Akwaya traditional chiefs, elites and church plead for return to peace

Political elites, Chiefs of Akwaya sub-division, the Presbytarian Church of Cameroon Moderator, The Right Reverend Fonki Samuel Forba and other personalities have met in Buea to evaluate the Messaga Ekol arson. It is reported that the Oliti people out of greed for land and other ulterior motives invaded the Messaga Ekol village with the aid of hired gunmen and gruesomely killed children, girls, women, and men in cold blood.

The over 100 Akwaya elites in attendance have resolved that the action was barbaric and should never be repeated.

The main resolutions of the Akwaya meeting can be summarized under five major points. The first is that a committee be established to bring key stakeholders across the sub-division together to work for the peaceful resolution of the crisis plaguing the entire sub-division.

Another is that all parties involved in the killings should unconditionally and immediately lay down their arms and allow the peace process to move forward.

Any village that ever attacks another for whatever reason should bear in mind that other villages will intervene.

During the Buea gathering, the attendees recognized that the socio-political crisis has rendered human lives valueless and has turned brothers against each other. This, they say, will invite curses on the people.

It should be recalled that on April 29, 2022, Oliti people attacked and killed at least 20 Messaga Ekol natives on their farms and this prompted a retaliation from the Messaga Ekol people.

In the first attack, about 20 people were allegedly killed and 65 injured. Dozen more were reportedly killed in the second attack.

The PCC Moderator, the Rt. Rev. Fonki Samuel Forba on Monday June 27 released a communique in which he qualified as “so terrible, wicked, disheartening and highest manifestation of evil the unscrupulous gruesome killings of their own children, brothers and sisters”.

Some villagers have criticized the silence of local authorities.

Meantime, the Akwaya elites have created a steering committee to liaise with the administration of the sub-division to convene another enlarged meeting in the days ahead to discuss the evolution of the peaceful process and device possible strategies to end the bloody conflict.