FCFA 1M Raised To Reconstruct Bawock Village

By Nformi Sonde Kinsai

Members of the Bawock community in Yaounde have raised FCFA 1,035,000 as part of efforts to rebuild their village that was devastated following a misunderstanding with neighbouring Bali-Nyonga.

 

Fon Wandah III second from left and colleagues drumming support to reconstruct Bawock

The attack on Bawock, which took place from March 3 - 6, 2007, led to the destruction of homes, livestock, crops and the displacement of over 7,000 people.At the October 25 fund-raising, the chairperson of the occasion, retired civil engineer, Emmanuel Mundi, urged the people of Bawock to pray for God to give them humility in order to forgive their neighbour and forge ahead in the reconstruction of their village.

The Fon of Bawock, Theodore Nana Wandah III, said he is still staying in Bamenda because the palace in Bawock was razed.The Fon, who is now dressed like every other commoner, said all his attires as befitting a Fon got lost in the trouble.

 Evaluating the property destroyed at FCFA 2.2 billion, he said FCFA 5 million was raised in Bamenda as part of the reconstruction efforts.He also noted that they are still patiently waiting for the results of the judicial inquiry and prosecution of the perpetrators. 

Fon Wandah III said those who inflicted pain and destruction on the Bawock people strangely took them (Bawock village) to court in a case that was thrown out even though the concerned party appealed.He pleaded with all people of goodwill to come to the aid of the Bawock village. 

The President of the Northwest Fons' Union, Fon Isaac Chafah XI, said the attack and destruction of Bawock was a drawback on civilisation. He recalled the sad memories hundreds of years ago when villages invaded and ransacked others.

He, however, said even if the perpetrators have not openly shown any signs of remorse, deep in them, they are very sorry.Fon Chafah maintained that "we are living in a civilised world where the rule of law must prevail. In society, there are rules that protect the weak and what belongs to you is yours," he stated. 

He noted that the reconstruction of Bawock village is not the affair of the Bawock people alone.The event was marked by the projection on a giant screen of pictures portraying the destruction of Bawock village as well as choral and traditional dances.The Fon of Bambui, Angafor, and the President of the Chiefs of the South Province were also in attendance.