SITUATION REPORT-BUI COUNTY NORTHERN ZONE
STEP UP THE GAME
In an exclusive chat with a very good friend and former schoolmate at Kumbo-Nso this evening, I sought to know from here how inhabitants of Kumbo and its surroundings are brazing up to respect the call to boycott schools reopening in September. My friend my friend recounted to me how difficult life has been since the struggle gained steam but Kumbo inhabitants have quickly adapted themselves to suit the circumstances. She observed rising prices for basic commodities especially food items such as eggs which she says a tray sells at 2500FCFA, a good size life chicken at the local market sells at 5000 frs while a bucket of beans sells at 6500frs, also garri & irish potatoes have witnessed considerable price hikes. She was however quick to state that the price hikes are basically as a result of traders who come in from neighbouring Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Nigeria who pay higher and so cart everything away. Joyce was however consoled by the fact that vegetables like huckleberry, cabbages, fruits (tomatoes), carrots, onions etc are readily available and affordable thus life is “fairly” manageable and the people are not complaining.
On how Kumbo residents are taking the massive calls for schools resumption, my source quipped in pidgin, “forget ya, they di only waste their time. No man no di send yi pikin for school”. I beamed with a smile and had a heavy sigh of relief. I knew at once my Nso “warriors” wouldn’t fail me. Joyce proceeded to narrate communities have formed vigilante groups to defend one another especially when anyone is abducted ; they have acquired gadgets that will be used to raise alarms and rally everyone for mass action when danger looms. She said denizens have resolved NEVER to pay any taxes to whatever authority be it the council or the treasury. Joyce was happy to narrate an incident during which some elements of the colonial forces of oppression of La Republique du Cameroun attempted arresting a local taxi driver plying the Kumbo-Jakiri stretch. The driver quietly retired to one corner and signalled a local who used their “secret” method (which I shall not reveal) to raise an alarm and before the officers could know it, a sea of human heads had surrounded them and the driver’s particulars seized and returned to him. All monies found on the officers were seized and they barely begged to be spared.
Joyce says the Kumbo Council is in serious financial difficulty and may in the weeks or months ahead find it difficult to pay its workers and run its activities, the same holds true for the Kumbo treasury. No one pays taxes in Kumbo and this has led to serious crisis especially given the dispute between the Kumbo Urban Council & the Fon over the management of the Kumbo Water Authority (KWA). Inhabitants have resolved not to pay any water bills.
When I asked her what more could be done, Joyce was quick to tell me, “wuna only need to call, send text messages especially for kontri-talk, use radio and the SCTV to sensitize the people. These people already know weti for do ya, na only say wuna need for support them”. She said parents are taking time to educate their children why they cannot go to school at this period and she has ensured that her daughter who was supposed to take the O/L GCE examination last year gets to undertake some vocational training which would also fetch her some income. She asked me to patronize her as that would encourage her and she too would encourage her friends and mates to see reason why they shouldn’t go to school until the status quo is corrected.
She promised to be my eyes and ears on the ground and promised me details on another subject following which a large agricultural concern entered Kumbo today to begin the exploitation of a vast piece of the people’s grazing land for the cultivation of irish potatoes to produce potato flour. The King of Nso who always has his people at heart was quick to descend to the scene with his warriors to put a stop to this careless and wanton exploitation of the Nso people. (affaire a suivre).
(For BaretaNews)
Ufa Ugynns
Momo County
Northern Zone
Ambazonia
