“Inquiries carried on so far has revealed that Governor Okalia Bilai Bernard has never been allocated a single piece of land on the Wonjoku Land Surrender nor any other village within Buea Sub Division.”

These were the words of Patrick Ekema Esunge, Mayor of Buea, who came out swinging in a press statement meant to douse allegations that South West Governor, Benard Okalia is grabbing land surrendered to Bakweris by the CDC – Cameroon Development Corporation.

The statement came in response to media reports that the Governor possesses several hectares of land ceded by the CDC to communities in Fako Division.

Recent press reports had it that the governor owns at least a hectare of land in Wonjoku village in Buea Sub-division. A local newspaper even went as far as publishing the land certificate.

However, Ekema, in the press release described the reports as mare rumours hatched to tarnish the good reputation of the senior administrator.

“Following the series of reports and publications on several mass media on an imaginary land grabbing phenomenon, purported to be perpetrated by Administrative authorities on lands surrendered to some communities in Fako in general and Buea, in particular, the Lord Mayor of Buea Council, Mr. Ekema Patrick Esunge informs the entire population of Buea Municipality and beyond that these reports or allegations are unfounded and are geared towards an uncomfortable atmosphere meant to destabilise the peace and tranquillity of this municipality.”

The communiqué states in clear terms that Okalia is not a benefactor of CDC surrendered land anywhere in Buea, not even within Fako Division in general.

The mayor of Buea avers in the release that “…the coveted position of a Governor has nothing at all to do in the entire process and procedure of land surrender laid down by the state of Cameroon.”

And because reports alleged that some villagers in the communities to which land was ceded are now agitating that their traditional chiefs and administrators were greedily grabbing land ceded to them and selling, leaving them landless, an action they perceive as a violation of their fundamental human rights, Mayor Ekema challenges any such disgruntled villager to come out openly and lay his complain.

“To the best of our knowledge, we have not registered any complaint from any chiefdom within the Buea Municipality accusing any administrator of grabbing land meant for their community. Based on salient facts, we hereby call on our peace-loving population to continue with their usual support to State institutions,” the mayor wrote.

He then advises “… all persons, group of persons or forum to refrain from making fallacious reports against state officials that may have a xenophobic character contrary to the legendary hospitality of the people of Buea, in particular, and Fako in general.”

He added that Governor Okalia has in many instances distanced himself from the allegations of land-grabbing, given that he is a God-fearing Christian and who serves the people to the best of his ability.

Ekema ends the press release with an appeal to the population of Buea to remain law-abiding citizens who have respect for state institutions and state officials.

“The Lord Mayor calls on the entire population of Buea Municipality to remain steadfast, focused and vigilant towards the unwanted activities of the Islamist Sect Boko Haram and the prevailing Ebola epidemic rather than being derailed by a small group of individuals with varied and divert intentions.”