CI-NEWS

Momo IDPs question wherebouts of elites.

2019-07-16

No: 436

Momo IDPs question wherebouts of elites.

By Etoh Anzah George in Bamenda

The Anglophone problem which later degenerated into a crisis has seen diverse mediums of tension reduction and appeasement in many divisions of both the North West and South West regions. The displaced persons of most of these war-torn villages whose homes were razed by either separatists or the regular military have in the past been benefactors to aid of diverse sorts from either their elites or the government.

The Late Tandeng Muna and Assiera gave a sense of belonging to the people of some parts of Momo (Mbengwi and Batibo) during such moments of crisis. Conspicuously the trend and evolution of affairs seems to have seen a wrong turn and flow of the waters as many IDPs who hail either from the Njikwa, Ngie, Mbengwi, Batibo, or Widikum can barely boast of donations from their elites.

Minister Mbah Acha Rose Fomundam, minister of the Supreme State audit Office (CONSUPE), has organised a few aid distribution caravans in Yaounde and Douala to cater for the needs of Momo IDPs based in these towns but those who remained at home complain they have been abandoned by their elites.

Most of the IDPs who are located in some areas of the Bamenda II municipality told The Horizon they have never been visited or called by any of their elites for a donation or word of encouragement of what ever sort." It’s terrible we are living in such conditions. When it’s elections time they are able to take the journey through the mud and make it down to the villages of Tinechung,Banya, Ikweri, Konda, Bakoh, Ikwebo, Guzang, Kurubei, Ngyenmbo, Guzang, Guka and others but now we aren’t in the villages but in town yet they have abandoned us. This is bad faith and we least expected such from people whom we gave our votes and trust hoping they will be of help and remedy owing to our present plight. We are living in horrible conditions. We can barely afford a mattress and it may have to serve a family of 5 or 6.Our belongings were razed and even the motor bikes burnt down. Where do our husbands start from? We had hope living in the villages with cell phones but owing to the looting we lost them and made the tedious journey to town with no contacts and like novices ,no contacts can be gotten or reached. If at all someone had called us to give us hope we could have been happy. It’s frustrating to know that some us were hunted by the other camp with instigations from GOD knows who owing to our party affiliation. Worst of all we see other IDPs flanked by their elites of both the ruling and opposition parties giving food stuffs to their brothers and we are forced to pose the question are we still humans or if we are do we really have elites? "

The above lamentations by some of the IDPs call for a pity party with the question what is the way forward? Senators and MPs nationwide are entitled to a running budget and this probes us into what then has been done to quench or wipe the tears of these masses. In addition "we are not asking for so much, a word of encouragement and hope makes it much better .We could only see Madam Rose Mbah Acha drop us some bags of rice and other basics but knowing that more would have been done owing to the calibre of persons we have in the present government makes it sad and terrible. When they need us we show up; when we need them they disappear and certainly when it’s elections time they will resurface from somewhere with cubes of savon, cooking oil, low quality tee- shirts, cups of rice and tons of propaganda with the assurance that the head of state knows our problem and is looking into it. If these people who we see cannot give us a fish, a hook, a net, or access to the sea so we fetch for ourselves how then can we be sure they will carry our worries to the appropriate quarters?” queried one of the Bamenda-based IDPs.

“We were promised a road to Njikwa which we saluted with joy at the launch of presidential elections. What has become of it ? We clamoured for electricity and we were told plans are underway for us to be served. As we speak no ground work has been laid to have these down in our areas. Worse still for 3 years and counting we live in a world of uncertainty with our areas completely or partially blank. Who then may benefit from these if at all they ever come?” complained another.

The tale of recriminations against Momo elite is taken up by another disappoited son of the soil in these words;

“Seminars are organized on peace building and no one thinks of Momo in general or the remote Konda, Ikweri, Ngwo and other villages in particular. If we were Nazareth in Jesus’ days to be doubted of a possibility of harvesting any good from, we would have been contented but worst still we had always contributed in nation building by tilling our own soils to feed other towns that make up the nation with most of our elites even receiving some of these as a blessing in their 4×4 Toyota Prado and Hilux cars upon return to the towns. What we thought was a way paver for better days yet when we expect our days to be better it has turned out to be a nightmare."

Another quipped: “We are forced to think the scratch my back syndrome was a scam by our elites on both flanks and consequently as a barber their hair will grow".

On the understanding therefore that one good turn deserves another, nothing more could have been expected by a people whose efforts have been vested for the reconstruction of the political phase of their locality.

It should be noted this is not the first time Momo IDPs have lamented and clamoured for assistance. During the presidential elections and campaigns, the SDO for Momo Absalom Monono Woloa, is cited to have said "stop building Metta quarters in Mankon and return home".This statement was a direct address to the fleeing IDPs whom he said had deserted their homes whereas there is nothing to worry about as Momo is calm. If this therefore is saluted as true why then have the people continued to remain out of their places of origin? Correspondent reports equally hold that most councils around the North West and Momo particularly have turned Bamenda as their first home with their council sessions holding behind closed doors. Who then are they afraid of? Is it the masses they abandoned or the enemy we are yet to figure out? Some palaces, homes and schools have been razed and nobody seems to be concerned. The gateway therefore is the question who is treating who with bad faith?

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Momo IDPs question wherebouts of elites.