asphalt.

It will require effective urban planning that guides development instead of reacting to it. It will require clean streets, efficient drainage, reliable public transport, accessible walkways, green public spaces, quality housing, environmental protection and neighbourhoods that are both attractive and functional.


It will also require an economy capable of creating opportunities for the thousands of young people who look to Bamenda every year for education, employment and entrepreneurship.

Perhaps the most important question is whether planning is keeping pace with reality.

The Bamenda of today is no longer the Bamenda many residents remember from decades ago.

Every day, students travel between Bamenda, Bambui and Bambili. Farmers leave Bafut, Santa and neighbouring communities before dawn to supply the markets in the city. Traders, workers, patients and entrepreneurs move constantly between Bamenda and surrounding communities and municipalities.

The influence of the city now extends far beyond its traditional boundaries.

Whether through commerce, education, healthcare or transport, Bamenda has become the centre of an increasingly interconnected urban area.

That changing reality demands a new way of thinking.

If more people are living on the outskirts while working or studying in Bamenda, are transport systems keeping pace?

If commercial activity continues to expand, are enough markets, parking spaces and loading areas being planned?

If the skyline is changing, should there also be stricter building standards, more landscaping and better protection of public spaces?

Can the city become cleaner as it grows larger?

Can infrastructure become the engine of economic recovery by attracting investment, creating jobs and encouraging innovation?

These are not questions for government alone.

They belong equally to property owners, architects, business leaders, traditional authorities, environmental groups, transport operators and every resident who calls Bamenda home.


Future Fit Bamenda is not a campaign against old buildings, nor is it an endorsement of every redevelopment decision.

It is an invitation to think beyond today's construction projects and ask what kind of city future generations will inherit.

Cities that succeed are rarely those that simply build more roads or taller buildings.

They are the ones that plan ahead, balance growth with sustainability, encourage investment while protecting public interests and ensure development improves the quality of life for everyone.

The bulldozer that brought down one building this week may become one of the defining images of the changing skyline of Bamenda.

The greater challenge is ensuring that what rises in its place contributes to a city that is more organised, more competitive, more inclusive and more prosperous.

Because the future of Bamenda will not be determined by the buildings it removes.

It will be determined by the vision it builds.

Future Fit Questions

As Bamenda begins to redefine its skyline, Hilltopvoices invites readers to reflect on this week's questions:

1. What should define a modern Bamenda?
Is it new buildings and wider roads, or should it also include cleanliness, public transport, green spaces, safety and efficient public services?

2. What standards should guide redevelopment in the city centre?
Should Bamenda adopt clearer architectural and urban design standards for future developments?

3. Is Bamenda planning for the city of today or the metropolitan area of tomorrow?
As the city's economic influence extends into Bambui, Bambili, Bafut, Bali, Santa and neighbouring communities, should planning become more integrated?

4. Beyond roads and buildings, what should be the next development priority for Bamenda?

Drainage, waste management, housing, public transport, investment or something else?

5. What one change would make Bamenda a city future generations would be proud to inherit?

Next in Future Fit Bamenda

Every morning, thousands of people travel into and out of Bamenda for work, education and trade. What does this daily movement reveal about the city's future? Part Two explores why Bamenda is becoming more than a municipality and why planning must begin to reflect that reality. 


By Bakah Derick 

Bakah Derick is an award-winning Cameroonian journalist and mediapreneur, serving as Vice President in charge of International Relations at the Cameroon Journalists’ Trade Union and leading Hilltopvoices Communications Group Ltd to amplify community voices and governance issues. With nearly 20 years in the field, his impactful reporting spanning human rights, environmental protection, inclusive development, and sports has earned him prestigious honors such as the 2024 VIIMMA Humanitarian Reporter of the Year and more. Email: debakah2004@gmail.com Tel: +237 675 460 750