Four months ago today, Marguerite M. and Ashu D. plunged into a nightmare which continues. They are Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) staff; Marguerite a nurse and Ashu an ambulance driver, in the South-West region of Cameroon. The area is impacted by violence that started almost five years ago, between separatist armed groups and state armed forces, where MSF provides access to free healthcare to people.

On the morning of 26 December 2021, Marguerite and Ashu were sent with an MSF ambulance to the Tinto area to pick up a man with a gunshot wound. While the vast majority of MSF ambulance movements are not related to the impact of the violence – most are linked to the urgent transport of children with malaria, women in labour or those injured in road accidents – taking care of victims of gunshot wounds is not unusual for MSF in the area. Yet, Marguerite and Ashu could not have imagined what awaited them this time.

The ambulance had some trouble locating the injured man, but finally found him at around eight o’clock in the morning. They stabilised him and put him in the ambulance, which then headed towards Kumba, in case the patient needed to be transferred to a higher-level hospital for complex surgery. The 27-year-old patient had no identification documents, which is not uncommon in Cameroon.

MSF communicated, as agreed with the authorities, this movement: the departure point of the ambulance, its destination, the type of patient it was transporting, whether or not the patient had an identity document, and whether or not they were accompanied by anyone. Despite this not being standard MSF practice, this procedure was vital in this context to prevent ambulances from being blocked at checkpoints for long periods of time, which could be detrimental to patients. Since October 2021, when the procedure for communicating with the authorities was formalised, 132 MSF ambulance transfers involving patients in various emergencies have taken place without any problems.

Neither Marguerite nor Ashu knew who the patient was, or what was his role within the separatist group. They only knew that he was a wounded man in need of medical emergency assistance. The ambulance set off at around nine o’clock in the morning, with Ashu driving and Marguerite in charge of the patient. She began to fill in the transfer forms on the patient that would later be handed over to the hospital in Kumba. While Marguerite was still filling in the form with the name given by the patient, they were stopped at the Nguti checkpoint.

Despite the explanations they gave, they were denied passage, ordered to turn around and escorted back to Mamfe. The two MSF colleagues were subsequently arrested and detained in Buea prison, where they remain four months later.

Culled from MSF

Ahead of his planned visit to Ground Zero, the Vice President of the Ambazonia Interim Government has criticized Southern Cameroons frontline movements for acting very poorly in supporting Ground Zero operations against French Cameroun occupation.

Vice President Dabney Yerima made the comments during a telephone conversation with Cameroon Concord News London Bureau Chief Isong Asu late on Thursday.

The exiled Ambazonia leader took Southern Cameroons frontline movements to task for politicizing the struggle against La Republique du Cameroun, describing the move as completely unacceptable.

“Sadly, some Ambazonia frontline movements are acting very poorly vis-à-vis the battle to liberate Southern Cameroons and are not even willing to talk to the Interim Government about Ground Zero operations. Some of them imagine that relying on tribal support is the way to help the Federal Republic of Ambazonia!! This is a big mistake,” Dabney Yerima noted.

Vice President Dabney Yerima said no county in both the Northern and Southern Zones is capable of freeing Southern Cameroons alone, expressing hope that Ambazonians will soon regain their country from the French backed French Cameroun occupation.

Yerima hailed the oppressed but powerful Southern Cameroonians in Ground Zero and in Ground One who have been preventing the Ambazonians struggle from sinking into oblivion through their resistance and sacrifices.

“My trip to Ground Zero pending clearance from our intelligence agencies will provide me and other members of your Interim Government the appropriate opportunity to express our sympathy and solidarity with all our refugee population and the oppressed people of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia,” Yerima concluded.

By Chi Prudence Asong with files from Isong Asu

The family represents nature in its most distinct manifestation, and it is the cornerstone of human society. Consequently, individuals who invest in their families make the most significant contribution to their nation and humanity.

 When a child is born, its parents always contemplate what role the new family member will play in contributing to the family’s success.

About fifty-two years ago, a princess was born to Chief Ashukem Nkwanyou Abanda and Mama Lucy Nga Eyong Ashukem.

She was Princess Cecilqueen Ebika Ashukem. The young beauty was one of eight children born to Mama Lucy Ashukem and was the only daughter of her mother to survive her first birthday.

In her earlier years, she devoted time to her father’s palace and learned almost everything there was to learn about the history of the Manyu nation and the culture of its people.

In the palace, she demonstrated strong character and leadership skills in a family jam-packed with boys, and she nurtured the importance of promoting communal and extended family love.

The princess obtained her primary education from the schools in Ebeagwa and Tinto villages, Manyu, Cameroon. It was a difficult decision for Chief Ashukem to let the young princess leave the palace to acquire secondary and high school education away from Ebeagwa.

Still, she left home and obtained her secondary education in PSS Besongabang, GHS Eyumojock and Worldwide Mission Mpondo. Upon completing her high school education, Princess Cecilqueen Ebika spent time between Buea and Mamfe and lived with her older brother, Chief John Beteck Ashukem.

Princess Ebika often recounted to her children how much love and inspiration her senior brother, Chief Beteck,had lavished  upon her.

As Cameroon’s economy faced difficulties in the nineties, and many young people left the country for greener pastures in Europe and North America, this princess also looked outwards for solutions to her economic and financial challenges.

In 1996, the young Ms. Ebika Ashukem was granted a visa to the United Kingdom. One of her closest friends in Holland remarked that “when Ebika had that visa to the UK, it was a turning point for her family.”

Her coming to the UK was a huge blessing to her family in Cameroon. Like many families where she came from, hers was not economically affluent and struggled to afford the basic needs for human existence.

 For her family, food, medication, clothing, and other essentials for a convenient life were in short supply, but hunger and anxiety were plentiful.

Upon arrival in the United Kingdom in 1996, the young Cecilqueen Ashukem had three words as her motto – Family, Prayer and Charity—because her goal was to end the economic challenges of her family in Cameroon.

While many who travelled to the UK from poor backgrounds in Africa in the mid-nineties concentrated on primitive material consumption, she invested her income in making her family better. The cold weather in her new country did not prevent her from going after her goals.

 She went to work and sometimes took on two jobs with many agencies around London. She worked day and night with the sole purpose of saving enough money to support her numerous family members scattered all over the regions and villages in Cameroon.

While dereliction of family responsibility is now a norm in Manyu, she was the opposite through her actions. She took a keen interest in offering opportunities to the less fortunate in her family and beyond.

Over the years, she single-handedly sponsored nine family members to the UK. Her charitable deeds are an inspiring example for many to follow. Even on her deathbed, she was still supporting many children in Cameroon.

In 2016, she lavished gifts and money on Bate Nico as her appreciation for his outstanding contribution to Manyu music and culture. She made immeasurable sacrifices to all who knew her. Her home in London was open to all, and the quality of her cooked dinners was something that would never be forgotten by those lucky enough to have enjoyed them.

 Her ability to engage in conversation about the rich history and culture of the Manyu nation was remarkable.

In 1997, Aunty Ebika  Ashukem got married to Mr Jean-Louis Mellot. They were opposite personalities who had a great union by complementing each other and were blessed with two exceptional children, Jennifer and Rene.

Mr. Mellot sadly preceded her in death in May 2010. Over the last twelve months, Princess Ebika Ashukem was in and out of the hospital with various health complications and, sadly, was called to rest with our Lord on 10 April 2022.

She lives behind three children, a sizable family in the UK and a vast Manyu community in the UK to mourn her.

Princess Ebika Ashukem never claimed infallibility and righteousness, and maybe, she was unlucky to be surrounded by people who were experts at fault-finding.

 She possessed several weaknesses like all mortals, but the devil is always in the detail. When a woman invests in sponsoring more than nine of her family members from Cameroon to the UK, the conclusion must be resounding.

The outward deeds of humans mirror their inward selves, and a life of charity is superior to its opposite. Her loss reminds us of just how delicate life is. Her life teaches us the importance of love and the need to show our loved ones that we appreciate them. The perfect society or perfect human being is an imagined creation by scholastic thinkers.

 Our sister’s loss should serve as a warning to people who would remove the speck from the eye of others and fail to see the beam on their own.

Her life amplifies the need to be charitable, and she exits the stage, having made the Manyu community in the UK and the entire Manyu nation better.

Her kindness magnifies the world she created, evidenced by the many people now bearing her family name in the UK.

 Fifty-two years ago, Chief Ashukem wondered what the young Princess Ebika had to offer. She placed value on family, and by investing in her family, she has left the world a better place than she met it.

Princess Cecilqueen Ebika Ashukem, rest in peace, for you came, saw, and made a difference.

By Isong Asu with files from Jennifer Mellot

The Vice President of the Ambazonia Interim Government Dabney Yerima is planning to visit the suffering peoples of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia in Ground Zero later this coming month after five years of fighting between the two Cameroons, Cameroon Intelligence Report has gathered from people in the know deep within the Interim Government.

Two IG sources familiar with the trip, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the visit is yet to get clearance from Southern Cameroons chief intelligence officer in Ground Zero, but scheduling issues could delay it to end of May.

The development comes as several French Cameroun media houses confirmed reports that the 89-year-old President Biya of French Cameroun has in the past few days suffered a series of ailments.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

The 89-year-old Cameroonian head of state has been residing in his native village since the Africa Cup of Nations, but in the past few days he has suffered a series of ailments, reported Africa Intelligence.

Last month, Cameroon Intelligence Report revealed that the head of state was very acutely ill but the presidency was revealing very little about the illness to the Cameroonian people.

CIR also revealed that a secret meeting held in Mvomeka’a called for the appointment of a Vice President.

By Rita Akana

The ongoing crisis in the north-west of Cameroon in the anglophone region, coupled with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, has pushed the price of stable foods beyond the reach of many.

In response, the government has designated the anglophone region an economic disaster zone.

At the busy Bamenda food market, hawkers position themselves at the market gate, selling basic home products like washing soap, while shop owners serve customers inside their shops.

Shoppers come here in the hope of buying local produce cheaper.  But for more than three months the prices of local produce like plantains and tomatoes as well as basic household commodities have skyrocketed.

Food prices rise

The rise in food prices started late last year, when groundnut oil prices rose from 25,000CFA (38 euros)/gallon to 27,000CFA (40 euros), says shopper Dorothy Ngu, adding that the prices were higher than neighbouring Douala or Bafoussam.

“When we ask why, they say it is our road, especially the road to reach here –  it is horrible,” says Ngu.

“Palm oil is a local product. It used to be cheap, but they say they have to increase their own prices because if they don’t sell it at a higher price how will they buy their own things in the market?” she adds.

For one transporter who uses the Bamenda-Ekok-Enugu highway, the frequent road blocks imposed by both security services and separatist fighters adds to the costs of the goods he transports. This prevents Nigerian goods from entering the city.

Elsewhere on the Bafoussam-Bamenda highway, where staples from other towns come in, the roads are in terrible condition and have not been maintained, Elvis Muluh tells Africa Calling podcast, pointing to his tyres.

“These are vehicle tyres. We buy them for up to 50,000CFA (45 euros) but it doesn’t last for one month because of deplorable state of the road,” says Muluh.

“The bad state of the road and numerous military checkpoints accounts for the increase in the prices of commodities, since we have to charge higher for transporting the goods,” he says, adding that he wished there were fewer checkpoints.

Anglophone crisis

Most businesses in Bamenda, the north-west’s capital, have been shut down and relocated to safer areas after the kidnapping of many business people. Some have also had their places of business burnt down.

Peaceful protests calling out discrimination in municipal jobs five years ago led to a brutal crackdown by security forces, resulting in separatists taking up arms against the central government.

Within the context of the crisis, many city dwellers now host internally displaced persons, who have fled their towns and villages and have come to the regional capital.

Residents have more mouths to feed, but with the current increase in prices, even the most basic food staples are out of reach.

“We are facing price hikes in the market which is not backed by much money in our pockets. For example, I will start with magi beef cubes. They have gone from €1.23 (800CFA) to €1.50 (900CFA) a packet,” says market-goer Laura Ngwa.

“We are actually facing difficulties preparing a decent meal for the family.”

Ukrainian wheat ban

The situation is worsening with the recent increase in the price of flour, meaning people can’t afford to buy much bread.

“Bread is very expensive; if you don’t have 1000CFA (1.50 euros) now you can’t afford breakfast for your family. From every indication it’s high time we go back to our farms and cultivate sweet potatoes to serve for breakfast,” says Thomas Mbah, a resident of Bamenda.

“Even the local product from cassava known as garri is now more expensive than rice.”

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has forced prices up as has the impact of Covid-19 says Abel Ghogomu, a local government representative in charge of trade in the region. Ukraine and Russia are large-scale producers of wheat flour.

Before the war, they had a huge market in Africa, including Cameroon. In order to reduce costs of these imported commodities, Ghogomu says measures have been taken to help Cameroonian consumers.

“There is a tax exemption on products that are imported, wheat and other things so that it should reflect on our prices,” he says.

He met with the North West Bakers association, who deal with wheat and bread-making.

“We were in the field disguised as consumers, and we went to shops to check on this. Bread which should cost 125CFA that is 200g has been raised up to 250CF,” he adds.

Source: RFI

A spokesman for the Cameroon government army on Tuesday confirmed two soldiers were killed following an attack by Amba fighters in Eyumojock Sub Division in Manyu.

In a communiqué issued in the French language, the Cameroon government army spokesman said Ambazonia forces attacked a military checkpoint at Mkpot Village, a community in Eyumojock Sub Division, engaging them in a gunfight.

The troops were deployed to Mkpot at the request of the village corrupt traditional ruler who recently donated some of his blood money for the installation ceremony of the Bishop of Mamfe.

Sadly, during the firefight that ensued, two Cameroon government soldiers- one identified as Master Sergeant Owono Etienne, license number 11/15690 paid the supreme price.

Ambazonia Revolutionary Guards is the paramilitary wing of the Southern Cameroons Interim Government led by Vice President Dabney Yerima, seeking to make a state in English speaking Cameroon and form the independent nation of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia.

By Kingsley Betek in Mamfe

The Southern Cameroons Interim Government says all Southern Cameroonians in the diaspora must mobilize to confront the French Cameroun occupation and colonial settlers and to head to all international organizations in their host countries in droves to raise awareness of French Cameroun’s intensified assaults on Southern Cameroonians.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Vice President Dabney Yerima said the Southern Cameroons diaspora population should be ready to begin massive protests in various capitals in the West.

“Southern Cameroons unity and resistance in confronting the Biya French Cameroun occupation will deter the Francophone political elites from implementing their malicious schemes targeting the people of Southern Cameroons” the statement read.

Earlier on Monday, Francophone army soldiers once again attacked Southern Cameroonians in Batibo, Awom, and Guzang. Seven civilians were reportedly killed by Cameroon government troops and several others were arrested with some summarily executed.  

Cameroon Concord News correspondent in Widikum said homes were ransacked, money, food stuff and other valuables taken away. He also affirmed that bullets injured 19 people, including one cleric while a dozen suffered from tear gas inhalation.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai