A couple of weeks ago on our way from Mbonge, we had a breakdown at Mabonji Bakundu,so we decided to relax at the local market square while waiting on the driver to have the car fixed.To our greatest dismay, the bar owner was a non-Oroko,worse of all was that,even the guys who sold plantains and cocoyams by the roadside, were not Oroko.
This observation reminded me of similar cases and situations within the Orokoland in which we have to beg strangers inorder to feed, clothe, convey or house ourselves. Strangers have taken over all the businesses and entrepreneurial initiatives within the Orokoland, from Bamusso to Konye, from Toko to Ekondo Titi, we have become tenants and second class citizens in our very land. All the businesses, boutiques, tailoring workshops, hairdressing saloons, lodging facilities and transport vehicles are owned, managed and run by strangers. This has become so controversial such that even Oroko cuisine has been taken over by these strangers.
From the honey sellers of Fabe,to the ngakanga sellers of Dikome Balue, the nyamangoro sellers of Mbonge Marumba, the palm wine sellers of Bongongo 1 Barombi, the yam sellers of Banga Bakundu, the garri and waterfufu mongers of Bombe Bakundu, the wood merchants of Konye, the bush mango sellers of Toko, the clando drivers at Mbonge road (Mile 1 Motor Park) Kumba to the cashew sellers of Big Massaka, the cocoa carriers of Weme Balue, the bar owners of Mundemba, the cocoa buyers of Ekombe Bonji, the palm oil dealers of Bekora Barombi, the zwa zwa sellers of Big Nganjo and the mechanics of Ekondo Titi, have been invaded and in some instances overtaken by non Oroko.
An Oroko man can be president of Lobe Credit Union but what difference does it make if you intend taking a loan, paying back or if you fail to pay back?All the decisions are taken by strangers and management is run by strangers at their offices of Ekondo Titi, Lobe Estate, Bai Estate and Mile 17 Buea.All the branches are headed by strangers despite the fact that Oroko people are at the very forefront of this financial house. The demise of Therese Eboka a couple of years ago, was another darkness that befell the Oroko man in their quest for financial power. Auntie Therese was branch manager of MC2 microfinance establishment in Ekondo Titi, with she died the financial power we sought and now, we have remained beggars. Oroko people have no financial monopoly, they must beg from the northwesterners or westerners even during very precarious circumstances like back to school, elections, sickness, weddings, farm projects and funerals. All the financial houses and some 'njangis' are run by these strangers who impose severe penalties and conditions on the Oroko man in order to benefit from their services.The rumpi project came with a few digressions but what has become of them?Tell me, i have no idea!
Travelling within the Oroko has become a nightmare because this sector is manned by total strangers, just try arguing with Park Guys of Mbonge Road, Mundemba Park, Konye Park or the guys hanging around the Banga Bakundu Park, most of or all of them are strangers to our land,some don't even speak pidgin just French.Even the numerous Okada boys at Big Bekondo Junction, 3-corners Ekombe, Illoani Square, Ekondo Titi and those of Bafaka Balue Park in Bekora Barombi, are mostly strangers,so what has become of our Oroko youths and adults?Is it because we are not enterprising or is it because we don't have the means to or is it because we the Oroko are a bunch of lazy cowards waiting for manna to fall from heaven as in the days of Moses?
To these questions, a recent even comes to mind.About a year ago, i attended a meeting in Bombe Bakundu organized by an Oroko gentleman from Denmark.This meeting was aimed at brainstorming on how to create, run and manage an Oroko Bank Plc and it was coordinated by an Oroko banking professor at the Buea University.It was during that meeting that i got to know Oroko had such brilliant youths including an expert in banking who also doubles as a university professor.The events of this meeting still puzzle me till date and all i know is that, about 63 Oroko elites from all the clans were invited including chiefs, mayors, ministers, magistrates, lawyers, policemen,gendarmes, DOs/SDOs,parliamentarians,businessmen/women etc etc but to my greatest surprise, out of the 63 just 8 turned-up.The guy who had contacts in Europe and his coordinator in Cameroon, were very disappointed.Some of the calls and text messages, they received were very nauseating. I also got to learn of threats received from many Oroko stalwarts because they didn't ask for their concern and permission before taking such a step because, they were the policy and decision makers of the Oroko, little boys don't tell old men and women what to do or don't take decisions when old men and women are still alive.That is how, this good initiative was terminated and the young man returned to Denmark with his ideas and connections.
Many of such good initiatives have been taken by Oroko youths but have received stiff opposition and contrasting views from those who call themselves 'Oroko Senior Elites'.Many Oroko well-wishers have brilliant ideas but are killed along their paths especially if they disagree, jealousy, envy and witch-hunting jumps in.Sometimes, the very judicial system that is supposed to protect them, turns round to hammer them, the social system, the taxation system, the enam and council boys also contribute directly in planning your chute libre.
As someone once said to me, wicked people continue to enact evil because the few good people who exist decide to do nothing about this evil. It is time for Oroko people to become first class citizens, claim their right and push-out these people who continue to preach evil, who represent evil and who want the Oroko to remain in darkness.Yes, we can be like others, we can run our own businesses, we can be general managers of companies, we can start, run and manage our own banks, transport companies and manufacturing industries.
God bless the Oroko.
Excellent as always. One of the biggest problems we encounter in most of our projects is, we skip the sensitization phase to the implementation phase. In most projects, which are executed, there is hardly feasibility studies done before such projects enter the implementation phase.
ReplyDeleteAbout the resistance that projects in Orokoland face from the indigenes themselves, you are very correct. The demise of the any Oroko project is often brought about by our people more or less than others. That is where sensitization aspect is actualized, to confront and deal with all with the known vices before the project starts.
Also, the absence of financial institutions, where our people can have direct access to loans and bypass these ruthless non-oroko loan-givers who impose severe repayment conditions (most of it is to make the lenders the new owner of the borrower's land), is the root cause of the disfranchisement. Take for example what our salaried natives go through because of the lack of financial institutions in all of Orokoland. They pay huge cost to transport themselves to kumba and by the time they return to their base, half of their salaries must have been unscrupulously used.
As part solution of the solution to this problem I see the Ndian Economic Development Forum, which is to be organized on December 14 through December 17, 2014 as a summit to energize and arm the Oroko indigenes.
It is disheartening dear. I have observed that too, but we are taking over now. I own the first anglophone investment management, and investment banking company in Cameroon investing in stocks, bonds, T-bills, etc. I know of so many Oroko youths that own big businesses that cuts across Africa too; Nanje Churchill Mambe-the founder of the largestjob search engine in Africa (www.njorku.com), Otto Akama, the founder of Skademy, etc. We are moving forward dear and i wish to appreciate your efforts in promoting the Oroko people. I suggest that you also concentrate on the positive aspect of our people. Thanks
ReplyDeleteMy company is Njioh Investment Group Plc
DeleteThank you sir for taking time to visit my blog.I know we are working hard as the new generation of Bana ba Oroko with each person contributing in his or her own way towards this stride.We are evolving though slowly but surely making our way upstream.
DeleteI wish you all the best in your various undertakings as you fly high the Oroko flag.I have also visited Tata Mambe's njorku.com, never heard of it not till now.
kofa ni kpang bere!bere!bere! nyama na fembe eh!.