When the people of Misaje, in Donga Mantung of the North West region turned out massively on May 20, it was to affirm their position for a one and indivisible Cameroon.
The crowd that turned out at newly constructed 1000-capacity grandstand was estimated at more than 15,000 people, including women and young adults. As is the routine, the march-past started with the military, followed by the Gendarmerie, and the police. More than 30 nursery, and primary schools followed. The children in their numbers sang patriotic songs with the pride of being Cameroonians. Government Bilingual High School Misaje led the march-past for secondary schools. The students carried with them the map of Cameroon distancing them from the putative state of ambazonia. The school children equally craned placards above their heads expressing gratitude to President Paul Biya.
CPDM ‘Troops’
Clad in party relgia of the ruling CPDM, militants of the torchlight party took the march-past hostage in Misaje, marching a little above the time the armed forces, pupils and students took. It was a show of numerical strength. The foot soldiers of the CPDM, as the party sometimes refers to them, expressed gratitude to Prof. Fuh Calistus Gentry, Interim Minister of Mines, Industries and Technological Development for his political strategies and development endeavors as well as mobilization wit. “We thank our minister [Prof. Fuh Calistus Gentry] for everything put in place for this great success. It is written on the sands of time that once upon a time, ANDP tried but was really humiliated”, Tanjong Gideon a frontline politician of the CPDM said. “ANDP [opposition party] was buried today – forever”, he added.
The CPDM – led government has carried out panoply of life-changing projects in the area. But locals still want more especially good roads.
Jude VIBAN
