My response to treacherous PTAs of the Ecclesiastical Province of Bamenda.

FELLOW AMBAZONIANS!

“No man that puts his hands on the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God”.

My dear people, in a letter dated July 7th, 2017, a number of Parent Teachers Associations (PTAs) members from the Bamenda ecclesiastical province that includes the Northern and Southern Zones are calling for the resumption of classes in catholic schools under their jurisdiction. The letter urges parents to send their children back to school for the upcoming academic year 2017/2018. This is pure treachery and must be pointed out so that our people will remain resolute, steadfast and ever so determined to stay the course. The Consortium on behalf of our people demanded the unconditional release of our leaders as a precondition for any dialogue towards resolving the current crisis. So until that happens, the school strike remains in full force.

It must be recalled that in early January this year most of the teacher’s trade union leaders, after being compromised called off the strike, including the imposter leader of CATTU when comrade Wildred Tassang was in hiding. Yet the vast majority of the striking teachers rejected this betrayal and continued the strike according to the wishes of our people. This was because the basic demands put forth by Consortium for the suspension of the strike had not been met, and that’s why comrade Tassang stood his grounds and maintained the strike action on behalf of the vast majority of teachers who remained loyal to the revolution. In this very first attempt, the counter revolutionaries failed in their treachery.

Having failed in that attempt, the colonial administrators now targeted higher education teachers, and bought off union leaders of the Universities of Buea and Bamenda to call off the strike. This time again, they failed woefully, as the feeble attempts of these so-called leaders in betraying their colleagues, the Consortium, was met with fierce resistance from a people who were determined to regain their freedom. This second attempt too falied, as most university lecturers respected the Consortium’s call and the strike action. The students as well in solidarity with their teachers and their mates still imprisoned, continued to respect the strike and staying true to the revolution.

Now was the time for the colonial administrators to attempt infiltrating the ranks of parents themselves to betray their leaders. Sometime in March this year, the colonial Prime Minister, Philemon Yang made a tour of the Northern zone, meeting parents directly in Bamenda and other municipalities and urging them to send their children back to school. These attempts too were soundly rebuffed as parents stood with the demands of the Consortium that had been clearly spelled out for any dialogue and possible school resumption, and sent him packing. For once the parents themselves had spoken, sidelining their so-called PTAs who were becoming apologists and co-conspirators of the colonial administration.

By these actions, we are realizing that the current leadership structures back in Ambazonia have been totally compromised by the colonial authorities and therefore no longer represent the legitimate demands of the people for self determination and total liberation from colonial bondage. They have therefore lost their legitimacy to speak for our people. The Catholic and Presbyterian educational authorities, after waffling for more than six months now and refusing to take a clear position in favour of Ambazonia’s independence, have finally shown their true colors by calling for school resumption rather than calling for the release of our people, an end to the abductions, and a resumption of meaningful dialoque.

My good people, remain resolute, be steadfast and ever so determined. Slowly we are separating the charf from the weat as we enter the final phase of our people’s long quest for freedom, self determination and independence. The legitimate leaders of this struggle though locked up in prison, in hiding, on the run and in exile, have continued to inspire the people who have stood by them, eight million strong and rising like one man to lead the charge to victory. When we started the fight we knew it was not going to be easy, so we must buckle up and hunker down. We swore an eternal partnership with our leaders under the people’s Consortium, so we must not betray them now. A cowardly people can not have freedom. A niggardly people are not fit for God’s kingdom. So let’s hold fast.

For those who will betray a people’s struggle for freedom and dignity for personal gain, I ask you this question. What was the sacrifice all about? Was it necessary to keep our children home for one year for cosmetic measures from the colonizer that will stamp us further into slavery? Shall the blood of the innocent go in vain? Shall the suffering of our leaders locked up in degrading conditions be so easily traded up for peanuts? Shall the indignities suffered by our children, with many of them beaten, raped and fed with sewege be overlooked? Have we become a people without respect and unable to fight for our liberties, our freedoms and for our children? Have we truly become the wreteched of the earth to be mistreated, abused and stomped upon?

To those who will frighten our people with lost school years, I state to you here that nothing is lost. An independent Ambazonia has prepared measures to recover any time our children might have lost with a brand new cutting edge educational system that will bring them up to par and prepare them for a future that is befitting of a free people. We shall not remain subjects of an educational system designed to destroy our children, their heritage and their future. So there is no reason to follow the treachery of so-called PTA leaders and educational authorities that have been bought over and cowered into submission and untimate betrayal of a people’s struggle. Victory is certain as the strike continues. Our children deserve freedom, and everything else will follow.

Ambazonians, remember our Consortium leaders who called the strike and requested for dialogue are facing trumped up charges of terrorism, secession, and insurrection. They are there because of us and we must not betray these brave and innocent people. Yaounde is waiting for us to turn our backs on them so that they can victimize them. Are we going to let that happen? Are we going to have the blood of these innocent people on our heads? My dear Ambazonians, we must stand with our detained leaders. We must stand with the Consortium. All our people must be released unconditionally as a prelude for any dialogue with Yaounde. And until then the strike must stay in force. Is that too much to ask for? That we stand by our leaders who went to prison because of us? That we stand by our children imprisoned for no just cause? We can not sacrifice some children so others can go back to a meaningless school only to please our colonizers. That will be a BETRAYAL!!!

Prince Akere Divine (MCSE)
School Propreitor/Pedagogue
President, Ambazonia Parents Association
(CACSC – Consortium Signatory)

FORWARD AMBAZONIANS