Ndzah Land Dispute: Bamenda Archdiocese Decides to Withdraw

The Archdiocese of Bamenda has announced that they are withdrawing from the disputed piece of land at Ndzah. The Archbishop His Grace Fontem Cornelius Esua made the statement today April 15, 2014 while addressing Christians at the Mankon Cathedral during a chrism mass.

Speaking to Ndeh Richard of Evangelum Radio, His Grace Fontem Cornelius declared that the Bamenda Archdiocese acquired the piece of land after all the necessary steps were taken but when they wanted to develop the piece of land, a group Mbororo led by a certain Achombang attacked workers and destroyed the caterpillar, Archdiocese vehicle and attacked the Director of Lands at the Archdiocese. He said following threats, "if the land is given to us we cannot be there in peace, we have continued to suffer in silence".

It should be recalled that this land which was acquired for the construction of the Catholic University of Cameroon-Bamenda sparked controversy when members of the Mbororo Community (men, women and children) of Ndzah stormed the premise of the Bamenda Catholic University to express their hopelessness in a sit-down strike after houses were demolished on the said piece of land.

The Eye gathered that for the sake of humanity and not to allow some people to drag the image of the Catholic Church in mud, CATUC decided to withdraw from the disputed piece of land. The decision by His Grace Fontem Cornelius however has had diversified interpretations. To some catholic Christians, the decision by the Bamenda Archdiocese to quit the disputed land is the most previous gift the church has offered to humanity. Yet to human rights activists, the decision is late and untimely.

Chongsi Joseph Ayeah, Executive Director of Centre for Human Rights and Peace Advocacy-CHRAPA, says this decision would have been taken earlier enough not to put the Mbororo Community in depression. He said the Church should admit the errors committed and should also repair the damages caused because actually “some people are sleeping in the open air” and homeless.

However, we are still expecting a communiqué from the Bamenda Archdiocese on this decision which has put an end to the brouhaha between the Bamenda Archdiocese and the Ndzah Mbororo Community at the Mamada hills.

By Abongwa Fozo