By Francis Tim Mbom
The new Nigerian High Commissioner to Cameroon, H.E. Edwin E. Edobor, has said plans to finally hand over the disputed oil-rich Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon, by his government, are right on course. H.E. Edobor was speaking to the press in Limbe on Sunday, November 14, at the Nigerian Union Office after a red-carpet reception offered him by his compatriots at the Limbe Urban Council Hall.Edobor said Nigeria failed to honour the timetable for the handover due to some “technical reasons.” He said the motion filed in the Nigerian Supreme Court lately by the Chief of the Bakassi area was just one of the technical reasons that botched the expected handover.
The Nigerian Supreme Court over-ruled the said motion and upheld that the Nigerian government had to abide by The Hague ruling of 2002, which declared Bakassi belonging Cameroon.
Earlier in the Council Hall, he told a crowd of well over 1000 Nigerians and some concerned Cameroonians, that there was virtually no problem between Cameroon and Nigeria.
“I don’t want anybody to feel that Nigeria and Cameroon have any problem,” Edobor said.
The Nigerian High Commissioner disclosed that one of the major agreements of the Nigeria-Cameroon Mixed Commission, a tarred road linking the two countries from Calabar in Nigeria through Mamfe to Mutengene in Fako Division, Cameroon, was already in progress.
He said the two countries have already contributed some money and they were presently sourcing for funds from other governments and donor agencies.
Resident Permit
Edobor told his complaining compatriots that their nightmares and traumas in relation to the resident permit issue would soon be history.
He told the press later that during Obasanjo’s visit to Cameroon last July, the two governments agreed to set up a permanent commission which would work on consular and immigration matters.
Through this, the issue of the resident permit, which has become a perennial complaint of Nigerians living in Cameroon, hopefully will be resolved.
Nigerian Consul General in Buea, Dr. Godknows Boladei Igali, who accompanied the High Commissioner to Limbe, commended the hard working spirit of his countrymen and women resident in Limbe.
He said they contribute to almost every sphere of the social and economic life of the city.
“They are fishermen, traders, some medical doctors, farmers and so on,” Dr. Igali said, adding that the Nigerians in Limbe were quite integrating and were happy.
Earlier, the President of the Nigerian Union in Cameroon, Chief Andrew Eyeanwan Essien, said Edobor's visit was testimony of his love and concern for his kinsmen in Limbe and in Cameroon at large.
He said Limbe was the birth place of the Nigerian Union in Cameroon. He pleaded with the High Commissioner to see how his office could help the association to benefit from Federal funding from their government.
Besides the problem of the resident permit, Chief Essien said the Union had its branches spread across the ten provinces of Cameroon and the necessity for external financing was very vital to enable it meet up with its running exigencies.
The Government Delegate to the Limbe Urban Council, Samuel Ebiama Lifanda, welcomed the Nigerian diplomat to Limbe. He described Edobor's visit as “an opportunity to meet and build warm and friendly ties.”
Considering that thousands of Cameroonians live and study in Nigeria without being subjected to immigration fee, it is both unwise and unfair for our government to impose resident fees on our Nigerian brothers.
Posted by: Oj | Saturday, 20 November 2004 at 11:38 AM
Bakassi: Elias Opinion, September 1970
Forwarded By
Dr. Nowa Omoigui
nowa_o@yahoo.com
Now that the World Court has ruled, I feel free to share this copy of a letter prepared by then Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. T. O. Elias, in September 1970. It was this opinion that guided General Yakubu Gowon of Nigeria in his negotiations with then President Ahidjo of Camerouns.
____________________
ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S CHAMBERS
LAGOS
12517 Bo.16/S.3/60
ATTORNEY
3rd September, 1970
20075
Dr. O. Arikpo
Commissioner for External Affairs
Ministry of External Affairs
Lagos
Dear Dr. Arikpo,
Nigeria/Cameroun Boundary Demarcation
You will recall the recent developments in the relations between Nigeria and the Cameroons concerning the disputed Bakasi Peninsula, particularly the work of the Nigeria-Cameroons Joint Boundary Commission which sat at Yaounde from 12 to 14 August, 1970. This Ministry has given a most careful consideration to the whole question in the light of all the available evidence, and the conclusion is that there is no legal basis for Nigeria’s claims to the Bakasi peninsula for the reasons stated herein.
2. Nigeria is bound to honor a number of pre-independence treaties and other international agreements inherited from Britain by virtue of the Exchange of Notes of October 1, 1960, between us and the United Kingdom on treaty obligations. The following Agreements relevant to the present subject matter, which are binding on Nigeria, and which should be read together show that the Peninsula belongs to the Cameroons, as the international boundary was drawn through the Thalweg of the River Akpa-Yafe which puts the Bakasi Peninsula on the Cameroons side of the boundary:
(i) Article 21 of the Agreement between the United Kingdom and Germany signed at London on March 11, 1913;
(ii) the Anglo-German Protocol signed at Obokum on April 12, 1913; and
(iii) the Exchange of letters between the British and German Governments on July 6, 1914.
3. According to the information received from the Federal Directorate of Surveys, the Bakasi Peninsula has never been included as part of Nigeria in the administrative maps of Nigeria since the then Southern Cameroons ceased to be part of Nigeria in 1961. Also, the Northern Region, Western Region and Eastern Region (Definition of Boundaries) proclamation 1954 (L. N. 126 of 154) showed the Bakasi Peninsula as forming part of the then Southern Cameroons. Moreover, by a Diplomatic Note No, 570 of March 27, 1962, from your ministry to the embassy of the Cameroons in Lagos, to which was attached a map prepared by the Federal Surveys, Nigeria recognized the Bakasi Peninsula as forming part of the Cameroons.
4. The principle of good faith in International relations demands that Nigeria should not disavow her word of honour as evidenced by the note of 1962. Every effort should be exerted on our side to ensure that Nigeria does not show ingratitude to a sister country that stood by us during the civil war. Accordingly, I strongly urge that these recommendations of the Nigeria-Cameroons Joint Boundary Commission dated August 14, 1970 should be implemented expeditiously:
1. “That the delimitation of the boundaries between the two countries be carried out in three stages:
(a) the delimitation of the maritime boundary;
(b) the delimitation of the land boundary as defined in the Anglo-German Protocol signed at Obokum on April 12, 1913 and confirmed by the London Anglo-German agreement “respecting (1) The settlement of the Frontier between Nigeria and Kameron from Yola to the sea; and (2) the Regulations of navigation on the Cross River”, and the exchange of letters between the British and German Governments on July 6, 1914;
(c) the delimitation of the rest of the land boundary.
2. That the delimitation of the maritime boundary be carried out in accordance with the 1958 Geneva Conventions on the Law of the Sea, and in accordance with boundary marks and posts defined in the Anglo-German Agreement “respecting (1) the settlement of frontier between Nigeria and Kamerun from Yola to the sea; and (2) the Regulation of Navigation on the Cross River”.
3. That at the conclusion of each of the stages listed above, a separate treaty be signed by the two countries to give effect to the boundary so demarcated and surveyed.
4. That experts be provided by both countries to commence work as soon as practicable on the delineation of the Nigeria-Cameroons maritime boundary using maps and charts of the largest available scale and which best conform to the standards laid down by the 1958 Geneva Convention; and that work on this delineation be completed not later than the 30th of September, 1970.
5. That work commenced in 1965 in retracing the land boundary and identifying the boundary pillars, which work was started by a joint Nigeria-Cameroon technical Commission, to settle the boundary dispiute between Boudan and Danare, be resumed, and that it continues to the Cross River Estuary.
6. That while work progresses towards giving effect to the above recommendation, both Governments take such measures as will be necessary for the consolidation of the friendly and fraternal relations existing between them”.
Yours sincerely,
(Sgd) Dr. T. O. Elias
Attorney General of the Federation and Commissioner for Justice
Posted by: Ashu Jude Ayuk | Wednesday, 24 November 2004 at 09:00 PM
Bakassi: Elias Opinion, September 1970
Forwarded By
Dr. Nowa Omoigui
nowa_o@yahoo.com
Now that the World Court has ruled, I feel free to share this copy of a letter prepared by then Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. T. O. Elias, in September 1970. It was this opinion that guided General Yakubu Gowon of Nigeria in his negotiations with then President Ahidjo of Camerouns.
____________________
ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S CHAMBERS
LAGOS
12517 Bo.16/S.3/60
ATTORNEY
3rd September, 1970
20075
Dr. O. Arikpo
Commissioner for External Affairs
Ministry of External Affairs
Lagos
Dear Dr. Arikpo,
Nigeria/Cameroun Boundary Demarcation
You will recall the recent developments in the relations between Nigeria and the Cameroons concerning the disputed Bakasi Peninsula, particularly the work of the Nigeria-Cameroons Joint Boundary Commission which sat at Yaounde from 12 to 14 August, 1970. This Ministry has given a most careful consideration to the whole question in the light of all the available evidence, and the conclusion is that there is no legal basis for Nigeria’s claims to the Bakasi peninsula for the reasons stated herein.
2. Nigeria is bound to honor a number of pre-independence treaties and other international agreements inherited from Britain by virtue of the Exchange of Notes of October 1, 1960, between us and the United Kingdom on treaty obligations. The following Agreements relevant to the present subject matter, which are binding on Nigeria, and which should be read together show that the Peninsula belongs to the Cameroons, as the international boundary was drawn through the Thalweg of the River Akpa-Yafe which puts the Bakasi Peninsula on the Cameroons side of the boundary:
(i) Article 21 of the Agreement between the United Kingdom and Germany signed at London on March 11, 1913;
(ii) the Anglo-German Protocol signed at Obokum on April 12, 1913; and
(iii) the Exchange of letters between the British and German Governments on July 6, 1914.
3. According to the information received from the Federal Directorate of Surveys, the Bakasi Peninsula has never been included as part of Nigeria in the administrative maps of Nigeria since the then Southern Cameroons ceased to be part of Nigeria in 1961. Also, the Northern Region, Western Region and Eastern Region (Definition of Boundaries) proclamation 1954 (L. N. 126 of 154) showed the Bakasi Peninsula as forming part of the then Southern Cameroons. Moreover, by a Diplomatic Note No, 570 of March 27, 1962, from your ministry to the embassy of the Cameroons in Lagos, to which was attached a map prepared by the Federal Surveys, Nigeria recognized the Bakasi Peninsula as forming part of the Cameroons.
4. The principle of good faith in International relations demands that Nigeria should not disavow her word of honour as evidenced by the note of 1962. Every effort should be exerted on our side to ensure that Nigeria does not show ingratitude to a sister country that stood by us during the civil war. Accordingly, I strongly urge that these recommendations of the Nigeria-Cameroons Joint Boundary Commission dated August 14, 1970 should be implemented expeditiously:
1. “That the delimitation of the boundaries between the two countries be carried out in three stages:
(a) the delimitation of the maritime boundary;
(b) the delimitation of the land boundary as defined in the Anglo-German Protocol signed at Obokum on April 12, 1913 and confirmed by the London Anglo-German agreement “respecting (1) The settlement of the Frontier between Nigeria and Kameron from Yola to the sea; and (2) the Regulations of navigation on the Cross River”, and the exchange of letters between the British and German Governments on July 6, 1914;
(c) the delimitation of the rest of the land boundary.
2. That the delimitation of the maritime boundary be carried out in accordance with the 1958 Geneva Conventions on the Law of the Sea, and in accordance with boundary marks and posts defined in the Anglo-German Agreement “respecting (1) the settlement of frontier between Nigeria and Kamerun from Yola to the sea; and (2) the Regulation of Navigation on the Cross River”.
3. That at the conclusion of each of the stages listed above, a separate treaty be signed by the two countries to give effect to the boundary so demarcated and surveyed.
4. That experts be provided by both countries to commence work as soon as practicable on the delineation of the Nigeria-Cameroons maritime boundary using maps and charts of the largest available scale and which best conform to the standards laid down by the 1958 Geneva Convention; and that work on this delineation be completed not later than the 30th of September, 1970.
5. That work commenced in 1965 in retracing the land boundary and identifying the boundary pillars, which work was started by a joint Nigeria-Cameroon technical Commission, to settle the boundary dispiute between Boudan and Danare, be resumed, and that it continues to the Cross River Estuary.
6. That while work progresses towards giving effect to the above recommendation, both Governments take such measures as will be necessary for the consolidation of the friendly and fraternal relations existing between them”.
Yours sincerely,
(Sgd) Dr. T. O. Elias
Attorney General of the Federation and Commissioner for Justice
Posted by: Ashu Jude Ayuk | Wednesday, 24 November 2004 at 09:06 PM
Well may be I am not bein fair.myreaction is that you have not covered much on the Cameroon-Nigeria dispute over Bakasi.I have some information from an argurement which I thought this site will lead me to certain clarification about latest information on this burning issue as well as the outcomes and current intention on both parties.
if there is any can I have some information if you don't mind in my box
Posted by: Stanley | Monday, 20 June 2005 at 01:21 PM
Well may be I am not bein fair.myreaction is that you have not covered much on the Cameroon-Nigeria dispute over Bakasi.I have some information from an argurement which I thought this site will lead me to certain clarification about latest information on this burning issue as well as the outcomes and current intention on both parties.
if there is any can I have some information if you don't mind in my box
Posted by: Stanley | Monday, 20 June 2005 at 01:23 PM
Mr. Stanley,
If you need a detailed account of the Bakassi crisis, please visit www.omogui.com (you can also access it from this site under "Jimbimedia site") Dr. Omogui is one of the foremost authorities on the crisis
Posted by: Aruna | Monday, 20 June 2005 at 02:25 PM