Anglophone crisis: Mafor Yah Sunday, NW Queen Mothers Condemn, Mourn Killings, Pray For Peace

By Doh Bertrand Nua 

Female traditional title holders (Mafors) of the North West region in particular and mothers in general have once more rallied in Bamenda to condemn, mourn and pray for the souls of those recently killed by belligerent groups in the senseless conflict in the North West and South West regions.

NW Queen mothers condemn recent killings, pray for peace

The angry queen mothers who were gathered Sunday 24 January 2021 at the Commercial Avenue Grand Stand thanks to the efforts of the General Manager of Cameroon Telecommunications, CAMTEL, Judith Yah Sunday epse Achidi, prayed God for a solution to the conflict. 

They also appealed to the consciences of belligerent forces, urging them to give peace a chance, rethink their strategy and stop the killing of innocent women and children. The outing of the queen mothers which is the third in less than three months follows recent waving of killings that has rocked the two regions in less than a month. 

NW Queen mothers demand end to bloodshed 

To recall is the fact that about 15 persons have been killed in less than three weeks in the North West alone and about 9 in the South West. Separatist fighters ambushed the convoy of Momo SDO and killed four soldiers alongside the Divisional Delegate of Communication, attacked a security post near Matazen and killed three Gendarmes, a policeman and two civilians while four young men were killed Saturday 23 January following a shootout in Bamenda. 

This adds to the close to 9 persons including an old woman and a child killed in Mautu, near Muyuka in the South West region weeks back. The Queen Mothers through a memo read during the prayer session, expressed their indignation to these ongoing killings and urged warring parties 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,” they said. They 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, women again. 

Queen Mother of Akum

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 with placards bearing messages like “we want pens not guns, we never bargained for this, Ngarbu, Muyuka, Kumba, Never Again, women are the hardest hit by the crisis," among others to show their resentment to the killings while begging belligerents groups to sue for peace. 

The Queen Mothers recognised the efforts and sacrifices made by Mafor Yah Sunday Epse Achidi in organising the mournings since November 2020 following the Kumba school massacre and offered a special supplication to God, requesting Him to keep special watch over the CAMTEL GM, protect her from every danger so she can continue with her good works. 

They vowed to do monthly condemnations until their plea for the end to the bloodshed is heard by the warring camps.