Limbe III Subdivision: Stakeholders cry foul over ceding of Bimbia Slave Trade site to individual

By Noela EBOB BISONG

Stakeholders in Limbe III Subdivision are currently restless, ever since news of an imminent ‘secret’ meeting programmed to discuss the preservation and valorisation of the historic Slave Trade Site in Bimbia, broke out.

The SUN gathered that the said meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, January 14, at 11am in Bimbia, to be presided at by the Minister of Arts and Culture, Pierre Ishmael Bidoung Mkpatt. In the January 8 communiqué addressed to South West Governor, Bernard Okalia Bilai and termed ‘confidential’ but however found its way on social media, the Minister insists on the personal attendance of Governor Bernard Okalia Bilai at the Tuesday meeting, also indicating that the promoter of Gilgal Tower Company will be part of the meeting.

In another communiqué also dated January 8, Minister Bidoung Mkpatt informed South West governor on the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Arts and Culture and Gilgal Tour Company, urging the governor to give the company the necessary assistance required for the laying of a foundation stone for a commemorative monument in the days ahead.

View of Bimbia Slave Trade site

The SUN learnt that a visit was made to the Slave Trade site on Thursday, January 9 by the Regional and Divisional Delegates of the Ministry of Arts and Culture MINAC and Gilgal Tour Company LLC, to the surprise of the local population and stakeholders, who had no idea of the happening.

Whether in strict respect of state protocol or intentionally downplaying local authorities on ground, Minister Bidoung Mkpatt simply sidelines all other stakeholders of the historic Bimbia Slave Trade site, including especially municipal and traditional authorities.

Stakeholders react, write to Minister Bidoung Mkpatt

Having gotten wink of the Minister’s move unofficially, Limbe III municipality, viewing the action as ‘gross disregard’, writes through its Council to Arts and Culture Minister, Bidound Mkpatt, conveying “the discomfiture of the Custodians of this National Heritage and Limbe III municipality and express our fervent wish for the pursuance of the World Certification of the Bimbia Slave Trade site, the tarring of the road  and the reinforcement of the Local Management  Committee to effectively manage the Bimbia Slave Trade site”.

The letter states in part that, “Traditional Authorities and denizens of Limbe III municipality are taken aback by the projected signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Gilgal Tour Company LLC and the laying of a foundation stone of a commemorative monument without the awareness of the local population…Your Excellency, not only does such a move indicate a complete disregard of the local population and the Council, it also downplays  all the preservation efforts, the numerous strategic written proposals from Council on actions to developing the Bimbia Slave Trade site, the commemorative monument being one of them, and the joint ministerial agreement  of the ministries of Arts and Culture and Tourism and Leisure in 2024, which recognised the Mayor  and the Chief of Dikolo as Manager and Assistant of the site respectively.”

With reports having it that the site is being ceded to the private company for a period of 50 years, Limbe III Council writes that, “For the past years, and despite our limited resources, the Council and Traditional Authority have managed the Bimbia Slave site to the best of our ability and for the interest of historic and cultural preservation of the relics, the land and the customs and traditions of our people.”

“Even with our limited resources, we are currently undertaking the rehabilitation of the road from Chop Farm to the Slave Trade site entrance”, the Council states, maintaining that the road was inaccessible for more than a year in spite of their numerous appeals to hierarchy for the tarring of the road.

The Council says it obtained credits from Decentralisation ministry to rebuild the gate of the site which collapsed more than a year ago. The re-construction of the gate is programmed this year 2025.

“Your Excellency, whereas the people have been expecting a follow-up of the Certification as a World Heritage site, we are utterly embarrassed and dismayed by this envisaged memorandum with Gilgal Tours, which rather promotes private gains by an individual, with little reverence for the sacred Cultural and Ancestral values of the local peoples.”

Writes to PM, Dion Ngute

In a letter titled ‘Ceding of Bimbia Slave Trade site to Gilgal Tower and dated January 10 signed by Limbe III Mayor, Nseke D. Luma, the stakeholders have approached the office of Cameroon’s Prime Minister, Chief Dr Joseph Dion Ngute, to table the worry.

The letter reads that, “The Council, Traditional Authorities and denizens of Limbe III municipality are utterly perplexed why an action that is supposed to benefit the population be labeled “confidential”, bearing in mind that Bimbia Slave Trade site is recognised as a National Heritage site, and has been under the canopy of Limbe III municipaity and the Traditional Authority, the true Custodians of its historic and cultural values.”

The letter further states that, “Gilgal Tower is an economic operator in Limbe that has never undertaken any developmental actions in Limbe III.”

They state that, “The Bimbia Slave Trade site is not as ordinary as other sites. It is not a recreational park or a place for merrymaking. It is the land of our forefathers where human life was reduced to its meanest value due to the greed of men. A place of bloodshed and pain, betrayal and death, a place of roaming spirits and deep cries for absolution. No man has the right to covert this sacred land, which holds deep secrets and cultural essence to the people of Bimbia and this municipality.”

The SUN gathered that Traditional rulers are meeting on Monday, January 13 to react to the concern.

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