A renowned historian and peace and conflict analyst, Professor Willibroad Dze-Ngwa, has called on the Yaoundé regime to release Ambazonian political prisoners and open the door for a genuine and inclusive national dialogue before the expected visit of Pope Leo XIV to the territory of Southern Cameroons.
In an open letter addressed to President Paul Biya, the scholar said the planned papal visit offers a rare diplomatic moment for the regime in Yaoundé to show real commitment to peace and reconciliation in the former British Southern Cameroons.
According to Professor Dze-Ngwa, global attention will turn toward Cameroon during the visit of the Roman Catholic pontiff. He argues that the regime could use the moment to take meaningful steps toward resolving the long-running armed conflict in Ambazonia, particularly in the Northwest and Southwest regions, where fighting has persisted since 2016.
The historian reminded the ageing ruler in Etoudi that history judges leaders by their ability to show wisdom in difficult moments. In his words, leaders are remembered not only for the authority they exercised but also for the moments when they chose reconciliation over repression.
Dze-Ngwa proposed that President Biya could declare a presidential clemency and release detainees connected to the Anglophone struggle. Such a move timed with the Pope’s visit would signal a readiness to open a new chapter for the country and begin a path toward national healing.
He explained that freeing political detainees would not mean abandoning justice. Instead, it could create space for restorative approaches that promote healing, reintegration, and trust-building between the state and citizens who have lost confidence in the system.
The call comes at a time when the fate of several Ambazonian detainees remains a major concern for international human rights observers.
One of the most widely discussed cases is that of journalist Tsi Conrad, who has spent more than nine years behind bars at the Kondengui Maximum Security Prison in Yaoundé. Conrad was arrested in the early days of the Anglophone uprising in 2016 and has remained in detention ever since.
From prison, the journalist recently wrote directly to Pope Leo XIV. In his message, he appealed to the pontiff to raise his voice for detained journalists and political prisoners when he visits Cameroon.
Sources say Pope Leo XIV is expected to travel to Cameroon between April 15 and April 18. Part of the visit is expected to include a stop in Bamenda in the Northwest, one of the heartlands of the Ambazonian struggle, where armed conflict between restoration forces and the Yaoundé military has raged for years.
Many observers believe the visit could place the crisis in Southern Cameroons back on the international stage and renew pressure on the Biya regime to seek a genuine political solution.
By Lucas Muma l BaretaNews
