Actualités of Friday, 3 October 2014

Source: Le Messager

Date for celebration of reunification, Oct 1, goes unnoticed

The State radio CRTV is said to have preferred to focus on the International Day of older persons rather than the 53rd anniversary of the reunification which passed unnoticed again on October 1, 2014.

According to the participants of the reunification, Cameroon celebrated the 50th anniversary on February 20, 2012 in Buea after it had passed unnoticed on October 1, 2011.

The SCNC, represented by Cameroonians who have an English background challenged the cause of this reunification which, according to them, does not favor them. Before the Reunification, English Cameroon was administratively attached to the autonomous region of the East of Nigeria. In 1954 it became one of the autonomous regions of Nigeria, divided into 02 provinces; the Northern Cameroons and Southern Cameroons.

In 1959 and until October 1 1961, it was directly administered by Britain. From 17 to 21 July 1961, English-speaking Cameroonians and their francophone brethren met at Foumban in the Noun Department to lay the Foundation of the federal State.

Foncha, Ahidjo and other players of actors in this event are deceased. Those who are still alive are: Charles Assalé, the Prime Minister; Charles Okala, Foreign Minister; Josué Tétang, the Secretary of State for Information; Christian Tobie Kuoh, Secretary General of the Presidency; Jean Bétayéné, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Malian; Cheick Sekou Sissoko, Head of the Special Secretariat of President.

The delegation of Southern Cameroon included in addition to John Ngu Foncha, Emmanuel Liffaffe Endeley, Solomon Tandeng Muna, Augustine Ngom Jua, Nerius Namaso Mbile, John Bokwe, Bernard Fonlon. In all, ten members came from the Kamerun National Democratic Party (Kndp), five from the Cameroon people's national convention (NCPC), two One Kamerun and traditional leaders.

Following the Foumban conference which lasted 6 days, the Federal Republic of Cameroon was born from this reunification which was fixed and celebrated on October 1, 1961 until 1972 when the Constitution was amended for the birth of the former 'United Republic of Cameroon'.