Muea market has been one of those most difficult decision any Council authorities in recent administration is gearing towards making. The decision to change the popular Sunday market to another day is a daunting one. The market does not only serve people from Buea and Muea but largely people from Meme, Fako divisions as well as those from Littoral Region. The market also adds revenue to the Buea Council coffers. However, Fr. Nfondi Divine, Parish Priest of St Andrew’s Catholic Mission, Muea has stated that the Buea Council authorities may have to consider another day for the Muea market as it affects seriously the spiritual life of many Christians around.
The Council is aware that the state is secular and are suppose to separate religion from state issues. The market serves the state economically and other citizens from different religious background. It becomes problematic if the Catholic Priest and Buea Diocese are advocating for a change of date for the market. A change of date might not even produce the same effect as Sundays because traders are already engaged at their respective sides on different dates. Thus, it could seriously hamper Council revenue, traders who depend on it as a source of livelihood.
The Muea Parish Priest went on to say that Christians must freely put God first and understand that the insatiable desire for money is the root of every form of human evil. “We cannot force anyone to come to church on Sunday, “he said. As parish priest of Muea, Father Nfondi explained that all what he can do is to teach his Christians to love the things of God.
Chief Molinge Comes In:
“This Sunday market has come with a lot of immorality with prostitution being at the centre of it,” decried Chief David Molinge of Upper Muea, Buea Sub-Division.
In an interview granted The Rambler Newspaper, Buea, Chief David Molinge of Upper Muea said the official day of the market is Thursday, known in Bakweri Language as ‘Eluwa-meeya’. According to him, the market day started holding on Sundays principally to enable the CDC banana workers to purchase their household needs, since they worked from Monday to Saturday. Sunday was the only day they could buy foodstuff for use throughout the week. Sunday thus became the administrative market day. As Chief Molinge elucidated, the Sunday Market has been promoting a life of debauchery, a serious challenge to the Christian religion- reports the Rambler.
Chief Molinge went to decry that Muea on Sundays looks like Sodom and Gomorrah, den of rapists, thieves, prostitutes and gamblers, all looking for quick ways to make money- reports the Rambler. All these do not make Sunday Holy, the traditional ruler insinuates. The Muea traditional Council head maintains that he has written several letters to Buea Council to no avail.
BaretaNews recalls that Muea Traditional Council got frustrated in the past and annulled Sunday as Muea market day. However, this was not effective as it held only once and return back to the normal old ways. Chief Molinge is said to still be steadfast on his request for a change of date. Most traders still prefer the Market on Sundays.
God is still saying something.
Photo Credit: From Rambler Newspaper, Buea.
