The Two Bueas: Buea North (Then) Buea South (Now)

By Canute Tangwa

I spent the long 20th May weekend in Buea. It was both exciting and chilling. Exciting because every time I visit Buea, the town and land of my birth, I go down memory lane. I always look forward to meeting good old friends; savour the warmth and hospitality of the indigenous people (the Bakweri); think about or visit the prestigious schools we attended, popular joints (Holiday Inn, Cybel, Olivia, Mobutu) where we used to sit and crack jokes over bottles of beer;

envelope myself in the refreshing mountain climate; take in the beautiful landscape and drink copiously the sparkling and tasteless water (Buea wata); gulp fresh palm wine at Bweku (a hamlet tucked away on the western fringe of the mountain); enjoy black soup, bush meat and cocoa yam around Moli. 

That was Buea then where I could walk from Buea Station to Bova without looking over my shoulder; where we left Buea Station for Bwasa in search of ripe guavas; where we used to watch Ewunkem, Nangoh, Njuma, Misenge, Essomba, Kulu, Bell Joseph Antoine, Njipe, Petro, Akwo Shumbu, Tanga and so on play soccer in the inner bowl of Buea Town stadium; where the Guinness organised Mountain Race, Beaufort Cup finals, wrestling matches (pala pala) and the Malley traditional dance kept us on our feet all day; where we used to watch Chinese (Big Boss, Akpan, Agogo, Miss Karate etc) and Indian films at the Buea Town hall on Fridays and Saturdays.

During the day, especially on Saturdays, we never missed Tea Time at Summer Festival Night Club, Sansui, Figaro or Aristo.Back then, we ran about together, played together, cried together, sang together and went to school together oblivious of where we came from.

Back then Ngomba, Monono, Gobina, Efokoa, Etekele, Dibussi, Moka, Motinda, Wose Kinge, Kange, Mbella, Elive, Lysinge, Ndemba, Evambe, Mbome, Motutu, Ndeley and so on were some of the friends in whose presence we could think aloud. Back then, in my mind's eye, Buea ended at Bilingual Grammar School, Molyko. From then on was forestland! I had an eerie notion of a Buea North and a Buea South (stretching today from Bilingual Grammar School to Mile 17).

   
On 20th May, as we drove from Mile 17 to the Bilingual Grammar School (Buea South) the picture of a strafed and deserted area came to mind. Molyko looked like a Palestinian neighbourhood not because all roads led to Bongo Square for the 20th May celebration, but for the running battles between stone-throwing  University students and the forces of law and order, which had left in its wake a ghost neighbourhood: uprooted electric poles, burnt tyres on the highway, burnt cars on kerbs. 

In the evening I took a walk to Buea Town.  The talk around was the UB crisis. A friend of mine could not hide his feelings. "These Graffis want to destroy our University. They want Madam to talk to them out of the campus. What nonsense!" A little further, I met another chum savouring achu.

He offered me a plate and a bottle of beer. According to him, the problem at the University was a tribal one. "Graffis want Madam's head." Harry, a fellow tribesman of his interjected. He could not understand why my friend wanted to tribalise or parochialise the issue.

I thought he was joking until he drove home the point the following day at a watering hole. Seemingly, my friend is a reasonable man but at times other motivating factors like moyo (in-law) or auntie may influence one's reaction to issues.

The next day, I called my friend Ndemba. He told me he was in the village (Mokunda) with some friends at a joint and I should feel free to meet him there. I have never hesitated going anywhere in Buea. I felt a bit cold.  I met him, Efokoa, Harry and some friends.

We greeted each other warmly. Our discussion centred on the UB crisis. One chap amongst them had no kind words for the Graffis. I was told that a Bakweri boy was allegedly singled out in the village for supporting striking students.

Ndemba's and Efokoa's warmth towards me had not dwindled an inch. We still churned out some rib-splitting Buea old boys' jokes I was once more at home. For all the talk about Graffis being the genesis and revelation of the UB crisis, nobody behaved like a Mike Tyson. For fear of police and gendarme brutality, most Buea denizens stayed clear of Buea South since it had become a war zone.

 
Buea South, a centre of learning, is ironically where a new and frightening relationship between Grasslanders (Graffis, bajili) and those who first saw the White man (colonial masters) is being woven.

The situation in Buea South can be likened to the frigid 60s where the tango between capitalism and communism instilled fear, suspicion, hatred, gloom and skirmishes.

The consequences of this newfound tribo-parochial relationship conceived within a centre of learning, the university, if not checked will snowball into something akin to Ferdinand Nahimana's notion of a pure Hutu ethnic group.
 
Let's go back to the drawing board and see objectively where we as a people went wrong; where we short-changed each other politically, economically or socially. Let's look each other in the face and state the facts without resorting to revisionism, whitewashing and escapism.

History has an uncanny way of catching up with those who toy, misinterpret, whitewash, and falsify events, issues and personalities.

Photos provided courtesy of Mola Isaac Menyoli

Comments

[Stephen Njoke Molua]

I am 25, studying International relations in Sweden.I am most fascinated since I discovered this site.Congratulations to you all especially Mola Isaac Menyoli's photo galery.I tell my friends here so much about my home town-Gbea and country.Your works have done much favour to me and many friends have planned to go for holiday with me to Buea, Cameroon.But you talk alot about Buea town(in pics) to G.Soppo.What about Molyko(educational),Bomaka(best villas),Muea(largest market),Mile 17(commercial)Lysoka,Bonakanda.Are they not Bakwerians?

[Smith Elie]

I am simply an English-speaking Cameroonian living in Bonneuil-sur-Marne in France.This was an excellent piece and clear cut objective view on the tribal way of thinking amongst English-speaking Cameroonians today. It makes me sick and for that, I have stopped reading some reactions from readers of the Post newspaper.
Elie Smith.
www.eliesmith.blogspot.com

[Wana N. Litumbe Jr.]

I love and enjoyed the pictures Mola Issac. That is so refreshing as it took me down memory lane. I hope who ever gets a chance to visit, does the same thing so we can educate and promote our region. Thank you.

[John Niba Asombang]

I like that piece of collection about Buea, Mr. Canute.Long time. That takes me back how I started from Sasse College, through Lycee Molyko and through Uni Yao, Ngoa-Ekele. You just hit the nail rightly and then in 'chomage.'

[ROTIMI WILLIAMS]

I ATTENDED GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOL BUEA AND FINISHED 1978, I WONDER IF THERE I A WAY YOU CAN LINK ME UP WITH SOME OLD FRIENDS. OUR HEADMASTER THEN WAS MR. LUCAS.

[iyah monoke]

canute's vivid painting of Buea north and south filled me with nostalgia most especially when he maked mention those forever waiting arms ready to give u a treat.

[IYA liefeka]

Rotimi Mr LUCAS (makwamba) was also my headmaster ,that man used to flog us like hell, but i was just there for three years then left for yaounde what of teacher Yokwe, did he teach you? what where your admission requirements then you had to put your five fingers over your head to touch your ears before admission was granted.What of these popular people in Buea like okereke, aunty-sophie, elonda njie, and yawoo in the Buea market.

[wendy Ekole]

The original article brought so much nostalgia! What can be done? My family has experienced two armed robberies without any legal repercurssions for the thieves who remain at large. Who are these people ruining our beautiful Buea?

[Gabriel Mokate Ashu-Arrey]

This is a wonderful article,
Many call me Eyole Mokate. My moms village is in "Lysoka la Mbake Ekoso Mokake" I lived and was educated in the Mokpe Land and in the Mokpe culture. My beuatiful primary education and GS Buea Town with Pa Ngole as HM. Those days are quite memorable. I Think of the yam farms at the school gardens. I rem BGS and Meoto Paul Njie. Buea is a small town with great people. I promise to write an Article soon on ealy life in Lysoka

[jahfather]

buea is the road
our road shall come down the mountain peak
it shall be a sign for the nations
the high way shall be established, for evry people and kindred ,to come to his pressence.
he who seats on his mighty throne,the rockman of ages
he shall wipe all tears from the eyes,and on his holly hill there shall be no morning.
jah bless.

[Rotimi Williams]

mr lucas big captin see the way he march along - any one remember that song

[wegmuller efokoa]

hi all i am wegmuller efokoa producer just to let you know i am about to come out with my first movie project,NOT MY WILL. go to www.bluedropsstudios.com for more info. thanks

[CHIA STANLEY]

HI EVERY ONE I AM CHIA STANLEY LIVING IN CAPE TOWN SOUTH AFRICA.I AM ONE OF THE STUDENTS WHO WERE SHURT AT THE UB CRISIS.
GUYS IT PAYS TO FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHTS SEPECIALLY AS A TRUE ACITIZIN LTES KEEP THE FATE THAT ONE DAY OUR NATION WILL CHANGE AND WE WILL ALL ENJOY WHAT PAOL BIYA HAS BEEN RISTRICTING US FROM ENJOYING. I LOVE GREEN RED YELLOW.

[Wegmuller Efokoa]

hi every one i have just bulid the web site for the moviw NOT MY WILL it's www.notmywillmovie.com the movie willbe out Aug. 2009

[Titi Enanga Manyanye]

Mr Canute,thank you for this. I just discovered this website,and beleive me it was a great trip down memory lane. I am from Bokwoango Buea,and presntly studying out of the country. Once more thank you for everything.