Massive attendance against common enemy

ECCAS officials, population and dance groups thronged the Conference Centre yesterday, February 16, 2015. If numbers were the only thing to count on against a common and dangerous group like Boko Haram, then the fight against the bestial group whose barbarism is beyond description would easily be won.

In fact, the attendance of senior administrative and security officials from the member countries of Central Africa at yesterday’s extraordinary session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Council for Peace and Security in Central Africa on the Fight against Boko Haram terrorist group was massive.

Like the senior officials who accompanied the Heads of State and Government of the sub region to seek a common, concrete and immediate solution to the growing terrorism, the population and diverse dance groups also turned up en masse to contribute their quota, at least in song and dance.

As diverse as the peoples were and their dance groups cutting across the cultural sphere of Cameroon, the enthusiasm was the same. Their presence in huge numbers may not necessarily have been to see the various Heads of State and Government and other leaders who answered present at the Yaounde historic summit, but more so to cheer them into coming up with lasting solutions to the growing Boko Haram incursions.

As the dance groups from North to South and East to West sang at the top of their voices and danced their best, the senior officials who filled the Conference Room of the Yaounde Conference Centre cheered speaker after speaker as they all explained why Boko Haram must be a fight of all for all. Reason why declarations like, “It’s a historic moment in the life of ECCAS.

It’s neither to handle a natural disaster that can be easily handled nor a rebellious groups with identifiable grievances, but to combat a nebulous group that is out for barbarism of all sorts” by the Secretary General of ECCAS, Ahmad Allam-Mi, attracted a thunderous applause from the summit participants and observers.

He said the fight against the guerilla warfare group demands collective and speedy action and in all coherence with other strategies that had already been undertaken. Which strategies, he like other speakers noted, must be uniform both in the political, diplomatic and humanitarian spheres.

The Presence of Cameroon’s First Lady, Chantal Biya, in the company of other women added colour to the event that needed ECCAS Heads of State and Government to imperatively mutualise their efforts to extinct the dangerous group.

Also, the participation of political leaders in Cameroon demonstrated that although there may be differences in political ideologies, Boko Haram is a common enemy that must be combated.

An appeal for a minute of silence in remembrance of soldiers and civilians who have perished in the war as well as galvanizing messages for those still fighting received a standing ovation from the audience.