By Tata Mbunwe
The famous Saint Joseph College Sasse and Bishop Rogan College Small Soppo made a grand reappearance at the National Day march past in Buea on May 20, 2024.
This was their first participation in several years following a pronged absence caused by the ongoing Anglophone Crisis.
The all-boys dormitory colleges, esteemed among the best secondary schools in the South West, had been absent from previous celebrations due to security concerns.
Their return was received with enthusiastic cheers from the hundreds of people who spectated the event at the Buea Reunification Square.
Sasse College students, dressed in black trousers and crisp white shirts, glided through the grandstand with ease, and confidence that attracted cheers from the spectating crowd.
Accompanied by some of their teachers, Bishop Rogan students followed closely after Sasse, dressed in a similar attire.
The schools’ proprietor, Bishop of Buea, Micheal Bibi, visibly beamed with pride as he watched the two prestigious institutions partake in the march past after a long period of absence.
Mgr Bibi, who has repeatedly championed school resumption calls in the Anglophone Regions, was among several religious, administrative and military officials who spectated the march past in Buea.
Turnout by colleges, and the population for national events like 20th May has been timid, even in Buea, the headquarters of the South West, where there is ample military presence.
Bishop Rogan and Sasse College had been forced to boycott celebrations for the past years due to separatists’ threats on education in the English-speaking Regions.
These groups have targeted educational institutions, leading to attacks and serious disruptions.
Sasse College, in particular, was hard-hit and had to relocate its students to the premises of Bishop Rogan College at the height of the crisis.
Notably, on the night of Sunday, September 17, 2018, armed men disguised as civilians stormed the Sasse College campus, attacking students and staff, causing several injuries.
Additionally, on January 6, 2021, a suspicious fire incident at one of the school’s dormitories was blamed on an electrical fault, although suspicions of separatist involvement persisted.
Despite these challenges, the situation appears to have improved, at least temporarily.
Human rights and religious groups have strongly condemned the attacks on schools, leading to a reduction in threats to education.
This change in circumstances allowed for the triumphant return of Sasse and Bishop Rogan Colleges to the National Day celebrations.
The presence of these colleges at the march past in Buea injected renewed excitement into the National Day festivities. Historically, the celebrations provided a platform for schools to showcase their discipline, attire, and marching skills.
The return of Sasse and Bishop Rogan Colleges revived this competitive spirit and sense of community pride.
A number of other secondary schools also partook in the march past in Buea, despite the low turnout of private schools and some government schools in the Municipality.
