If there is one Division in the Northwest that has suffered most severely from the ongoing Anglophone Crisis over the past nine years, it is Bui Division. Its headquarters, Kumbo, is now a shadow of its former self.
For years, Amba fighters have established a permanent presence in Bui, using it as a base to recruit and train fighters who are then deployed across the regions to carry-out their operations.
A visit to Kumbo today reveals a stark contrast to its vibrant past. The once-bustling town, with squares as the centre, overlooked by the cathedral, now stands abandoned. The lively commercial hub, where activity thrived round the clock, has fallen silent. Nightclubs, beer parlours, and the famous roadside soya stalls at Squares, Tobin, Ta-Mbveh, and St. Augustine Junction are all gone.
It is against this backdrop that Northwest Governor, Adolphe Lele L’Afrique Tchoffo Deben, issued an urgent appeal to the newly-installed Senior Divisional Officer, SDO, for Bui, Saidou Mousa.
During the installation ceremony over the weekend, Governor Lele delivered a concise but powerful directive, “Restore Kumbo’s former glory. Ensure the full resumption of schools—these children are desperate for education. Businesses are eager to revive. And critically, ensure all residents return home peacefully for the population census scheduled for early next year.”
The Governor’s instructions were met with solemn acknowledgement, underscoring the gravity of the task ahead of the new SDO.
By Ta Nformi Chris Mbunwe