Mamada Estate Rises From Its Ashes

In 1904, Mamada wandered with his cattle through the Savannah to Nja (empty land in Fulfude) where he founded a grazing community thanks to a gift of land from the Bambili Chief. In appreciation for the gift, Mamada gave the chief 14 cows.

As a thriving grazing community, Bamenda during the German and British period, relied on the Mamada for its beef supply. The herd started dwindling when the old Mamada died in 1964, leaving the community in the care of Ardo Adamu Bi Mamada .

In 2009 the Archbishop of Bamenda was looking for land to build the Catholic University of Cameroon. Archbishop Cornelius Fontem Esua was misled by some elements of the local administration to apply for a land concession over the occupied and developed Mbororo community land.

A protracted crisis erupted bringing in Achobang, the human rights activist and land rights campaigner.

On 19 March 2014, the Catholic Archbishop attempted to demolish the houses belonging to 300 Mbororo but was halted by the intervention of the Mbororo and Achobang. On that same day, the United Nations Independent Expert on Minority issues, Rita Iazak presented her report on the Hunan Rights situation of indigenous peoples and minorities at the General Assembly of the United Nations.

Unperturbed by media articles and mountains of proof that Mamada Estates could not be prescribed, alienated, expropriated or attached for any project, embolden by the corruption of the local administrations, and the easy induction of the regional governor into the Catholic Men Association, Cornelius Fontem Esua, escorted by paramilitary troops and supported by Vincent Nji Ndumu, marched caterpillars to Mamada Estates.

On 3 April 2014, over two dozen houses, homes to more than 300 Mbororo ethnic minority people were demolished. Meanwhile hired killers were dispatched to kill Fon Achobang, the human rights activists. Corrupt judges also issued three arrest warrants for Fon Achobang.

Achobang went underground and continued his media campaign lobbying and advocacy.

Fifteen days after the demolitions, the archbishop announced that he was withdrawing from the Mamada Estates.

Today, the International Land Coalition, Center for Environment and Development and others have succeeded in building one of the houses demolished. After spending over 3 million FCFA, the network of civil society organizations was forced to hand over the uncompleted house to the Mbororo chief. The community advised to raise funds and complete the building.

This was the same house the archbishop proposed 1,175,000 as compensation. Yet, with 3,000,000 the civil societies handed an uncompleted house to the community.

The rest of the community is still living in tin walls. The Bambili community which was a collateral casualty of the land fraud is still to receive the attention of the international community.

Fon Christopher Achobang
Social Commentator, Human rights activist
The Cameroons
Tel, (237) 699 36 59 54
(237) 674 21 10 66