Politique

Ngoketunjia Youth Peace Conference : Stakeholders Demand Release Of Abducted Bambalang Fon

Par Kimeng Hilton
05 sept. 2022 08:59
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The gathering in Yaounde on September 3, 2023 also saw the award of scholarships and offer of school material to children displaced by the conflict.

For the first time since its creation in 2019, the Ngoketunjia Youth and Students’ Cultural Association, NGOYSCA on Saturday, September 3, 2022 in Yaounde held the first ever All Ngoketunjia Youth Scholarship and Peace Conference. The venue was the courtyard of Yaounde VI Council in Accasias, Biyem-Assi. According to the Chairman of the Organising Committee, Dr Pefela Gildas Nyugha, the conference sought “to promote academic excellence, campaign for effective 2022/2023 school resumption, as well as promote love, unity, peace and solidarity amongst the sons and daughters of the 13 villages that make up Ngoketunjia Division in the North West Region.”
The Special Guest of Honour at the event was the Canadian High Commissioner to Cameroon, His Excellency Richard Bale. He expressed regret that the conflict in English-speaking Cameroon has gotten more complicated in the past three years; saying, “it is a mistake to use education to achieve political goals, which has not worked.” He recalled that Canada faced a similar armed conflict in Quebec in the 1970s, which was peacefully resolved. He promised his country’s support for any peace efforts. Conference participants, who included the elite, Members of Parliament, traditional and religious leaders, and school children, demanded the “release of their grandfather, father and brother, His Royal Highness Fon Kevin Shomitang II of Bambalang by those holding him captive for almost 9 months now.”
They promised to “align with the Head of State’s call to all sons and daughters of the North West and South West Regions who have taken up weapons against the State to drop them, leave the bushes and return home for us to build our division and country.” Participants rejected “all forms of ghost town practice and school shutdown promoted by some selfish individuals.”
Senator, Justice, Fon Chafah Isaac of Bangolan told the gathering that separatist commander, Gen. No Pity, called him on Monday, August 29, 2022 and handed the phone to Fon Yakum Kevin Teuvih Shomitang II of Bambalang, with whom he discussed. He said the Fon is apparently doing fine, and that he urged No Pity, who also hails from Bambalang, to release the traditional ruler who was abducted in December 2021. Fon Shomitang is President of the North West House of Chiefs and Vice President of the North West Regional Council. Fon Chafah appealed to the people to step up pressure on Gen. No Pity “to show pity on them by freeing their traditional ruler.”
Scholarships, stationery and school sacks were given to children displaced by the conflict in the North West and South West Regions, who have taken refuge in the Centre Region. A similar ceremony held in Ndop, Ngoketunjia Division on September 1, 2023.