Choves Loh, Regina Liengu Etaka
9 July 2009
Show support for President Biya and march against the "Put him down" syndrome that has rocked the region in the past.
The major street in metropolitan Bamenda was busy on July 8,2009 with inhabitants, North Westerners and some friends from the South West filing out at the Commercial avenue in support of President Paul Biya for appointing an illustrious son of the North West region, Prime Minister and Head of government on June 30,2009. They were on horse back, many on commercial motorcycles and most on their feet with peace plants.
Among the lot were North West musicians and traditional dance groups, social groups, elite, youths, members of the North West Women's Forum etc. Song and dance was alive with banners and placards carrying messages summed up in, "North West sons and daughters thank President Biya for confidence. We congratulate P.M Yang Philemon and stand by President Biya for peace and development". In all prayers appealed to God and Allah to give President Biya and P.M, Yang Philemon King Solomon's wisdom to take Cameroon forward in peace, development and prosperity.
The peaceful and apolitical nature of the march along the commercial avenue was organized to give President Biya a hand of fellowship and the psychological balance required by Prime Minister Yang from his North West base. At the helm of organization was Nkwenti Simon, Coordinator of Civil Society organizations in the North West. Speaker after speaker among whom were, Mme Jacqueline Kisob, Mbuh Rene, Nkwenti Simon said it was time out for the "put him down",(PhD) syndrome that has rocked the North West over the years.
They spoke out against blackmail, backstabbing and committed to check out errors of the past as they are poised to continue to build Cameroon with the North West. Organizers acknowledged that the North West has lost a lot in 13 years without a Prime Minister from the region and said it was human to support and give blessings to a brother who has excelled and won the confidence of the Head of State. Organizers later told Cameroon Tribune that they defied threats by some in their attempts to derail the good faith of the demonstration in their selfish interest to see the region stay in confusion while others benefit.
Read comments. Write your own.
Copyright © 2009 Cameroon Tribune. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
Hi my brother. I read through the story with the same emotions as you. I am not surprised that the story was originally published by Cameroon Tribute, the Biya praise-singing newspaper.
I followed the march from planning to execution. I could not help asking myself these question: The organiser, Simon Nkwenti and his blokes claim that this is civil society, but where are the NGO? Where are the youths? How can village dance groups be said to be civil society. Why is 80% of the participants old, under-educated women from the villages? Why are most of the dance groups from Chomba, Simon Nkwenti's village? Is Chomba representative of the NW Region?
Each dance group was paid. I saw them giving out the money with my own eyes. Where did the money come from? Why would anyone pay people to participate "voluntarily" in a march? The Biya regime has infiltrated the civil society of the North West Region and the point of infiltration is called "Simon Nkwenti".
The internet can spread good things to millions of people in a second. Unfortunately, it can also do the same with bad things. I dont know why allAfrica published this story, but since I like asking questions, I am bound to ask: how do they choose which stories to publish. How much are they often paid to publish a story? How much did Cameroon Tribune pay them to spread this crap to unsuspecting readers worldwide? If anyone gives a damn to answer then these are enough questions to keep them busy for a while.
I am disgusted at All Africa for allowing this blatant propaganda to stand without interviewing a single dissenting voice.
The absolute truth is the organisers took advantage of the great poverty here in the North West and paid people from local villagers to attend - even laying on transport. That is fact - and yet you ignore this.
Why is All Africa promoting a president that is so widely accepted as corrupt and has been so damaging to Cameroon and it's people?
Why do you continue to reprint this propaganda? Why do you never check sources or speak to real people - instead you only believe what those who have a vested interest tell you.
How dare you tell your readers: "Show support for President Biya and march against the "Put him down" syndrome that has rocked the region in the past."
Why do you back this man and his murdering troops and his continued embezzlement of billions from this country?
You are complicit in this sham of a democracy. I would like to know why you are offering such unquestioning support to Biya.