By Atia Tilarious Azohnwi
The ongoing civil unrest in the North West and South West Regions has taken a fresh twist following the convening of an Anglophone General Conference on August 29-30, 2018.
This is the outcome of a meeting of religious leaders convened by the Archbishop Emeritus of Douala, His Eminence Christian Cardinal Tumi Wednesday, July 25, 2018 in Douala.
The other three religious leaders at the meeting included the Synod Clerk of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, the Rev. Babila George Fochang, and the Imam of the Bamenda Central Mosque, Tukur Mohammed Adamu and El Hadj Mohammed Aboubakar, Imam of the Buea Central Mosque.
According to the four religious leaders who constitute the college of convenors of the Anglophone General Conference, the meeting has been convened to agree on the issues to be discussed at any imminent national dialogue on the Anglophone problem and to freely designate representatives to the said dialogue.
According to a public announcement that sanctioned the meeting, the August conference will be organised by a committee comprising representatives of religious and traditional authorities, civil society leaders, professional associations, youths and women’s groups, trade union organization among others.
The Governors of the North West and South West Regions will equally be invited to attend.
They say the Anglophone General Conference shall be open to only two categories of persons: all Cameroonians at home and abroad but whose ancestral origins are from the thirteen divisions of the territory that today constitutes the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon; and those whose parents or grandparents not having their ancestral origins in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon but settled permanently in this territory as at October 1, 1961.
Drop Arms, Free All Arrested
The college of convenors of the AGC in a statement announcing the confab called on government and pro-independence fighters to declare an immediate end to hostilities in order to create favourable conditions for finding a peaceful and lasting solution to the Anglophone problem and the crisis.
In order to create a favourable condition for all Anglophones to attend the conference, the organisers have called on the government to discontinue all criminal proceedings against persons detained in relation to the crisis as well as facilitate the return of all persons internally displaced persons and refugees as a result of the crisis.
Dr. Simon Munzu, a well-known civil society personality and assistant secretary General of the United Nations was designated as Spokesperson, Adviser to the chief conveners and Coordinator of the Conference Organizing Committee.
Ambazonia Interim Government convene own confab
Following the announcement of the AGC, Sako Samuel Ikome, Acting President of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia, is said to have sent out an announcement inviting some persons to attend an All Ambazonia Consultative Council (AACC) scheduled for August 18 & 19, 2018.
The invitation letter dated July 27, 2018 convening the “All Southern Cameroonian/Ambazonian Stakeholders and friends of Ambazonia Consultative Council” states that the venue will only be disclosed to leaders individually.
They claim that the meeting will also be open to both Federalists and Restorationists, though the agenda is to discuss terms of separation. The following “leaders” have been individually and collectively invited to the said meeting: Leader of the AGC, Dr. Cho Ayaba; Leader of SCYL, Dr. Ebenezar Akwanga; Leader of ROA, HRH Fon Gorji Dinka; Leader/Representative: ASC; Leader of MORISC, Mr. Boh Herbert; Leaders of Civil Society, Mola Njoh Litumbe & Dr. Simon Munzu; Leader of Catholic Episcopal Community, Cardinal Christian Tumi; Leader of Human Rights Community: Barrister Agbor Balla and Leader of Ambazonia Pastor’s Network: Pastor Victor Mbah.
Pro-independence apologists have since condemned the choice of Simon Munzu as spokesperson and have even dared to question the credibility of Cardinal Tumi and the other religious leaders. These set of persons have also threatened the life of those who will attend the Buea meeting in August.
They say the meeting is a nullity because Dr. Simon Munzu is a diehard federalist who does not believe in a free Ambazonia. They allege that the meeting is sponsored by government in order to give president Biya a smooth passage in the October 7 polls.