Fireworks in Parliament As Wirba dares Speaker, "Resistance Must Continue"

The dramatic return of Hon Joseph Wirba into the Glass House was not without fireworks. For those who would have thought the critic negotiated his return, the MP's altercation with the  House speaker clearly was demonstrated through some straight forward  statements made to Cavaye Yegue Djibril on the Anglophone pa-lava.

Wirba's coming had quickly unsettled the day's proceedings at the national assembly and it took a violent twist when Cavaye Yegue tried to stop him from mounting the rostrum. The Nso warrior is his usual hard-lining style did not disappoint. "Let them come and get me right here now" he fired the first shot. Just when the house was about digesting his shot, he released another ,  "I am back to continue from where i stopped. " He told the long term Speaker, that it was time the West Cameroon affair be put up for discussion.

Quizzed on why he made the return, the SDF faithful said it was normal for him to come back at a time when the people needed him. And he needed to stand for them. Hon Wirba shocked reporters when he told them, " I am ready for whatever. It is now up to decide the best place for me, Kondengui or an early grave."

The outspoken MP who did not say where he was on self exile wondered why his colleagues come to Yaounde to adopt bills which have not benefited the common man. To him, the West Cameroon Problem is pressing and needs to be resolved. At a time where schools have been shut, Businesses going down and religious authorities are in court under humiliating circumstances, Wirba questioned why his colleagues are silent on an issues as critical as the Anglophone problem. Asked why he did not withdraw as he earlier told his comrades, the fearless critic said  With the continuous humiliation from government,  he has come to fight for his people and he will do so till death.

It was pleasing for the SDF MPs to see him again. As another Joseph of the party, Banadzem expressed joy. The man who is the party's Parliamentary Group leader at the National Assembly condemned the arrest warrant placed for Wirba insisting it was unlawful for the National Police Chief, Mbarga Nguele to issue a warrant to an MP whose immunity is still intact. Only the Minister of Justice has the prerogative to do so. The days ahead will be challenging for the Honourable but he seemed determined to use every second of his freedom to fight for his land, West Cameroon.

Wirba's Speech

“Where else should we say these things? If we belong to the National Assembly then Mr. Speaker, you must hear me out. Mr. Speaker, you will hear me out. With all due respect Mr. Speaker, I have been chased through the bushes for the past three months. I cannot come here and you are discussing…

“Our children are out of school, our lawyers in jail and all that is happening in West Cameroon means nothing to you. Where is your standing order to suspend for us to discuss issues that have to do with the people of West Cameroon? You tell me because you don’t seem have an agenda for us…

“Mr. Speaker, I am now telling you that the person who ordered for my arrest… tell him I am here; he can come and take me out of this National Assembly and the people of West Cameroon will know that they don’t belong here…

“The representatives of the people have the power to say it as it is at any time. I mean, we come here and you shut us down… what should we do? I should have waited for them to bring my head to you. That’s what you would have wanted. I simply say NO!

Mr. Speaker, can you now on this floor, give us where this National Assembly can discuss the issues that have to do with the people of West Cameroon? Because it is more important than anything you have discussed in this Assembly from independence. Can you tell us? Because if we cannot to talk about these things here, where are we supposed to talk about them for God’s sake? “You keep humiliating us like this, every time, it is the same thing. Get to the church leaders, we are humiliated, get to the lawyers, we are humiliated. We come here to represent our people and you tell me that I cannot talk about my people then, you will need to shut my mouth with death.

Can I have the time when we will talk about the problems of our people? If you have no space here for that it means that the country completely excludes us from its programme and I do not want that to be. You are supposed to make sure that we come here and represent the people, talk about their problems so that you understand the problems.

“I am happy that I am coming here when the Minister of Territorial Administration is here and I am wondering because Mr. Minister I said here on the 2rd of December that the reign of terror over in West Cameroon is bringing down the country and nobody seems to listen and then I come here and we are told that we cannot talk on behalf of those people? It is the right of the MP to represent his people, Mr. Speaker.

“I am not bringing any disorder. If you let us talk on our problems, nobody will be wasting this time because I have a full file here to discuss about the problems of my people, so can you give me space to talk about it? If I don’t have it, then you are saying and with the order on my head that I should be arrested for representing my people. You are saying that the last remnants of anything we call democracy has died in this country. If an MP cannot talk, who else? And if an MP for the country is not safe, who else is safe in this country…?”