By Isidore Abah
After the uproar, Governor Okalia Bilai frowned at the population over what he termed uncivil and unpatriotic behaviour. He asked Anglophone elite to come and tame their dogs [people] from descending to the streets again, especially in anticipation of the approaching October 1 when Ambazonian leaders had called for demonstrations.
Speaking over CRTV Buea Regional Station, Okalia threatened that if the population dare such act that puts Cameroon’s territory integrity in jeopardy and the country’s security at risk again, they will face the wrath of unsympathetic and uncompromising security forces.
He exhorted Anglophone elite who parade the corridors of power in the country’s political capital to return to their various Regions of origin, Divisions, Subdivisions, constituencies and villages to chain their various dogs (Anglophones) from taking to the streets again.
“…Everyone should go to their family, village and catch their dogs. If dogs continue to take to the streets to bite, that is to destroy, they will meet with security forces,” Okalia Bilai had stated on CRTV.
After Governor Okalia Bilai’s taunting over the State broadcaster, Anglophone elite, mostly apologetics of the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, CPDM, left Yaounde to the Northwest and Southwest Regions to tame their ‘dogs’.
The Southwest delegation, led by former Prime Minister and current Chair of the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism, Peter Mafany Musonge, rushed to Buea under the umbrella of the Southwest Elites Association.
While in the former political capital of West Cameroon, the elite held an extra-ordinary meeting at the Buea Mountain Hotel and came out with what they termed the Buea declaration.
In the declaration, the elite condemned in strong terms all act of vandalism, arson, lawlessness, terrorism, violence and destruction of education and social infrastructures.
They Southwest elite urged the President of the Republic to hasten up with the full implementation of the 1996 Constitution, which provides for 10 Decentralised Regions, including the Southwest Region as an autonomous Region.
They affirm their stand for no secession and for one united, bilingual, multicultural and indivisible Cameroon.
The elites cautioned the people of the Southwest Region to exercise restraint and not to engage in any bloody confrontation with the police.
However, despite holding the meeting when there was police raid in Ekona, a locality in Muyuka Subdivision and Mile 16, in Buea Subdivision, the Musonge delegation failed to also caution the forces of law and to exercise restraint and stop the breaking in into houses and haphazard arrests.
Meantime, Governor Okalia Balai sat through the Buea meeting and listened to the Southwest elite as they tamed their ‘dogs’.
A similar message of no to secession and yes to one united, bilingual, multicultural and indivisible Cameroon was re-echoed in Bamenda by elite of the Northwest Region.
Nevertheless, the population of the Anglophone Regions still poured into the streets on October 1 for what they termed celebration of their independence day and declaration of their sovereignty.