As the count down to the historic October 7th 2018 presidential election in Cameroon narrows, as Cameroonians go to the polls this coming Sunday to vote a new president, Mbengwi Online brings to you a bird's eye view of the Momo Divisional Headquarters.
Barely hours left for the grand event, the town of Mbengwi remains highly deserted. Previously inhabitants of Ngyen-Mbo, Mile 19, Mile 20, Njinibi, Nyen, Kob, Tudig, Acha-Tugi and Ngwokwong were first to escape because the exercise of military might started in these communities especially as they were in records to be hosting separatist fighters known locally as "Amba Boys". While these communities tasted gunshots and military excesses like burnings and killings, life went on unperturbed in G.R.A, Njembeng, Bome, Mile 17 and Mile 18, the heart of the sub division. Ngyen-Mbo being the entry/exit community of the sub division had long been deserted because the last remaining control post in the entire sub division is located here. Because of attacks, the post had been relocated severally from New Lay Out to near the Presbyterian Church, to around Monastery junction and finally to Wednesday Market. The villagers abandoned their homes because of rampant gun exchanges.
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| Stray Pig Wandering Around |
Villages like Bessi Fomukong, Sang, Munam, Touembeng are now playing host to these Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who hadn't the means to travel to Douala and Yaounde as many others have been doing. But life in these host communities is full of fake news and fright. Despite being located kilometres away from Mbengwi central town where uniform officers have been stationed, the inhabitants of these communities tend to live in more fear. On uncountable occasions, they've had to flee their homes into the bushes just because someone blew a false alarm that soldiers are coming. These communities are enclaved with very bad roads yet one is baffled how fake news continues to frighten them. People escape from Njindom to Zang Tembeng, those here abandon them in their homes and escape to Munam and it continues. At the end of it, one realises that the quest to relocate is inexplicable. Psychologically, the people feel unsecured in their own homes. They just feel okay to relocate even if its to their neighbours house.
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| Reporter on the Run |
Last Sunday September 30th I was in a village called Barakwe. Christians had just finished service from the presbyterian church when a young boy probably out of imagination shouted in the vernacular that they are coming. Within 30 seconds, the village square was empty. Old mothers and fathers with walking sticks disappeared into thin air, some arriving home panting and sweating. In this very Barakwe, many villagers have continued to abandon their homes at night and go sleep elsewhere. About two weeks back, over five military trucks on mission to dismantle a separatist fighters camp in Mile 16, Norngmeukwe lost their way and instead went but to Barakwe. Within no time, news went round of the looming danger. A lady jumped out through the window into the backyard and that was how all took to the bushes. The news spread to Wumnebit, Njindom, Wumnemburg, Chenam, Bessi that they are already in Barakwe. Its was a bad day for the poeople of Tondig. Many slept out that night. The military actually realised they were in the wrong place, made a U-turn without any gunshot or atrocity to their real destination, Mile 16. Today, the trauma is still haunting many people in Barakwe reason why they don't still sleep in their homes at night. The still hallucinate the sight and imaginations of how they cheated death. But why do these people fear the military so much? Because of the atrocities they cause on the field when sent on mission. If it happens to "A" why not "B"?
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| Deserted Mbon Motor Park |
That same day, upon arrival in Mile 16, Nongmeukwe, the military engaged in serious heavy gunshots to destroy the camp that was there. The sounds could be heard kilometres away. Again, someone raised a false alarm in Munam that the firing is approaching their community. That was how inhabitants here took to the bushes. Munam is the last border town to Bafut. From Mbengwi, one needs to pass through Bessi Fomukong, Njindom, Sang to get to Munam. The soldiers didn't near any of these villages yet those at the extreme end took to the bush.
On 1st October 2018, inhabitants of these rural communities stayed indoors. They had been made to believe that a flag will be hoisted in Buea. So on several occasions I had to be answering questions like "What's the latest?", " How's Mbengwi?", "Where did they hoist the flag?" and I was like who brainwashed these persons? What has hoisting a flag got to do? I gave them correct news as a newsman.
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| Brisk Business at Kwe Market, Bessi Fomukong |
Before relocating, many of the villagers in fierce fighting areas had to free their domestic animals like pigs and goats to stray, to fend for themselves. And so passing in these scary communities, all what finds is stray domestic animals and birds. The homes are empty. But back in the hinterlands, life is booming. Villages still having functional weekly markets like Bessi Fomukong and Munam are now booming. I was at the Kwe market in Bessi last Tuesday. I saw communalism. Apart from Sunday service for Christians, the only place where people from all walks of life gather is at the village market squares. After undesirably staying indoors for days, many found the market as last bus stop to once more meet and commune with others since funerals and wedding ceremonies are now rare and low keyed. Reports say just like in Bessi, hundreds always gather at the Aje'eh weekly market in Munam to do business and have fun.
Mile 17 had been enjoying relative calm not until when the military stormed Norngmeukwe for an attack on a separatist fighters camp. The inhabitants of Mile 17 flee. Mile 18 was the last remaining peaceful area in the whole Mbengwi probably because it hosts the gendarmerie and police posts. It's the heart of the sub division and so was considered a difficult to attack area. But hell broke lose last Saturday September 29 when in the early hours of the morning, the lion was dared in its den. Separatist fighters came attacking the gendarmerie and police posts. For over 30 minutes, the population danced to the music and tunes of various gun sounds. When the government forces successfully repelled the fighters, calm returned and that same day, doubting Thomases in Mile 18 took to their heels.
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| Armoured Cars During an Intervention in Njikwa Cr: Honneur et Fidelité, Cameroon Military's Official Facebook Page |
That was how an entire sub division emptied its vulnerable population into urban towns and into the suburbs. However as the adage goes in Meta, _Not all ants will ever leave the hill._ They are still few persons in these deserted areas that have made up their mind that until death do them part, they are going nowhere. Even at the sight of an armoured car (what many dread the most), they still stay put. An armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) is an armed combat vehicle protected by armour, generally combining operational mobility and defensive capabilities. To them, soldiers are human beings who reason, who go after an enemy and not just any person. So if they aren't the enemy why should they escape?
The clock is ticking for Sunday morning when the polls will be opened. The fate of Mbengwi in this election remains undetermined. Will voting take place? In how many polling stations? How will the exercise go on? How will the post election atmosphere look like? Your trusted news blog, Mbengwi Online shall cover and report the events as they unfold ceteris patibus.
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