Bamenda- Babadjou Road to be Tarred

Today's edition of the authoritative French language daily, LE MESSAGER reports that Cameroon's Minister of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development, Louis Paul Motaze signed a 113 billion cfa francs loan agreement with the World Bank on April 20, 2017. This money will be used for the tarring of the 50km stretch of road linking Bamenda to Babadjou and 12km of urban road in Bamenda. The drive towards economic emergence is irreversible !!!.Courtesy of Nchechuma Banla.

Fresh Protests Erupt In Bangolan as Villagers demand the ''Fon's" departure

. Hundreds of Villagers in Bangolan, a village situated in Babessi sub division,Ngoketundjia division in the North West region have stormed the village square demanding the departure of the Fon Chaffah Isaac XI ( Fon according to the Administration and ex fon according to the ngombar) The villagers; women, men and youths say Magistrate Chaffah has overstayed his welcome in the village. According to them, he is no longer their traditional ruler and must leave. Friday’s protests come a year since the people of Bangolan staged a fierce demonstration which led to some death and several persons injured by bullet wounds. The Bangolan Chieftaincy crisis, which gained public attention last year, has been a long standing dispute, especially within recent years of the reign of Fon Isaac Chafah. Before the escalation of violent conflict on February 19, 2016, the people and kingmakers of Bangolan had declared that because Chafah Isaac had committed grievous and intolerable acts against the customs and traditions he was enthroned to guard and preserve, he was no longer their ruler . The dethronement resulted from the removal of ancestral stone at the palace, burning of cultural artefacts by Fon Chafah on 9th December 2016. Salim, step brother to Magistrate Chafah was enthroned by the Ngomba of Bangolan. The sudden death of Fon Salim (he disappeared as fon according to Ngomba and majority of Bangolan people) on 15th June 2016 (not long after release from prison) sparked a new set of controversies, and heightened tensions as the villagers demanded that Fon Salim must be buried according to the traditional procedures for the burial of Fons in Bangolan. The royal remains of Fon Salim were held at a mortuary in Foumban pending autopsy as requested by the governor of West Region of Cameroon. Some few weeks back, Prince Mundi, a journalist with Vision4 TV published a controversial article on his facebook page claiming the remains of Late Fon Salim had been buried at a cemetery in Foumbot and while magistrate Chafah was in Yaounde. The village of Bangolan has regained life until magistrate and alternate Senator visited his village from Yaounde against advise that he should stay off the village for peace to reign.Bangolan is still in an unpredictable state as life is yet to return to normal and the presence of forces of law and order is still very conspicuous. On March 19, 2016, the Bangolan palace was under attack when angry villagers besieged the palace demanding the Fon to leave. The Fon’s son was allegedly shot before palace guards retaliated by shooting and wounding some villagers. The alternate Senator who sued for peace in February last year has never seen peace in his village.