Re: Buea 2014: 50th anniversary celebrations - Life grinds to a halt as Buea waits for a "missing emperor"

I hope, President Biya will bring back the name "United Republic of Cameroon" during this long awaited visit.
God Bless all Freedom Fighters!
EN.


------------------------------
On Tue, Jan 14, 2014 4:58 AM CST Ofege Ntemfac wrote:

>It was no accident when presidential protocol in the presidency of Cameroon
>decided to organize 50th anniversary celebrations to mark the reunification
>of French and English speaking Cameroon. Through some German stubbornness,
>Cameroon, a former German territory was "shared" between France and England
>after they defeated the Germans in the First World War. Buea was the first
>capital city of Cameroon though that privilege has since moved to Yaounde
>[image: New reunification grandstand. Waiting for the
>president]<http://irokoheritage.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Buea-new-Reunification-Grand-stand.jpg>
>
>New reunification grandstand. Waiting for the president
>
>The fateful decision was taken in 2010 but strangely enough, presidential
>protocol did not include the difficulties of rebuilding Buea, and how to
>fit that with the extremely "busy" schedule of Mr Biya. (Must I add here he
>spends half of the year abroad on "brief" private visits?)
>
>When the decision was taken for Buea to host the president, he dutifully
>instructed the various Ministries concerned with the organization to help
>get the construction going so everything could happen by the end of -2010!
>
>Some key projects were earmarked and embarked on. Some have completed, some
>are pending and others have since been abandoned. Several evaluation
>meetings held the whole country was told Buea was ready to host Mr Biya and
>whatever entourage he deices to visit the historic capital with.
>
>The president was however taking his time to decide when he will visit.
>
>Buea inhabitants and people of the organizing committee have waited for
>more than two years and at some point, believed the even had been called
>off.
>[image: The abandoned Mountain hotel has been refurbished but is still a
>ghost of what it used o
>be]<http://irokoheritage.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Refurbished-Mountain-Hotel.jpg>
>
>The abandoned Mountain hotel has been refurbished but is still a ghost of
>what it used o be
>
>Finally, in an interview with Charles Ndongo outside the Bastos polling
>station after voting during the September 2013 local and parliamentary
>elections, the President said that the reason for his no show in Buea was
>because construction works across Buea that had since been abandoned and
>was a shadow of what it used to be, had not finished. Evidently, the
>president did not explain why the whole country is so underdeveloped that
>massive construction works need to be carried out each time he decides to
>visit one of his ten "regions". He however promised the event will take
>place by the end of 2013.
>
>That was another presidential Lie.
>
>He never came and I am writing this in January 2014 and the event might
>still not take place this year. The president has apparently held the
>people of Buea hostage by not turning up for a celebration he must be
>regretting now he ever accepted to be held in Buea.
>
>December 14, 2013 was marked as the day when the President will preside
>over the 50th Anniversary commemorations in Buea. New deadlines were set
>for work to end, but instead, the more the deadline drew closer, the less
>that is accomplished and the more new projects are started.
>
>It was only around December 12, when they started fixing cracks on the road
>and filling potholes along the high way. In the University of Buea where
>most of the activities are expected to take place, it was then that they
>started repairs on the open amphi theatre, and started bulldozing an area
>for a parking lot. It was eminent that the President will not meet his
>end-of-year rendezvous under such conditions.
>
>The entrance to the University of Buea has being fixed for this visit and
>there was even talk that preparations were underway to confer the President
>an honoris causa (honourary degree) when he comes. I have lost cunt of how
>many he now has.
>
>*Contractors who never deliver on time*
>
>So have some silly contractors who cannot finish projects in time
>responsible for Mr Biya Buea no show?
>
>*Tchoungui Lionel*, a resident of Buea complains that the contractors are
>not serious with the construction works that are ongoing and this could be
>attributed to the lack of adequate control measures. And that is why they
>keep pushing the dates forward. He adds that even the reunification
>monument which is one of the smallest of the earmarked projects has not
>been completed yet.
>
>Some of the projects that were announced at the beginning, like the much
>trumpeted new Kuve Hotel have simply been shelved. Most inhabitants of Buea
>believe now they have been taken for one huge presidential ride.
>
>*Police Harassments and insecurity: *
>
>*Fred Kome*, a Buea university student says that the delay in hosting the 50
>th anniversary of the reunification has heightened insecurity and police
>harassments in the town. The police go around town arresting innocent
>citizens and hold them to ransom.
>
>Fred recounts how on leaving his friends house in Malingo recently, after
>10:00pm, he was apprehended by the police at the Malingo junction. As he
>tried to present his National Identity card, he was instead asked to get
>into a police vehicle. They did not ask him any questions and did not care
>to listen from him. Instead, they brutalized him and dragged him to the
>cell where he was detained for the night. He was made to pay the sum of
>FCFA 15,000 before he was released.
>
>*Postponement of UB Graduation:*
>
>The 2013 convocation ritual, which in the past took place in the month of
>December, has been postponed indefinitely, until the presidential
>problematic visit.
>
>Many students waiting to graduate have complained that the delay in the
>convocation ceremony has an adverse effect on their programmes. Those with
>plans to travel abroad after graduation cannot do so.
>
>Another student claim that, should this ceremony fall on a difficult month,
>the event will not have the grandeur that it deserves. And that, graduating
>students who are working already may not easily go through the process
>involved.
>[image: Hurried roadworks that usually don't
>last]<http://irokoheritage.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Buea-Road-Rehabilitation.jpg>
>
>Hurried roadworks that usually don't last
>
>
>
>*Retards Business Activity and Creates inconveniences: *
>
>Mr Mbah, a Buea-based business man says that the delay in the
>50thanniversary celebration is creating an unfavourable climate for
>business.
>First they have been compelled to repaint their buildings white, not
>considering that it has not been long since they were ordered to painted
>them.
>
>Also, he said businesses are forced to close much earlier so they don't
>become victims of policemen looking for the next victim to ask for a bribe.
>
>*Nsorsie Peter*, a journalist has criticized the government for carrying
>out developmental projects only when the president has to visit or when the
>region has to host a great event like this. Normally, development work is
>much neglected.
>
>*Overdependence on the President:*
>
>Many things about the country revolve around one man, the President, which
>is dictatorship. The President decides when elections should hold, when a
>football competition final should be played, when an event like the
>reunification should hold. It's crazy and the whole country must dance to
>the tune of the all powerful "emperor" without a crown.
>
>
>Source<http://irokoheritage.com/2014/01/14/point-of-viewbuea-awaits-a-missing-emperor/>
>
>
>--
>
>
>
>The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a
>thing makes it happen.
>
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