In our editorial today we continue with the historical timeline of Ambazonia as we move right across 1972,
In our editorial of today, we will make progress as we recount the historicity of today's Ambazonia. Before this day, we had a walk through Pre-1858 - Ambas Bay before the arrival of the Europeans, 1858 – The City of Victoria established by Alfred Saker, 1884 – Establishment of the Ambas Bay Protectorate. 1887 – The Ambas Bay Protectorate Ceded to Germany, 1916 – Britain and France occupy German Kamerun and 1919 – German Kamerun divided at the Versailles Treaty. We moved into 1922 - The Cameroons became a League of Nations Mandate. Fast forwarded in 1946 – we will examine how The Southern Cameroons became a UN Trust Territory. And ended 1954 – when The Southern Cameroons attained Self-Rule in Buea.
On Tuesday we started 1959 – Free and Fair elections held in the Southern Cameroons. We got into 1960 – Southern Cameroons leaders visit the UK and the UN. We also went into 1961 – UN Plebiscite vote held in the Southern Cameroons. And finally, we talked about 1961 – Independence to the Southern Cameroons.
Today we will begin in 1961 – Independence to the Southern Cameroons
Following UN Resolution 1608 (XV). A de facto Federation of two equal states is established with the Constituent state of West Cameroon and the Constituent state of East Cameroon (The French Republic of Cameroun). The Southern Cameroons or the State of West Cameroon retains her territorial integrity and Self-Rule, with a government seated in Buea and headed by a Prime Minister in the person of John Ngu Foncha, who also acts as Vice-President of the Cameroon Federation.
1965 – H.E. Bobe Augustine Ngom Jua becomes Prime Minister
In 1965, H.E. Bobe Augustine Ngom Jua becomes Prime Minister, replacing Hon. John Ngu Foncha as Head of Government of the Southern Cameroons. However, Foncha remains as Vice President of the Cameroon Federation until 1970. Being a staunch Southern Cameroons Nationalist, H.E. Ngom Jua took certain measures to guarantee the integrity and the autonomy of the territory within the erstwhile Federation, challenging an overbearing Amadou Ahidjo, President of the East Cameroon State, and of the Federation in several instances when the later attempted to subvert the institutions of the Southern Cameroons.
1968 – Hon Solomon Tandeng Muna becomes Prime Minister
Hon Solomon Tandeng Muna replaces Bobe Augustine Ngom Jua as Prime Minister and Head of Government of the West Cameroon government, in a move many saw as engineered by French President Amadou Ahidjo in order to get rid of Bobe Jua, who was a Nationalist leader and fought the central government at every turn to uphold the dignity and autonomy of the people and its territory. Setting the stage for his removal, President Ahidjo had earlier coerced politicians in both federated states into merging their political parties into a one-party state. In a clear attempt to subvert the institutions and the political will of Southern Cameroonians to resist his insidious attempts to subvert our institutions.
1972 – The State of the Southern Cameroons abolished
Having merged all political parties by 1966, and maneuvering into place a complaint Prime Minister for the Southern Cameroons in the person of S.T. Muna, who served as Prime Minister of West Cameroon from January 11, 1968 to June 2, 1972, Ahidjo went forth, inspired and directed by France, to dissolve the Confederal Union. This was in gross violation of Article 47 of the Federal Constitution that prohibited any bill that was meant to alter the Federal nature of the state. Through the aquience and treachery of S..T Muna, Ahidjo was able to implement this insidious process of annexation and recolonization of the Southern Cameroons. With all our political parties dissolved and submerged under the Cameroon Union (CU) party, and our Nationalist leader, Hon Ngom Jua deposed in 1968, it became difficult for our people to launch any organized resistance to this assault on our statehood.
We will pause the historical briefs at this point for today but I believe this foundation is a good establishment so far to expand the discussion of why 20th May purported National day is a fraud.
On Saturday we will elaborate even more.
But before then as always, we want to thank our editor-in-chief and news director Tarh Paddy King for putting together these historical details for your enjoyment. Do you want more of this? Visit our website at www.abcambatv.com for more.
I am Star Smart reporting for undaunted - ABC Amba News.
