Why Southern Cameroonians – Ambazonians should boycott 20th May Celeberations

• Archives & Analysis
• May 11, 2022

Since the current phase of our struggle for Self-Determination and the Restoration of our Independence erupted in November 2016, our people have massively boycotted the 20th May celebrations in our territory. This day is a day of infamy to all Southern Cameroonains – Ambazonians. On this day in 1972, the Colonial Republic of French Cameroun, in clear violation of the Federal Constitution of 1961 that brought the Independent Republic of French Cameroun, and the Independent Republic of the Southern Cameroons together. On this fateful day, Ahidjo, through an illegal and fraudulent referendum, dissolved the Confederal Union of both states, and imposed a Unitary state in its place. In other words, French Cameroun annexed and re-colonized the erstwhile state of West Cameroon, in violation of Article 47 (1) of the Federal constitution which stated that… “No bill to amend the Constitution may be introduced if it tends to impair the unity and integrity of the Federation. (2) Bills to amend the Constitution may be introduced either by the President of the Federal Republic after consultation with the Prime Ministers of the Federated States, or by any member of the Federal Assembly: Provided that any bill introduced by a member of the Assembly shall bear the signatures of at least one third of its membership. (3) The amendment may be passed by a simple majority of the membership of the Federal Assembly: * Provided that such majority include a majority of the membership elected from each Federated State. (4) The President of the Federal Republic may request a second reading of a bill to amend the Constitution as of any other federal bill, and in like manner.”

We must remember here that two separate republics with two different dates of Independence came together in 1961 to form a Confederal Union of two equal states. The French Republic of Cameroon having obtained her independence on the 1st of January 1960, and becoming a member of the United Nations on the 20th of September 1960 within secured internationally recognized boundaries. Meanwhile the Southern Cameroons obtained her independence on the 1st of October 1961 within secure internationally recognized boundaries after a United Nations General Assembly vote, Resolution 1608(XV) of 21st April, 1961. It’s therefore inconceivable that in 2022, the erstwhile state of the Southern Cameroons has been annexed and recolonized by the Republic of Cameroon, and a war of genocide being waged against her now for the past 5 years to maintain such. Southern Cameroonians – Ambazonians, just like in the last 5 years of our God ordained struggle, will once more massively boycott the coming celebrations on May 20th across our territory. The Interim Government of Ambazonia, led by HE, Dr. Samuel Ikome Sako, calls on all Ambazonians to massively boycott the celebrations across our national territory.

Southern Cameroonians – Ambazonians all over the world must remember that our National Day remains October 1st, the day that the United Nations General Assembly set as our Day of Independence following Resolution 1608 (XV) of April 21st, 1961. We must therefore draw the attention of the United Nations and the international community at large to the illegal dissolution of the Federal system in 1961, and the abolition of the State of West Cameroon in favour of a Unitary state, a situation that has led to the subjugation of millions of Ambazonians under French Cameroun’s brutalities. It must also be remembered that though Southern Cameroons leaders were not in a position politically to oppose the illegal dissolution of the Federal system, they however did not agree with the decision, forcing President Amadou Ahidjo of French Cameroun to organize an illegal referendum on the 20th of May 1972, in clear violation of the constitution of the day. It can equally be argued that the seeds of resistance amongst Southern Cameroonians was planted on that day, and that has finally grown into the full-blown war of National Liberation and Restoration of sovereign statehood going on now in our lands.

Once more, the Interim Government of Ambazonia reminds our people of the tragedy that befell our people on this fateful day, and call on all our citizens to show their rejection of the colonial status that French Cameroon has imposed upon them now for the past 57 yrs by massively boycotting the upcoming so-called National Day celebrations. We by this token, want to remind Cameroun that their independence day as recognized by the United Nations is the 1st of January 1960, and must be celebrated as such, It’s no accident that on 1st January 2010, the French Cameroun authorities celebrated their 50th Anniversary of Independence in pomp and ceremony in their national capital, Yaounde. Ambazonians must therefore remain resolute, and not be taken by the vicious propaganda being peddled by Yaounde, claiming that the Southern Cameroons – Ambazonia is part of their territory with a common National day of 20th May. A day that a proud and valiant people were reduced to colonial status, a status worse than what obtained during the Trusteeship period, and the period from 1954 to 1972 when we enjoyed a functional government befitting of our status.