By Ikome Christie-Noella Eposi in Buea
In a resounding display of unity, purpose, and political awakening, youth of the South West Region converged at the Mountain Hotel in Buea on Friday, August 1, 2025, for the 2nd All South West Youth Conference. Organised by the South West Youth League (SOWEYOL), the event was held under the distinguished patronage of the President of the Republic, His Excellency Paul Biya, and themed: “Unity in Diversity, Building with Peace and Stability.”
Opening the conference, the President of SOWEYOL, Esua Kisito Mbong, expressed gratitude to the Head of State for the rare honour bestowed upon the youth by accepting to lend his name to the event. Declaring President Biya as “Honorary President” of the Youth League, Kisito said this gesture affirmed the central place youth occupy in the national development agenda.
Highlighting the devastating impact of the protracted Anglophone crisis on young people since 2016, Kisito noted that over 95% of those affected are youth, many of whom have been victims or perpetrators due to unemployment and disillusionment. He called on his peers to reorient themselves as job creators rather than job seekers, urging enrollment in vocational and technical institutions to bridge the skills gap and reduce reliance on white-collar jobs.
“Our representation in technical institutions such as ADCANCCED Limbe, Public Works Annex in Buea, and the Faculty of Agriculture remains shockingly low,” he lamented. “Let us return to the soil, the soil never fails”, he urged.
The conference also took a firm stand against the surge in drug abuse and school-based violence. The SW Youth League President announced plans for an aggressive campaign against substance abuse, linking its rise to increased criminality and social unrest in urban areas.
Amidst growing political tension ahead of the October 12 presidential election, speakers at the event reminded the youth of their civic responsibility to ensure peace before, during, and after the polls. “Let us not be pawns in political manipulation again. We have suffered enough,” Kisito emphasised, calling on all South West youth to actively engage in safeguarding the region’s fragile peace.
His Majesty Fon Foto Felix, representing the President of the South West Regional Executive Council, reminded participants that the youth demographic, comprising nearly 60% of Cameroon’s population, is not just the future but the present. “You are already leaders,” he said, lauding youths as peacebuilders and agents of development.
Similarly, Limbe City Mayor, Paul Efome used his personal story to inspire the crowd. From grassroots youth leadership to national prominence, the City Mayor praised President Biya for his trust in young people and reiterated the call for political vigilance and non-violence during the election period. “Please, we shall not tolerate any form of violence, not before, not during, not after the election,” Efome affirmed. “The time for manipulation is over”, he stated.
The Governor of the South West Region, Bernard Okalia Bilai, commended the initiative and charged youth to continue being champions of peace. Acknowledging the role of the region’s youth in championing the candidacy of President Paul Biya, he stated, “You provoked this election. You are responsible for its success. This is your election.” Okalia stressed that peace is the cornerstone of all government investment in the region and urged the youth to protect the calm currently enjoyed, referencing the painful memories of school shutdowns and displacement during the heat of the socio-political unrest .
Buea Urban MP, Hon. Malomba Esembe, praised the youth for taking the lead in national discourse and echoed the collective appreciation to Prime Minister, Chief Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute and the Head of State for their unwavering support. “Peace is not inherited, it is built. Stability is not wished for, it is earned. Unity is not decreed, it is lived,” he told the audience.
The conference concluded with a resolution to replicate similar peace-promoting forums in all six divisional headquarters of the South West Region, culminating in a grand rally at Buea’s Independence Square before the October election. Organisers of the event emphasised that the gathering was not a partisan affair, but a youth-led movement committed to sustaining peace, protecting democracy, and advancing development.
As Cameroon prepares for a decisive presidential election, the youth of the South West Region have made their voice clear, they are not just participants in the nation’s journey but vanguards of its future.