By Atia Tilarious Azohnwi
Chief Motia Ofonda Esoh Itoh, Paramount ruler of the Balondo people and traditional ruler of Ekondo Titi in Ndian Division has joined his ancestors. He was dragged out of Baptist Church Ekondo Titi around 11:00am on Sunday, August 12, 2018 by armed men who shot and killed him, The SUN learnt.
The Ex-President of the South West Chiefs Conference was brutally murdered even before he could say his last prayers during the Sunday morning church service. The killers are said to have committed the atrocious act before disappearing into the wild.
Locals have told The SUN that efforts by the military to track down the perpetrators of the heinous crime led to a heavy gun battle. Locals were forced to take refuge for fear of being caught by stray bullets. The atmosphere in the gateway subdivision in the oil-rich Ndian Division has remained tense since yesterday.
The gruesome murder of the ex-Board Chairman of Pamol Plantations Plc is the latest in a series of atrocities targeted at traditional rulers among other high profile officials such as priests, businessmen, politicians and administrators in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon.
The corpse of Chief Esoh Itoh is currently being preserved at the mortuary of the Buea Regional Hospital Annex. The lifeless body of the traditional ruler was transported by sea from Ekondo Titi through Idenau and then to Buea. Administrative and political officials were at the mortuary to receive the mortal remains of the royal shepherd of the Balondo people.
As we went to press yesterday, no group had claimed responsibility for the killing of Chief Esoh Itoh, but fingers are pointing at pro-independence fighters. They have said to have threatened the monarch severally and may well be the ones behind the act.
Two weeks ago, seven traditional rulers from Fako were released from captivity after one of theirs had died in the keeping of armed men which provoked anger and outrage in Buea.
The traditional rulers were received by the Minister of Territorial Administration and the Prime Minister. They are yet to make any public statement since their released.
It started in October 2016 as a Common Law Lawyers strike and later in November 2016 as an All Anglophone Teachers strike soon degenerated into days of civil disobedience, ghost town calls and today, a full blown war.
Thousands of people have been killed in the war including members of the armed forces. Aside the civilians who have died, many have been arrested, others kidnapped, villages, schools, hospitals, markets, private homes, business among others have been razed.
There is now a general call for a ceasefire, a return to peace – peace is possible.