Fru Ndi’s stance on Anglophone crisis that earned him enemies and friends even in death.

By David Atangana

The Social Democratic Front (SDF), one of Cameroon’s main opposition party, is mourning following the death of its long-time party chairman Ni John Fru Ndi on Monday, June 12, 2023.

John Fru Ndi is arguably one of Cameroon’s political heavyweights — and has been described by many many, as the “father of the country’s democracy.”

Before his exit, he made enemies and friends for himself – following his stands on the raging fight for the independence of Cameroon’s Anglophone regions.

At the start of the ongoing armed Separatist conflict, proponents of an independent state of Ambazonia in the English-speaking regions unsuccessfully mounted pressure for the late opposition leader to weigh into the separatist cause.

With his party planted all over the national territory, he declared that his party’s vision for Cameroon remained a federal system of government.

But Fru Ndi’s stands appeared as though he was closer to the regime as he was not seen as a threat to the territorial integrity of the state.

In 2018, Fru Ndi wrote a letter to President Paul Biya drawing his attention to daily atrocities and the urgent need for a peaceful resolution.

“I must draw your attention to the daily atrocities in this part of our country (English-speaking areas). Every day that passes, an innocent Cameroonian dies, a woman loses her husband,” Fru Ndi wrote in the letter.

During his lifetime, he made several pronouncements about the crisis blaming both government and the Separatist leaders.

On the question of secession of the English-speaking regions he on several occasions said he is “an Anglophone but against secession from Cameroon, has blaming incumbent Biya for the crisis and the deterioration of the security situation in English-speaking Cameroon”.

His pronouncements and stands did not go down well with the Separatists as he was twice kidnapped by Separatists armed fighters.

In April 2019, while traveling to Kumbo for the burial of an SDF member of Parliament, he was abducted and forced at gunpoint to declare support for the Separatist movement by withdrawing all his representatives from Cameroon’s Parliament.

The courageous Fru Ndi declined to take such a move saying, “It would be counterproductive to boycott the only forum where they could talk to President Biya.”

He was however released a few hours later unconditionally.

Ridicule

In June of the same year, armed gunmen stormed Fru Ndi’s residence in Bamenda and led him away.

Unlike the first incident, this time he was subjected to beating, insults, and being dragged through the mud.

After being dragged out of his home, he was forced into a van and driven off to an unknown location. His bodyguard was shot in the leg during the incident and rushed to a hospital

The Ambazonia Defense Force, ADF, an armed militia active in Bamenda claimed responsibility for his abduction.

After a night in Separatist captivity under deplorable conditions, Fru Ndi was given an ultimatum by the fighters who demanded that,” he declared on camera that he would recall all SDF parliamentarians and mayors within 24 hours.”

Statements by Separatists argued that “the SDF harmed their cause,” which Fru Ndi countered by arguing that “the party had done a lot for Anglophone Cameroonians,”

He promised to consult with his party and get back to the fighters before he was let go.

Following his release, his family and properties were repeatedly targeted forcing the veteran politician to relocate and take permanent residence in Cameroon’s Capital Yaounde where his health deteriorated.