Separatist Lockdown ‘Gifts’ Anglophone Regions five days Public Holiday as Cameroon Celebrates National Day

By Tata Mbunwe

Cameroonians in the English-speaking Regions of the country have already spent the second day of a five days public holiday that stretches from Thursday, May 18, to Monday, May 22, inclusive.

The holidays have been influenced by a number of events including Ascension Day, separatist lockdowns, National Day, Sunday and Monday Ghost Town.

Across the country, the holidays began on Thursday, May 18, with Ascension Day, which was declared a public holiday nationwide.

While the eight French-speaking Regions resumed activities on Friday, May 19, socio-economic activities in most parts of the English-speaking Regions remained shut down thanks to a separatist-imposed lockdown aimed to frustrate National Day celebrations on May 20.

Saturday, the 20th of May, 2023, marks 51 years since the abolition of a two-state federation between the French and English-speaking Regions of Cameroon. The day will be a public holiday nationwide, characterized by military and civilian parades.

However, many parts of the English-speaking Regions will still be cloaked in ghost towns. The popular murmur around neighborhoods in the Northwest and South West is that the separatist fighters called for a two-day lockdown – on Friday and Saturday. The lack of confirmation of this, only adds to the uncertainty, which breeds fear and forces people to stay indoors.

However, celebrations are expected to take place in Major towns and cities of the two Regions where there is sufficient security cover for government officials and the participating population.

Meanwhile, in the suburbs, mostly military officers and top government officials have usually attended National Day celebrations for the past six years of the ongoing Anglophone Crisis. It is expected that the same situation will repeat itself tomorrow.

The fourth day of the five-day holiday will be Sunday, a natural public holiday for Cameroon as it is a majority Christian country.

As the French-speaking Regions bounce back with socio-economic activities on Monday, May 22, most parts of the English-speaking Regions will be observing one more holiday, the regular Monday lockdowns.

Separatists instituted it in 2017, as a form of civil disobedience against the Biya government in Yaounde.

While most commercial activities are usually grounded, government and private offices have usually remained closed in most parts of the two Regions as well.

For the general population, many have adapted to Mondays being part of the weekend.

The impact of these lockdowns, in addition to the already dire conditions faced by inhabitants of the two regions, is immeasurable. The last lockdown declared by the separatists resulted in them killing CDC workers in Tiko, for failing to observe the ultimatum.

Mimi Mefo Info