The year 2023 etched its mark on Cameroonians with indelible strokes—not much of celebration but of profound sorrow and unwavering resilience.
From the mud-soaked slopes of the Mbankolo landslide to the rain-ravaged streets of Limbe, from the chilling echoes of the Mamfe massacre to the gut-wrenching collapse of a four-storey building in Douala, the year was a tapestry woven with threads of tragedy and loss.
Yet, amidst the darkness, flickered the indomitable spirit of a nation that refused to be bowed.
Natural Disasters Wreak Havoc
The year began with the earth groaning beneath the weight of tragedy.
On March 19, inhabitants of Buea were left in shock following a flood that caused a lot of material damage in the town, killing at least two, including a little girl.
The inundations were a result of a downpour that hit the “City of Legendary Hospitality” on the afternoon of Saturday, March 18, 2023.
Mud and water completely destroyed some houses and shops, while the pressure of the water completely collapsed others.
One of the two victims of the inundation was a Class Six pupil who was reportedly swept away by the water from the Bonalyonga neighborhood in Buea Town right to Babouti Street where her body was later found and retrieved.
Chief among the natural tragedies was a landslide that swept through Mbankolo neighbourhood in Yaounde on October 8 and killed 30 people.
The incident, which was blamed on poor town planning and administrative lapses, triggered nationwide mourning.
On July 19, the rains, relentless in their fury, wreaked havoc in Limbe, transforming the coastal town into a temporary lake, leaving more than 5 dead with several damages.
Floodwaters surged through homes and businesses, leaving behind a trail of devastation and displacement.
But the tide of despair didn’t drown out the spirit of the people.
Losses In Road Accidents
Road accidents were relentless in 2023, claiming dozens of lives and destroying millions worth of property.
One of the shocks came on May 26, when a tragic accident claimed the lives of almost 19 persons, most of them from the same family.
The relatives were heading to Edea for a burial when they met their doom.
The accident, like many that have occurred in the country, had its roots in bad driving or bad roads.
The accident spirit also devastated the entertainment industry, claiming three young, promising lives in just one month.
The first among them was that of Cabrel Nanjip, a popular comedian who died in a ghastly car accident on June 15.
His death was a shocker to the entertainment industry, as Cabrel was a dynamic figure who was able to perform as a comedian, actor, and musician.
When many were still trying to recover from the death of Cabrel Nanjip, another young comedian, Samuel Lenwr, passed away in a road accident.
Local reports said the comedian, whose real name is Mfegue Fefoué Leonard, was on his way to Kribi, South Region, when his life was cut short by the accident.
The young actor who was severely injured died early at about 3 am that July 6.
As though that wasn’t enough, another renowned comedian, Blaise Kalaba, perished in a ghastly road accident alongside four other persons on July 14.
The accidents ushered in one of the deadliest tragedies in Cameroon in 2023. On July 24, a building that collapsed in Douala resulted in 40 deaths.
MMI’s Washira Helene visited the site of the incident on Sunday, February 23, 2023, and found what was once a four-storey building, had become rubble of blocks and debris, from within which human remains were being pulled out.
A Nation In Turmoil
The armed conflict in the English-speaking Regions and the Boko Haram conflict in the Far North continued to have its toll in 2023, leaving a also left a wave of death and destruction.
Despite government reports that the situation was under control in the Anglophone Regions, separatists launched a series of attacks killing ordinary citizens and teachers.
The most recent of these attacks, the deadliest since the crisis started in 2016, occurred in Egbekaw, Mamfe on November 6, leaving 26 people dead.
The incident came after another heart wrenching killing of 10 people at Nacho Junction, Bamenda, on July 16.
Other notable incidents in the context of the crisis included the killing of five CDC workers in Tiko and injuring of 44 by separatists on February 11 and the killing of four at PAMOL Lobe estate on September 17.
The challenges of the Anglophone Crisis add to those of the Boko Haram conflict in the Far North Regions, which has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands since 2014.
In March 2023, the government reported that the conflict had displaced 3,000 more people that month.
These challenges further made life difficult for citizens who are also grappling with a rise in the prices of basic commodities.
Political and Social Ramifications
The crises and security challenges in the country have continued to be subjects of concern among the country’s population and political leaders.
In his end-of-year speech, the chairman of the Social Democratic Front, Hon Joshua Osih, blamed the crises on the “Biya regime’s catastrophic failures.”.
“In 2023, nearly 9.3 million compatriots who constitute our active workforce were in a situation of social insecurity. Most, if not all, of our youths had no choice but to resort to self-reliance and precarious informal jobs,” he said.
Moses Motapene, a resident of Buea, says aside from security challenges, the increase in prices of basic commodities has added to citizens’ woes.
“This is really touching the common man. The economy is hard. There is no money, but unfortunately, the prices of goods and services have increased so it’s making lots of people to go hungry,” he said in an interview.
Amid the numerous challenges facing the country, Cameroonians can only hope for the best, especially as the nation prepares for general elections in 2025.
The resilience displayed in the face of tragedy, be it natural disasters, economic hardship or armed conflict, underscores the enduring spirit of a nation unwilling to succumb to despair.
