West: Fondonera inhabitants storm brigade after officer slaps chief
His Royal Highness Junior Tebu Chedu of the Fondonera, a clan in the West region of Cameroon was reportedly slapped by a Gendarmerie element on duty. Reports say the chief was asked by the Gendarme to step out of his car and present his car documents. Following a misunderstanding between the two, the chief reportedly refused to step out of his vehicle and was assaulted by the element on duty.
This incident occured in the late hours of Wednesday February 08 at about 4pm around the Dschang hill. Inhabitants of Fondonera village were angered by the incident and decided to storm the gendermarie office holding peace plants and singing.
” How dare he question the authority of our traditional ruler? No respect for a chief and we are in Africa and we know how important our tradition is, not to mention our traditional rulers for a Gendarme to lay his hands on a chief,” Fomum John an inhabitant of the Fondonera village said.
” It is a very big shame and what we call a slap to our tradition. In fact ill luck for a chief to recieve a slap. Cameroon and its youths now have no regard for tradition. We are so angry and can not let this slide else worst may happen in the future. Justice for our chief and that is why we are here. The plants we carry are a symbol of justice and peace,” Ngonke Patrice said.
” The Cameroon military personally have grown horns and have no respect for anyone aside the government. They act as they please and think they are untouchable. Well we are here today to show them that they are not above the law and tradition must be respected,” Jean Martinz Lameh added.
The protest paralysed circulation around the Dschang – Melong road for several minutes until the Senior Divisional Officer for Menoua division arrived the scene.
