Governor Exploits Recent Nsongwa-Mankon Land Dispute to Justify Ban On Firing Den Guns In NW

By Shey Wirba

For quite some time now, the firing of den guns within the North West region has been outlawed. Mache Njounwet Bertrand, the outgone Mezam Senior Divisional Officer slammed the ban. His reason has had to be notified, following recent happenings. It was a night of tension, January 4, 2013, less than a week after the Fon of Nsongwa was handed official papers as a second class Fon within the Bamenda II municipality. Roadblocks were mounted on the trans-African highways by Nsongwans, in protest against virulent attacks by the Mankons over a disputed piece of land. The next day, January 5, 2013 Monono representing Governor Lele Lafrique made startling pronouncements at the golden jubilee of Fon Fobuzie in Chomba.

Monono, Secretary General at the North West governor’s office, was responding to a worry raised by Fon Teche Njei, President of the North West Fons Union, NOWEFU. “The North West is at peace”, he quipped, reiterating that he wants to send a message to the hierarchy of the North West administration.

According to Fon Teche, “the people of North West enjoy their traditional manifestations when they fire guns”, regretting why “today, we cannot fire guns”. The NOWEFU President urged that “the ban on firing of guns should be uplifted”.

Seemingly picking holes with the NOWEFU President’s pontification, the Secretary General, did not wait to carry the message to his boss, the Governor. He simply gave an on-the-spot reply.

Drawing afflatus from the incident of the night of January 4, 2013 wherein Nsongwa’s blocked the highways, he said if the ban on den guns was not enforced, blood would have spilled. He said several deaths had been recorded because of inter tribal wars still prevailing in North West.

The governor’s envoy regretted that in other regions, the locales fire their den guns at traditional events except North West. He said they were cut-off from attending the 50^th anniversary of Our Lady of Lourdes to bring peace between Nsongwa and Mankon.

Chronicle also learnt that it was also partly due to the intervention of Fru Ndi, the SDF National Chairman and Hon Fobi Nchinda Simon, the Member of Parliament for Bamenda/Bali constituency that peace was restored.

Fon Angwafor of Mankon was conspicuously absent at the Chomba celebrations, while the Fon of Nsongwa only surfaced late at 4pm for the reception.

“Should we give guns to these people”, the SG asked rhetorically. Then said, their responsibility is to promote culture and development and not to use our might to kill our fellow brothers and sisters. He concluded that he had to clarify on the NOWEFU president’s worry, which he said, the culture of the North West needs to be regained with the upliftment of the ban on gun firing.