Social Tension In NW/SW: Population Yearns For Normalcy

 While fear of the unknown continually grips the people, many are praying for normalcy to return so that they can live and let others live.

From a distance, it might sound like all residents of the North West and South West Regions are ardent supporters of the social tension that has gripped the two English-speaking parts of the country. But on the ground, reality points to something else. To say the least, the population has been mired in near total confusion.  Most of them have been taken hostage!

Field realities show that some of them are following the crowd; simply because they want to belong or fear reprisals, others are being used as relay agents of the divisive doctrines and many others are still on the fence.

The bottom line is that a good part of the population Cameroon Tribune met in Buea, Idenau, Limbe, Tiko, Muyuka, Kumba, Mamfe, Ekok and Fontem in the South West region, though almost wholly afraid of the unknown, are yearning to live and let others live. They said problems do exist, but solutions cannot come from intimidation and violence.

Preaching ghosts towns and schools, destroying property and subjecting fellow brothers and sisters to torture and intimidation by the same people decrying marginalisation, most of them agree, is simply self-marginalisation that dampens the future.

According to Francis Motia, Mathematics Teacher, St. Joseph College Sasse, the social tension is leaving a negative impact on the lives of poor citizens who are simply struggling to make ends meet. “We had not been paid for seven months from March to September.

So, we thought it wise that if students are not there, the situation will continue. We decided to come to school and to rally children and parents to come too,” he told CT. Like Francis Motia, other teachers we met in schools in the region were struggling to convince parents and children to come to school so that they too can teach and put food on their table.

Reason why Mary Mbi Tata, Head Teacher of Government School Ewelle, Eyumojock Sub division and some of her teachers have been going to school even with no pupil to teach. Others where enrolment is dismal are bound to combine classes, even if it means only to have five pupils or students to fully perform their duties.

This is more so by those on State’s payroll as others hitherto handled by the Parent Teachers’ Associations cannot be enrolled again for want of res...