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Two Boko Haram suicide bombers detonated explosives in Cameroon on Friday morning, killing themselves and one civilian, and leaving at least four other persons injured, another indication that the war against the deadly insurgency is far from over.

The Friday suicide attacks occurred in the locality of Limani in the Mayo-Sava department of Cameroon’s far north, said local newspaper, L’Oeil du Sahel.

The civilian killed was a member of the vigilance force in the locality.

The final death toll was still being awaited, the reliable newspaper said.

The twin-blast comes just two days after the bodies of a 13 and an eight-year old students were found on Wednesday.

The students were kidnapped by the terrorists on Monday, the same day Boko Haram attacked a close by region and killed two members of the civilian vigilance force.

It is now a daily or weekly affair in Cameroon; a suicide attack by Boko Haram here, a gun attack there. Virtually every two or three days, the terrorists kill people in President Paul Biya’s country.

Boko Haram has wreaked havoc in Cameroon in three years, killing thousands of people, kidnapping thousands more and displacing hundreds of thousands of villagers from their ancestral land.

In over 500 successful bomb and gun attacks, the terrorists have also killed hundreds of soldiers and policemen and recently threatened to behead the long serving President Paul Biya.

At over 80 years old, and more than three decades in power, Mr. Biya would be leaving an impoverished country divided along tribal lines.

He might also be leaving, although he is trying to perpetrate himself in office, a country battered by an insurgency he has not been able to crush.

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Simon Ateba

12.May.2017

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A spiral of arrests will soon hit the North West and South West regions as government plans to continue its crackdown  on those fueling the prevailing socio political heat in these regions . South West Governor, Bernard Okalia made the revelation earlier this week  in Buea, while evaluating the security situation of his zone of command.

He even confessed to have 10 names already, people he says continue to disturb the peace of the region.

"We are contemplating arresting all those involved in the uprising" he says.
This follows an ongoing wire tapping of private conversations of the population to fish out those linked to the crisis.

Okalia Bilai has frown at the double faces of some people who pretend to be disturbed about the situation but are backing secessionists behind the scenes.
He has announced the deployment of more troops in response to calls to disturb examinations, insisting that the South West region can not be demilitarised  when people still carry out ghost towns, burn public property and intimidate the population.

Government disconnected internet connection from the two Anglophone regions  for close to 3 months, over what it said was abusive use to distabilise the country in the heat of the Anglophone crisis.

When it was reinstated, the Minister of Communication, Issa Tchiroma Bakary said Government could be cut it off if the country's stability was threatened.

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Jerome Ngwa

11.May.2017

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Secondary Education minister Jean Ernest Massena Ngalle Bibehe has assured examination stake holders in the region that his ministry would do everything to ensure that end of course examinations in the region run smoothly despite the looming socio-political climate.

The minster made the assurance during an in-camera meeting held at the Governor’s office Tuesday May 9, accompanied by the Registrar of the Cameroon GCE Board-Humphrey Monono Ekema,  the Director of the Office Du Bacc, and the director of examinations at the ministry. The delegation that drove in from the South West met with the administration, principals of some GCE accommodation centres, the regional delegate and other stake holders.

The MP for Bamenda-Bali, Hon. Fobi Nchinda, one of the few to brief the press about what was discussed behind closed doors said he made it clear to the minister that “ there is a problem in the Northwest and that children have not been going to school” He also said he specifically  told the Governor and the minister that they should make sure that the Head of State get the message that there is a serious crisis in the region and that the president should call a conference to discuss the form of the state and by extension the Anglophone educational system and the exams.

The MP also said he took the Minister to task on his insistence to run exams in the region when the school year has not been effective. This posed several problems he added, like the quality of education dispensed during the school year. “You cannot go examining children who have not been properly thought or totally thought…what he is going to do if he insists would be to kill the Anglophone educational system because it would come out with a GCE certificate which would not be accepted anywhere in the world”

He said he also raised concerns about the non examination classes whose problems have not been resolved. “ So what would happen if come September , if the crisis is over by September  what are you going to say about moving to the next class for children that have not been thought, what are you going to say about children entering secondary school because the entrance examination into secondary school would not have been valuable?”

He ended by saying his party the SDF has written to the president to “address himself to the Anglophone problem” and in so doing call a constituent assembly to discuss the form of the state which he hope would be a two state federation and that “sitting down to discuss with your brother is a sign of strength not weakness”

Though the exact numbers were not given, it emerged from the meeting that the GCE Board was some 50 000 candidate short of its expected target. The minister continued his tour today with a visit to some government secondary schools in Bamenda to evaluate the level of preparedness ahead of the examinations.

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Rita Akana

11.May.2017

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The national president of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) has called on militants to boycott the upcoming 20th May celebrations (national unity). The chairman of the most powerful opposition party in Cameroon made the call in a letter addressed to the bigwigs of the party on 7TH May 2017.

Fru Ndi, whose circular letter is rooted and grounded on the current unrest in Southern Cameroons, accuses the regime in Yaounde of being the fundamental cause of the problems plaguing our nation.

Beginning with the Anglophone Problem, he lashes out at Paul Biya for being unable to provide “simple solutions to pertinent problems posed by respectful trade-unions and associations (referring most importantly to Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium and the All Anglophone Teachers Trade Union, which have been dragged through the mire by the central government in Yaounde).

Moving away from inability, Fru Ndi targets the intransigence of Yaounde to make things better, blaming the socio-political unrest in the nation on the unwillingness of Biya and his government to provide what he terms “inclusive electoral code”. To him, this constitutes the “core” of the soco-political “crisis that rocks the very foundation of our beloved country”.

The government, according to Fru Ndi, has failed to “democratically guarantee social cohesion and our national unity” as portrayed by the on-going crisis which is going to render the year blank for “our children”.

On his part, Mr Fru Ndi claims to have tried his best to talk with the government as well as a “cross section of Cameroonians of high political and social standing for us to come together and truly resolve the crisis and problems that our country is suffering from… and save it from collapse”. But Yaoundé has turned a deaf ear to all this, as Fru Ndi disclosed.

Expressing pessimism, Fru Ndi concludes that there is no point in expecting “a step in the right direction from a regime that works only for its own selfish interests”, hence the boycott to protest against “the current decaying state of our nation”.

In spite of the protest against the “decaying state of our nation”, SDF will celebrate its 27th anniversary (on May 26), though without festivity in memory of “all those who have lost their lives, and in communion with those unjustly locked-up by a judicial system marching to the tune of our corrupt regime.”

While Fru Ndi is talking of a possible ‘blank academic year’, the minister of Secondary Education is currently in  West Cameroon, working tooth and nail to ensure that candidates take their examinations successfully, even if they did not attend enough classes to sit the examinations.

 

Below is the full press release from Ni John Fru Ndi

Bamenda, 7th of May 2017

Dear National Executive Committe Members

 Dear Regional Chairpersons,

 Dear Electoral District Chairpersons,

Subject: Directives for 20th May and 26th May Celebrations 2017

 I am addressing this circular letter to you today, in order to transmit the appropriate directives to all Party organs with regards to the upcoming 20th May and 26. May 2017 celebrations.

Mr Biya's inability to provide simple solutions to the pertinent problems being posed by respectful trade-unions and associations, his unwillingness to provide Cameroonians with an inclusive electoral code and general government inertia Is at the core of today's de, sociopolitical crisis that rocks the very foundation of our beloved country Cameroon.

The on-going crises which is on its way to becoming a blank academic year for our children in a important part of our nation fundamentally questions our government's ability to inclusively and democratically guarantee social cohesion and our national unity.

We have called on the President of the Republic on various occasions to engage in genuine and Inclusive dialogue in order to settle the so many fundamental problems that plague our nation. I have had occasion to meet and discuss with a cross section of Cameroonians of high political and social standing for us to come together and truly resolve the crisis and problems that our beloved country is suffering from and thereby to save it from collapse. Mr Blya has answered our repeated calls with characteristic• nonchalance and inertia.

Based on the aforementioned and in line with the party's principles and recent resolutions, we cannot continue to expect a step in the right direction from a regime that works only for its own selfish Interests. We are therefore taking a stand not to participate in the upcoming celebrations of our highly endangered national unity. This is in strong protest against the current decaying state of our nation.

 We will as well celebrate our 27th Anniversary on the 26th of May 2017 without any feasting, in remembrance of all those who have lost their lives and In communion with all those unjustly locked-up by a judicial system marching to the tune of our corrupt regime.

 I however cannot end without thanking all of you for you r steadfast militancy and wish you nonetheless, a happy 27th Anniversary.

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Rita Akana

09.May.2017

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The Minister  of Secondary Education is presently in the South West region to ensure that all official exams are written hitch free. In what is his first of the two lap mission, Jean Ernest Massina Ngalle Bibehe has toured some schools in Buea this Monday May 8th, where he evaluated the level of school resumption.  He has  discussed with officials on the smooth conduct of exams set to begin  later this month.

Specific instructions have been dished out to school authorities to see to it that exams are written at all cost. The secondary education boss is presently chairing a meeting with stakeholders where adequate measures will be taken towards the effective take off of all official exams.
Cameroon Concord has been reliably informed that  the Minister will carry out a similar exercise in the North west regions. Schools in the English speaking zone of Cameroon have been shutdown following 6 months of protest  by Anglophone teachers that has exploded  to a burning crisis.

Repeated efforts by the government and the clergy to force parents to send  their children to school has ended in a fiasco; the latest being the failed trip by the President of the National Episcopal Conference, Samuel Kleda.

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Rita Akana

08.May.2017

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The tragedy of the African continent can be understood by its long serving rulers, grandfathers who have been in power for decades and have lost touch with the realities of the 21st century. With battered brains, it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to even begin to understand the innovations, science and technology of the modern times.

Or how do you explain that when Presidents Sassou Nguesso of Congo, Dos Santos of Angola and Theodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea assumed power for the first time in 1979, Emmanuel Macron, the incoming President of France, was only two years old. While Emmanuel Macron is now 39 years old and the youngest President of France in modern history, these three African rulers are still in power, 37 years after, making Africa a laughing stock in the international community.

Denis Sassou Nguesso is a Congolese politician who has been the President of the Republic of the Congo since 1997. But he was previously President from 1979 to 1992. He is still in power today.

José Eduardo dos Santos is an Angolan politician who has been President of Angola since 1979. As President, José Eduardo dos Santos is also the commander in chief of the Angolan Armed Forces.

Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo is an Equatoguinean politician who has been President of Equatorial Guinea since 1979.

But that is not all. When President Paul Biya of Cameroon assumed office in 1982, Emmanuel Macron was only 5 years old. Mr. Biya is still in power, 35 years after. His country is battered by Boko Haram terrorists, national poverty and incomprehensible backwardness.

Paul Biya is a Cameroonian politician who has been the President of Cameroon since 6 November 1982.

But that’s not all. When President Mugabe of Zimbabwe assumed office in 1987, Macron was only 10 years old. Mugabe who is over 90 years old is still in power, 30 years after.

Robert Gabriel Mugabe is a Zimbabwean revolutionary and politician who has governed the Republic of Zimbabwe as its President since 1987, having previously governed as its Prime Minister from 1980 to 1987.

When President Idriss Deby Itno of Chad became President in 1990, Macron was only 13 years old. Mr. Deby remains in power.

Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is a Ugandan politician who has been president of Uganda since 29 January 1986.

He's ruled Uganda for 31 years. With five presidential terms in office, Yoweri Museveni is surrounded by controversies related to freedom of speech, human rights, allegations of nepotism, and even the killing of Ugandan citizens.

But President Museveni claims Uganda is one of the most democratic countries in the world and that he is leading his people out of poverty and to an even better future.

At 72, though, he's three years away from the constitutional age limit to serve as president. But there is already speculation he will try to change that limit so he can get around it. 

These African grandfathers would travel to France this year and the years to come to go and plead for assistance from their grandson.

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Simon Ateba

08.May.2017

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