In rare twist, German city names street after Rudolf Douala Manga Bell
By Hans Ngala
German authorities in the city of Ulm in the south of the country have named a central plaza after King Rudolf Douala Manga Bell. The Douala king studied in Germany and obtained the equivalent of a law degree at the University of Bonn.
Manga Bell was born in the 1873 and died in 1914 (just aged 41). He studied in both Kamerun and Europe and enjoyed quite a cozy relationship with German colonial authorities until around 1910 when the Germans planned to forcibly relocate the local Duala people further inland – accusing them of being the ones responsible for spreading malaria to the Germans.
Manga Bell was not happy with this idea and petitioned the German authorities to no avail. He eventually petitioned other European powers to overthrow the Germans without success.
Unfortunately for him, King Ibrahim Njoya of the Bamoum people reported Manga Bell to the Germans who summarily executed him in public on the 8th of August 1914. His last words were “You are hanging innocent blood. The consequences will be much greater”.
The naming of the street after him in Germany on October 7was attended by both Cameroonian officials as well as Manga Bell’s descendants.
It could be seen as an acknowledgement of ills by Germany during it’s more than 40 years of colonial rule in Cameroon which was also very brutal.
Earlier this year, Germany announced the return of the Ngonnso statue of the Nso people which the Germans took in 1905 from the Nso palace.
Manga Bell has been described by some scholars as the first Cameroonian nationalist for his strong opposition to the Germans.
It is not yet clear precisely why the Germans chose to honour Manga Bell like this after over 100 years of executing him simply for fighting against their injustice.
