Thousands of people flooded streets across Buea, headquarters of the South West Region, at midnight on December 31, 2023, to welcome the new year, 2024.
The air was filled with excitement as the clock ushered in the new year, and the skies above Molyko burst into a dazzling array of fireworks.
Jubilant cheers, songs, and dances echoed through the streets, creating a lively atmosphere that resonated with the spirit of renewal and hope for the future.
The streets, usually devoid of such midnight exuberance, experienced a traffic jam.
Revellers emerged from worship halls and local drinking spots, converging in a joyous collage of diverse faces, all united in their eagerness to embrace the promises of 2024.
Church houses across the city reported excessive attendance, with worshippers spilling outside the Presbyterian Church Molyko and other establishments hosting special New Year services.
The overflow of faith spilt into the streets as the faithful joined the city-wide celebration.
Neighbourhoods like Muea, which has been a frequent target of separatist attacks, enthusiastically participated in the festivities.
Residents took to the streets, igniting burnt car tyres and clanking pot covers in jubilation—a stark contrast to the usual stillness that blankets the city late at night.
The lively celebrations persisted well into the early hours of New Year’s Day, defying the tradition of a ghost town on Mondays that separatists have imposed in the English-speaking regions since 2017.
This unique alignment allowed the jubilant population to celebrate without the constraints of the usual Monday morning silence.
While the city still grapples with the aftermath of conflict and the challenges of the Anglophone Crisis, the New Year’s celebrations in Buea served as a testament to the indomitable spirit of its people.
In the face of adversity, the community came together to usher in 2024 with fervour, unity, and a collective resolve to forge ahead into a brighter future.
At some of the churches where crossover nights were organised, this was the message passed across to listeners.
At the Molyko Co-Cathedral of the Catholic Church, the sermon drawn from Luke 4:18–19 emphasised deliverance from captivity and liberty to those who are bruised.
Many of those who attended the crossover night service in church will only find their way back to church at the same time next year.
