-Says Slave Trade site saga is issue of affluence and power display to denigrate Bimbia people
By Noela EBOB BISONG
The Mayor of Limbe III Council, Nseke Dibotti Luma has in a Press Release clearly stated the position of Bimbia indigenes, in relation to recent happenings in the area as well as some media targeted reports. Terming the said media reports as unprofessional, bias and antagonistic, “being fuelled by persons of evil intent”, Nseke maintains that the people of Bimbia have never turned down any genuine opportunity for development, but cannot accept to be excluded from whatever initiative.
nseke Dibotti Luma
“Yes, the people of Bimbia stood against a so-called development initiative by Gilgal Tower, whose execution of the 50-year Memorandum of Understanding was described as CONFIDENTIAL in an official correspondence, and somehow carefully excluded the very custodians and elites of the land.”
Nseke cites the existence of a number of Civil Society Organisations operating within the Limbe III municipality as a pointer to the fact that Bimbia natives are open and welcoming, however not foolish. “For the record, the Bimbia Slave Trade site did not come to the light only after the failed attempts of Gilgal Tower to make a mockery of this historic inheritance and National treasure… Significant effort had been engaged by the local people to jealously guard the relics of this site against all forms of encroachment; efforts that preserved the few remaining ancient structures intact”, Nseke states.
The Mayor further enumerates actions engaged by Limbe III Council to preserve the historic site.
“Since 2008 the Council embarked on actions in collaboration with the Ministry of Arts and Culture and Ministry of Tourism and Leisure, that further enhanced the efforts with praise worthy achievements, notably the preservation of the relics, construction of a fence around the site, construction of the tourism facility and interpretation center, the research and placing of signposts carrying excerpts of the history of the Slave Trade in Bimbia and Cameroon, the constant maintenance of the road to the site”, he mentions.
Nseke reveals that the above actions resulted in the exposure of the site, which attracted visits from African – Americans, international researchers, foreign representations in Cameroon, local organisations amongst other high profile visitations. He further details that, “In 2012, the United States Vice – Secretary of State visited the Bimbia Slave Trade site. The subsequent declaration of the site as a National Heritage site and the noteworthy visits of Parliamentarians from France, Minister of Arts and Culture and PM Philemon Yang, confirmed the importance of preserving this priceless heritage and pursuance of its recognition as a World Heritage Site.”
Concerning the site’s recognition by UNESCO, Nseke says, “This has been the expectation and cry of the people of Bimbia, who came out massively to welcome experts from the Ministry of Arts and Culture in 2021 promoting this very noble agenda.”
Xenophobia labels
With regards to some media reports of xenophobia accusations allegedly engaged by the people of Bimbia, the Mayor says, “Limbe III municipality is highly cosmopolitan with almost all ethnic groups settled within its boundaries. In most of its communities, the population of other ethnic groups far outweighs the local peoples. Nonetheless, there have never been incidents of xenophobia. In fact, no reports of xenophobic threats had ever been reported until this Gilgal Tower saga.”
The Release positions that, “Let no one be fooled. This Slave Trade site saga is not about BICUDA. It is not about the Paramount Chief, or Nseke Luma or Njalla Quand. It is an issue of affluence and power demonstrated by some in an attempt to denigrate the people of Bimbia, with the assistance of some politically – minded indigenes, who have no qualms selling their birthright for a plate of soup. Limbe III and the people of Bimbia shall pursue collaborative actions with the government ministries in charge in the spirit of decentralisation, which spells out the inclusion of grassroots population in all development actions. Speculations and inflammatory reporting may draw attention for a while but the truth will always win at the end.”
Note that Limbe III municipality, described as the most enclaved in Fako Division has over the years been echoing challenges faced in the area, notably the poor state of the road leading to and within the municipality. Few months ago, the intention of a private entity (Gilgal Tower) to take charge of the management of the historic Bimbia Slave Trade site (a much cherished and jealously guarded treasure of the Bimbia people) has now sown a seed of discord between various forces in Limbe III. The result of the failed attempt by the said company to secure a 50-year Memorandum of Understanding which Bimbia elites/indigenes regarded as an encroachment on the sacredness of the historic sight, is now a wave of accusations and counter accusations, threats and power display.