Senseless Killings In NW, SW: Mafor Yah Sunday, NW Queen Mothers Condemn, Mourn Killed Dibanda Chief, Others

By Doh Bertrand Nua 

Queen Mothers (Mafors) and female title holders in particular and mothers in general from the North West region have in very strong terms condemned the recent killing of HRH Ngale Ikome, traditional ruler of Dibanda village, Buea Sub Division, South West Region by unknown gunmen suspected to be separatist fighters and other ongoing senseless killing of children, women and other civilians by belligerents in the ongoing armed conflict in the two Anglophone regions.

Mafor Judith Yah Sunday, other Queen Mothers gather in Bamenda to condemn ongoing killings 

The Mafors, title women and close to a thousand other women from all walks of life drawn from across the region made the outcry Thursday 24 December 2020 at the Bamenda Commercial Avenue Grand Stand. 

The Queen Mothers through a statement read by the Mafor of Bambui expressed their indignation to ongoing killings across the two regions and urged belligerents to end the bloodshed.

 

“We the Queen mothers (Mafors) of the North West Region deplore and condemn in the strongest terms the constant killing of our children since the escalation of the crisis in our beloved Anglophone regions. Last December 13, HRH Chief Ngale Ikome of Dibanda village in Fako Division of the South was gruesomely murdered in captivity. Months ago, it was Ngarbu, before we could wipe off our tears Comfort Tumasang was chopped into pieces in Muyuka while Florence Ayafor was reserved the same fate in Santa. And most recently, seven of our children were brutally assassinated in Kumba last October 24, 2020 as they sought to study,” stated the Mafor of Bambui in a memo she read on behalf of all the NW Mafors. 

NW Queen Mothers condemn killings 

The mothers in general and the Queen mothers in particular unequivocally stated that they are the hardest hit in the crisis that has forced them to live through the unbearable pain of seeing their offspring die daily due to the crisis.

“We the Mafors of the North West region gathered here today, while mourning these killings to express our indignation and deep pain and to say NEVER AGAIN. We yearn for peace. Drop the guns and stop the violence,” they further appealed to belligerent groups, adding that as Queen mothers, they do not discriminate but are bound to protect the lives of our offspring. 

“Our offspring have been dying in their numbers because of this violence and we come to cry that the killing should stop. As Queen mothers we uphold the sanctity of life and the protection of all human lives in and out of our communities. We plead sincerely with the belligerents to render our two Anglophone regions peaceful as they used to be,” they pleaded while begging belligerents never to target children again. 

Mothers cried and prayed God in their various local languages to provide a solution to the conflict. They staged a walk along the Bamenda Commercial Avenue to show their resentment to the killings with placards conveying varied messages all condemning the acts and begging belligerent groups to sue for peace. 

“Our children deserve their right to education, we the women are hardest hit in this crisis, for the fallen, we want pens not guns, the crisis has taken us decades back, together let’s put a stop to this crisis, Ngarbu, Kumba never again, stop the killings,” read some of the messages brandished by the women. 

Also present at the event was the Fon of Bawock, who, joined the women to pray and lament the incessant killings and atrocities.