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Nfon Mukete, the paramount ruler of the Bafaw people has raised his voice to condemn yesterday’s school attack in Kumba, South West Region of Cameroon.
Talking to reporters this Saturday, he noted that the situation is beyond that of Kumba alone, and has become a crisis of national concern.
“… What happened here in Kumba highlighted the wickedness, madness, craziness of what many have been facing but nobody ever expected that it could go this far. I reflect and I sometimes think about the ability of a human being raising a gun, pointing it at a girl child at point-blank range and actually pressing the trigger. The sequence of thought is just unimaginable… He lamented.
Noting that today’s peace march in Kumba would likely be reflected in other towns of the country, he explained that it simply highlighted the gravity of the problem
“… When one part of the nation is hit in this despicable way it becomes a matter for the nation and I think in that context we begin to see what really happened” he noted.
“… We pray that what is coming out from here, these lives lost should not have been lost for nothing. They will remain martyrs and … That should just be once upon a time never to repeat itself again” he added.
Reading the names of the victims of the incident, the traditional ruler went on to cite the case of 11-year-old Victory, one of the deceased kids, an only child born to a pastor. The pastor he recalled, waited nearly 9 years praying for a child.
“… You now begin to understand not just what Kumba people have been facing in Kumba, not just the South West region, all these villages, in Meme facing the most drastic hostage situations, but people in other parts might be going on with their lives … Let this mark a time where other parts of the country truly start feeling what is happening in the South West and North West regions… ” said.
To him Nfon Mukete, the incident touches him differently as he sees his people helpless. “… For me as fon of Kumba and Paramount leader of the Bafaw, it is particularly poignant for me. It is particularly touching” he said, adding that it, however, does not stop him from going to Kumba.
“… I pray other elites in other parts of the country should stop being run out of the town by fear. Fear is a dangerous thing. It is fear that made kids not to go school, it is fear that made four years lost in the education of our lost ones …” He told reporters.
He added that “… It is true there’s a security risk but a time must come and it is such a time like this when people must sit down and say ‘if children can be killed in Cold blood in a classroom, we have to say enough is enough’. If they want to kill us all let them go ahead but we have to say enough is enough…”
“… We pray that this will turn round to be the place where this war ended. This would turn out to be the place where these seven children who have been martyred would stand and be remembered as those who paid this ultimate sacrifice that would make each and everyone of us search our hearts and say enough is enough, let there be true peace” he ended.
The traditional ruler is one of several top personalities to voice their discontent following the school shooting that has left the entire nation and beyond in shock.
Image: Aljazeera
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