By Atia Tilarious Azohnwi
South West Governor, Okalia Bilai Bernard has said all Chiefs in the region are expected to march on May 20 along with their subjects under pain of losing their royal crowns.
The regional chief executive was speaking in Buea Thursday April 25, 2019 as he chaired a preparatory meeting ahead of the 47th edition of Cameroon’s National Day nationwide celebrations billed for May 20.
“During the 20th May this year, all the Chiefs will march with a placard indicating their village and with their population behind them,” Okalia said, adding that, “If that is not the case; it means those chiefs don’t exist. And if you don’t exist as a body, as a village, then you should neither be called a village nor be counted among villages.”
The Governor said the last time he asked chiefs to march, they disobeyed on grounds that they were “volunteers”. This might have been the case because they were not receiving pay from the state. But now that they are on the state payroll thanks to the magnanimity of President Paul Biya, there’s apparently no escape for them.
“I said this some two, three years ago but the Chiefs refused to do it because they were still volunteer Chiefs. But today, know that the volunteerism is finish. Tradition is there, but you are tied to the state with an obligation. Eh Chief? You know noh? I don’t want to disclose it here. But we understand each other,” Okalia said with a feigned smile.
In a firm tone, he handed down a subtle threat: “If you fail to do what I am instructing, you’ll see 30 days after, the consequences of that disobedience.”
Okalia turned to the Mayor of Buea, Ekema Patrick Esunge to know the number of villages within his municipality and the mayor’s response put smiles on his face. He then instructed the Mayor to prepare placards bearing the names of all the villages in Buea – which placards will be carried by the Chiefs as they lead their kits and kins during the National Day parade.
“So Lord Mayor, prepare the placards because soon they will say they don’t have money. Prepare it. How many villages do we have in Buea? Ah, a hundred, put them on placards. Every Chief will march. And those who are in exile in Douala or Yaounde, let them stay there. When they come back, they’ll find someone else as chief,” Okalia decreed.
The governor is taking extra measures to guarantee massive participation at this year’s National Day celebrations given that the sociopolitical situation in the North West and South West Regions is far from giving peace a chance. Most schools have remained shutdown, while many, including traditional rulers have been forced out of their homes due to the hostilities.
All of the chiefs we contacted refused to comment on Governor Okalia’s new marching orders. Some were quick to recall that some of the chiefs had been kidnapped in the recent past by armed men fighting for the independence of a country they call Ambazonia.
The Ambazonia proponents had earlier rolled out a plan to frustrate Cameroon’s National Day feast in the North West and South West regions.
Meantime, Minister Paul Atanga Nji of Territorial Administration is known to have said that the state has the means and the will to have its way at all times.