Mbororo Resurrect from their ashes in Banjah

Since the expulsion of 300 Mbororo from Banjah, Archbishop of Bamenda Expels 300 Mbororo From their Homes in 2013, and the demolition of their homes in 2014, they have resurrected from their ashes and built a shining city on the mountain.

The former archbishop of Bamenda, His Grace Cornelius Fontem Esua ordered all Mbororo people to leave their land in 2013. They had nowhere to go as they had only known this parcel of grazing land which their leader, Ardo Bi Mamada purchased from the Fon of Bambili in 1904, with 14 cows. They had lived there peacefully with their neighbours, until 2009 when Archbishop Cornelius Fontem Esua eyed the land as suitable for the construction of the Catholic University of Cameroon (CATUC).

Against all odds, and despising the dissuasion from this rights campaigner and lawyers, the archbishop went out of his way to demolish the homes of 300 Mbororo, on 6 April 2014. It was Easter in the archdiocese of Bamenda, like throughout Christendom, but the representative of the Roman Pope went against Christian teachings of love, to hate the Mbororo passionately that he decided to wipe them out of existence.

The vulnerable Mbororo were forced to sleep on the streets of Bamenda just as Christ was nailed to the cross, and Rwandans remembered 20 years after the Catholics watched and encouraged genocide on them. Carrying The Cross With Christ At Lent Sinful me, completely lost my mind and I prophesied a heart attack for the cunning Cornelius Fontem Esua who chose to play with the hearts of vulnerable people among the wretched on the earth. And so it so happened that while the Mbororo nursed their wounds under the cold, Cornelius Fontem Esua was admitted to a cardiac hospital in Rome.

Since 2014, over 18 Mbororo have succumbed to sickness and deprivation. The Ardo who showed resilience and refused money from the archbishop died in misery and homeless. Though we had mobilised support for the reconstruction of his demolished house, what was built was not up to the standard of his former house.

The good news from Banjah, today, ten years after demolition of Mbororo homes is that more houses have been constructed with durable materials. The population is bourgeoning. Today, there are over 800 souls living on the Mamada Hills, seat of the Mbororo community of Banjah.

Prof Nche Zama has also kept his promise to the community not to abandon them. Little Fadimatou Dairo who promised to become a medical doctor is doing her third year at the Faculty of Laws, at the University of Soa. She chose Law over medicine to better prepare to come and assist her people to survive against a mounting wave of injustice. The humanitarian cardiologist continues to sponsor Fadimatou to become a good representative of her community.

Since 2016 when the Ambazonian Genocide started, many Mbororo have set abode on a relatively peaceful hill. One of the young Mbororo spent two years in jail in Yaounde on trumped up charges of supporting Ambazonian self defence forces. He was released early this year and spent ramadan with his family on the hill.

As to which side of the conflict the Mbororo belong, Paul Atanga Nji gave a Koran to the larger Fulani community of the North West and urged them to support Cameroun soldiers to crush Amabzonian self defence forces. Are The Mbororo Against The  Independence Of Ambazonia? The Mbororo have killed scores of unarmed civilians in Menchum, Donga Mantung and Bui, heeding the call from Cameroun government. The apex of their cruelty materialized in Esu where they killed the King alongside his wife. The Fulani also killed over 26 unarmed people including women and children in Ngarbuh, on Saint Valentine Day in 2020. Investigations and reports from Cameroon National Commission On Human Rights and Freedoms identified Cameroon soldiers and Mbororo militia as the culprits. Today, the Mbororo are at crossroads, being lured to kill their hosts in Wum and through out the North West. While struggling to maintain Cameroon as One and Indivisible, it is a paradox that Cameroun government chooses to divide communities, and filling them with the PEDAGOGY OF HATE.

Despite being Christian by birth, I have positioned myself as a strong defender of the rights of the Muslim Mbororo community of Banjah. Human rights cannot be determined by race, gender or religion. All lives matter. The laws of nature and those of the land must be respected, such that no part of the human community rises against the other. Banjah was a real test of my defense of human rights. I emerged with resilience to continue campaigning for social justice. I pursue the same path during the present genocide in Ambazonia. I am convinced only self-determination will separate the fighting parties.