By Ikome Christie-Noella Eposi in Buea
The long-standing land dispute in Ewonda village took a dramatic turn on Friday, May 9, 2025, when a commission dispatched by the Minister of State Property, Surveys and Land Tenure convened a high-stakes working session and field visit in Buea. The delegation, headed by the South West Regional Delegate Nasako Benson, sought to investigate mounting grievances from the indigenous people of Ewonda over alleged land grabbing by the so-called Chief of Lower Ewonda Village, one Paul Tonga and his collaborators.
What the commission witnessed and heard was a community in distress; angry, betrayed, and desperate for redress.
-The cry for justice
At the heart of the issue is a controversial land title, allegedly issued under irregular and misleading circumstances, covering approximately 85 hectares of land long occupied and cultivated by the indigenous Ewonda population. According to multiple testimonies presented during the meeting and the field visit, the land includes ancestral farms, family homes, shrines, and burial grounds that date back decades, some even centuries. The people of Ewonda, through their legal counsel, Barrister Nyonbadmia Evine and other community leaders, called for the immediate cancellation of all land certificates issued to individuals from Lower Ewonda by the so-called Chief Tonga. “This is not just about land,” said Barrister Lyonga Walterson. “It’s about erasure, about stripping an entire people of their history, livelihood, and identity.”
The indigenes assert that Lower Ewonda was only declared a village in 2021, and its so-called chief, Paul Tonga, along with allies, began securing land titles under questionable pretenses shortly afterward. They claim that the issuance of land certificates followed neither community consultation nor proper legal procedures and even included the name of a deceased individual, Mr. Findi.
“This is land grabbing, plain and simple,” said Mola Joseph Mokake, a village elder. “These are not government lands. These are inherited, ancestral lands. No one consulted us. No one sought our approval. And now our crops, trees, and history have been bulldozed.”
-Destruction and displacement
The people of Ewonda detailed how, even after an injunction order was granted by a competent court on April 17, 2025, bulldozers sponsored by Chief Tonga with the support of law enforcement officers continued clearing the land on April 16 and the days that followed. The destruction reportedly included cassava farms, corn fields, mango and pear trees, and ancestral grave sites.
“I’ve worked that land since 1989,” lamented Mami Grace Etondi Molua. “Now it’s gone. They destroyed everything. I feel violated.”
Her sentiments were echoed by a youth of the village Samuel Wanje, who called on the government to “cancel all land certificates immediately” and “restore the land to the rightful families.”
-Voices of the past and present
Several Ewonda indigenes provided documentary evidence of their longstanding occupation of the land, including historical records dating back to 1963, court judgments from the 1970s, and traditional demarcation documents from local chiefdoms. Some of them included , Mola Molua David Motutu, Mola Joseph Mokake, Mola Njie amongst others. All these, they said, prove the non-existence of Lower Ewonda as a separate village prior to 2021 and affirm their own rightful occupancy.
Mola Molua David Motutu, an elder of Ewonda, shared his lived memory since 1947. “How can someone suddenly come and say this is not ours?” he asked. “These are our ancestral lands”.
The people also questioned the legality of the regional order issued by Governor Bernard Okalia Bilai, which reportedly forbade them from accessing their own lands, and the subsequent issuance of land certificates that ignored their filed opposition.
Lower Ewonda’s defense
In defense, the counsel for Lower Ewonda insisted that the village followed due process, obtained valid authorisation from the Minister, and acted within its mapped boundaries. “Lower Ewonda is not a family; it is a village,” he emphasised, dismissing accusations of land encroachment and illegal acquisition.
However, this argument did little to sway the aggrieved villagers, who demanded concrete action rather than procedural justifications.
Expectations from the Commission
During the site visit, the commission observed the destruction of economic crops and noted the historical presence of settlements on the contested land. Though the commission’s leader, Delegate Nasako Benson, stated that the final decision rests with the Minister, he assured the villagers that a detailed land survey would be conducted to assess the claims.
The villagers, however, insisted that such action must go beyond surveys. “Our expectation,” said Joseph Mokake, “is not just for land surveys. We want those land certificates cancelled. We want the government to restore what has been taken, and we want those responsible held accountable.”
A call to the President
In a passionate plea, many villagers directly addressed President Paul Biya, urging him to intervene personally and redirect the file to the Prime Minister’s office. “The administration here is not giving the President the right information,” Mokake added. “This is not only an issue of land. It is an issue of survival, dignity, and national unity.”
What Ewonda people want
The key demands from the Ewonda community to the government and the mission commission include: Immediate cancellation of all land certificates issued over the disputed land; Full restoration of access and ownership to the indigenous Ewonda families; Investigation and disciplinary action against any officials who acted outside the law; Formal recognition that “Lower Ewonda” is not a legitimate village entity; Compensation for economic and emotional damages sustained due to illegal land clearing; A public apology from the authorities for negligence and procedural failure; Legal safeguards to prevent future land grabs and better protect ancestral land rights etc.
As one elder poignantly stated: “This land is not just where we plant our crops. It is where we buried our dreams, our loved ones, and our stories.”
The people of Ewonda await justice, and their message to the Minister is clear: “Let our lands be ours again.”