Neither the Germans nor the English bequeathed their culture of statues in the former Cameroons Capital.

Once upon a time (February 2007) the Cameroon Athletics Federation thought of immortalizing the Buea's female ace runner and half a dozen times winner of the Mount Cameroon Race of Hope, Sarah Etonge Liengu.

A good idea that met with a hiccup as the statue, meant to depict, Liengu did not match her real image. Liengu's fans cried foul and the next year (2008) another Statue was erected to replace the disputed one. This time was even worse. And the fans found time to smarch the new statue. For several months the remains of the Statue littered the Buea police-road-junction. Today, no statue of Liengu exists anywhere in Buea.

The paradox is glaring. Buea, a German-made city has no statues apart from the lone Bismark fountain, opposite the Buea's archives office, none other. In spite of the many German buildings housing administrative services in Buea and which may take several centuries again. The historic city of Buea has, so, chosen to forget the numerous national figures who ought to be remembered through sculpture. Such are the pioneer Premier Endeley, recent Prime Ministers Peter Musonge and Ephraim Inoni.

These, among many, merit being remembered in Buea but no artist is thinking about them. There is no European city without statues to relate the history of their heroes. Statues done in the round (Roman) or in relief (Greek) are the emotive power of a people who highlight their great personalities and great moments. Above all, statues are historical documents that facilitate the narration of the culture, prowess, beliefs and, simply, the nature of a people. Buea is still to awake to its sculptural slumber.