The 44th National Day in Tiko last Friday, May 20 saw the colourful march pass and demonstrations of national unity and integration from Cameroonians from all walks of life, including students, social groups and political parties.
However, there was a visibly show-off between the two main rival political parties in the municipality; The Social Democratic Front, SDF which won the council in the last municipal elections and the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, CPDM which up until now had witnessed a drop in membership and consequently registered lacklustre numerical representation during public events after losing the council.
The tides have apparently changed as thousands of militants both from the CPDM and the SDF braved the scorching Tiko sun to march pass the Tiko, Upper Costains grandstand in the presence of the DO of Tiko, Che Patrick Ngwashi, The Mayor of Tiko Council, Daniel Moukondo and other top officials.
The occasion that began with the award of medals to some 40 persons proceeded with the civilian march pass led by the scouts who were closely followed by public, mission and lay private schools from all corners of the municipality including, Mutengene, Missaka, Mondoni, Motombolombo etc.
Social groups also filed-by with associations such as the ‘Tiko born’ (referring to individuals who are born and bred in Tiko), Tiko Tailors Association, with ace musician, Njume Loko as their flag bearer streaming past the grandstand in a show of national unity and solidarity to Cameroon’s armed forces in the fight against the extremist group, Boko Haram.
The turn of the political parties was more spectacular. UNDP got a standing ovation from some sympathisers at the grandstand while CPDM filed across in an unending stream of militants, mobilised from all the subsections of Fako IV. This even earned them commensurate plaudits from the grandstand and the SDF Mayor stepped to the fore to applaud them in a show of sportsmanship.
The CPDM mobilisation and brilliant display was however matched in equal steps by the SDF militants who marched with their symbolic raised fists much to the delight of thousands of spectators and their mayor who remained standing for over 20 minutes till the last militant marched past.
The SDF even upped the ante when they introduced a masquerade from the Northwest region, popularly known as M’Abu, draped in SDF regalia while demonstrating its athletic feats.