Fon Doh Gayonga III of Bali Nyonga in the North West Region has acknowledged that his village has been practically inhabitable for the last three years.
A transit location between Nigeria and Cameroon, it has had its fair share of violence characterising the Anglophone regions. Several people have been killed, injured and many more displaced.
The last time the Fon was seen addressing his people was on September 22, 2017, when they assembled at his palace during a protest. The ruler, who is also a Senator, did not have very kind words for the protesters.
He also praised the presence of the forces of law and order in the village contrary to what his villagers wanted. The forces he said were there to maintain peace and security.
He and other notables later escaped the village as the violence escalated. There has since been the loss of lives as well as several rights violations in Bali Nyonga.
Fon Doh says it is time to return to peace. In a video on social media on May 20, Cameroon’s National Day, the notable says he is sad that many lives have been lost and property destroyed.
“I came because we had sanctified or blessed the palace and the village is yet to be sanctified, but I will bless it by the grace of God. I wish to remind my people that my grand and great grandfathers before crowning me Fon said I would rule over thieves, witches and all kinds of persons,” he told his subjects.
Declaring his palace open for all, he notes that it is essential to keep up with the proper management his ancestors had put in place.
“We should all work together to build and maintain peace in our beautiful land,” he pleaded.
Addressing the coronavirus pandemic, the leader said: “let’s maintain all hygienic rules put in place to prevent the contraction of this illness.”
Fon Doh’s recent outing has raised questions on his genuineness, as locals say he had earlier chosen politics over defending his people.
Mimi Mefo Info
