Chief Ikome John Eko of Bwassa village in Buea subdivision in the South West region of Cameroon has given a 24-hour ultimatum to people from the North West region of Cameroon to quit his community.
In a 3-minute, 57-second video making the rounds on social media since Monday, December 15, 2020, the traditional ruler, popularly known as Chief Moja Moja of Bwassa village, says, “As long as you are a Ngraffi, everyone from the North West should pack and leave this community. It’s a law from me.”
In the video, the traditional ruler, who doubles as a military man in the Cameroon army, adds that “Ngraffi people come here and kill chiefs and elites of Bakweri and those of the South West while they are not killing people in their region. They have to leave our land.”
Chief Moja Moja warns landlords in Bwassa and Likoko villages hosting people from the North West region to get rid of tenants from the region with immediate effect. “Any land lord caught keeping a Ngraffi man will face a heavier penalty,” Chief Moja Moja stated.
The chief of Bwassa alleges that separatist fighters in the South West region are mainly people from the North West who want the separation of Cameroon.
Observers in Cameroon have noted that the video of chief Moja Moja of Bwassa village making the rounds on social media with xenophobic calls is not the first.
Months ago, another video showed the chief beating a man he identified as coming from the North West region of Cameroon.
Before then, Chief Moja Moja called on the people of the South West to collectively chase away people from the North West. To him, North Westerners are evil.
Despite all these, administrative and military officials in Buea and the entire South West have remained silent. Their silence has been raising questions about whether they are complacent with xenophobic calls made by the traditional/military man at a time when the central government in Cameroon is calling for national unity and living together.
Mbatho Ntan.
